Eagles hold off Panthers’ upset bid
BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune,com
WICHITA — The underdog Great Bend Panthers sliced Wichita Carroll's 18-point lead to 36-30 with lockdown defense and efficient offense. The Panthers' terrific tandem of Sadie Spray and Emilee Hall combined for 11 third-quarter points.
The No. 3 ranked Golden Eagles were suddenly on upset alert. Carroll was held scoreless on 12 consecutive offensive possessions to start the fourth quarter.
But Great Bend's improbable upset bid disappeared in a wave of 12 fourth-quarter turnovers. After Spray converted two free throws for a 36-30 score, the Panthers outdid the Golden Eagles' streak with 14 possessions without a score to squander a Golden (Eagle) opportunity.
Wichita Carroll escaped with a hard-fought 5A substate semifinal basketball victory despite 4 of 29 shooting after halftime. The Golden Eagles missed all 14 3-point attempts after halftime. Carroll survived with six second-half free throws.
The Eagles led 31-13 at halftime keyed by 6 of 15 3-pointers. Carroll hit four consecutive 3-pointers on a 14-2 scoring burst to end the first half. Carroll's Leah Henke scored 16 points and Landon Forbes added nine points. The Eagles made 6 of 27 3-pointers.
Great Bend coach Cindy Beck knew the Panthers (7-14) would rediscover their true identity after halftime.
"We were frustrated at halftime, but we fired it back up and competed," said Beck. "We chipped away and got defensive stops. We needed to do that for four quarters. We had chances to get back into it."
Carroll's defensive quickness helped force many of the Panthers' 25 turnovers. Carroll converted 18 offensive rebounds into 58 field goals attempts compared to 14 of 32 field goal shooting by the Panthers.
"Their zone gave us trouble," Beck said. "It wasn't our sharpest offensive game."
Spray and Taryn Warren scored nine points and Hall added eight points. The Panthers graduate eight seniors — Taryn Warren, Emma Loomis, Hannah Loomis, Melyne Fletchall, Arely Reyes, McKenna Tinkler, Allyson Kaiser and Daltry Kurth.
"It was a heck of a season. We found our identity the second half of the season," Beck said. "They're good kids who will go far in life."
Great Bend 7 6 15 4 — 32
Wichita Carroll 17 14 5 9 — 45
GREAT BEND (7-14)—Spray 3-8 3-5 9, Warren 4-6 1-4 9, Hall 4-7 0-0 8, Kaiser 2-2 0-0 4, Premer 1-7 0-0 2, Thexton 0-1 0-0 0, Emma Loomis 0-1 0-0 0, Totals 14-32 4-9 32.
WICHITA CARROLL (18-3)—Henke 6-12 2-3 16, Landon Forbes 3-11 1-2 9, Steven 3-15 0-0 8, Kendall Forbes 2-12 2-8 6, Doonan 2-3 0-0 4, Martin 0-0 2-6 2, McKillips 0-1 0-2 0, Totals 16-58 7-21 45.
3-pointers—GB 0-6 (E. Loomis 0-1, Spray 0-2, Premer 0-3), WC 6-29 (Henke 2-5, L. Forbes 2-6, Steven 2-12, Doonan 0-1, McKillips 0-1, Martin 0-1, K. Forbes 0-3).
