BY JIM MISUNAS
WICHITA – The two-man wizardry of Sage Koelsch and Joseph Moeder wasn't nearly enough for the Great Bend Panthers.
Wichita Kapaun-Mt. Carmel dominated play to roll past the Panthers 66-36 in Thursday’s Bluestem Classic round robin at Kapaun-Mt. Carmel. The final four minutes were played with a running clock.
Koelsch scored 15 points with a trio of 3-pointers. Joseph Moeder converted four free throws and two free throws for a perfect shooting night. The other Panthers converted four of 18 field goals with 21 turnovers.
The Crusaders (5-2) showed off a variety of inside and outside offensive weapons. Blake Danitschek scored 20 points on a trio of 3-pointers. Grant Johnson (11) and Will Anciaux (10) scored in double figures. Anciaux scored six second-chance points.
The Panthers played 2-3, 3-2 and 1-3-1 zones to force 11 first-half turnovers. Sam Hall scored inside after Koelsch hit a pair of 3-pointers to slice the Crusaders' lead to 15-12.
But the Crusaders closed the half on a 14-2 scoring run for a 29-17 halftime lead. Danitschek scored 14 first-half points. The Panthers offset that advantage with 11 first-half turnovers and five of 15 shooting.
"I loved the way our defense was flying around that first half," said Great Bend coach Tim Brooks. "We were active defensively."
Great Bend's turnover woes proved costly after halftime with 10 more mistakes that the Crusaders converted into easy transition baskets. The Crusaders also took advantage with second-chance points off the boards.
"We turned it over because of their physicality. We've got to be stronger with the basketball," Brooks said. "They had a lot of transition points because of our turnovers."
The Panthers converted 11 of 29 field goals, four of 13 from 3-point range. Cole Streck came back from an injury with five points.
"You've got to have our shooters make shots," he said. "We continue to work for great shots."
Great Bend (3-7) finishes out play in the three-game round-robin against 6A Wichita West at 1 p.m. at Kapaun-Mt. Carmel.
"Our goal is to get better every game," Brooks said. "These are good games to prepare us for our Western Athletic League games."
Great Bend 10 7 13 6 – 36
KMC 15 14 21 16 – 66
GREAT BEND (3-7)— Koelsch 5-9 2-4 15, Joseph Moeder 2-2 4-4 8, Spray 0-0 2-2 2, Mathew Moeder 1-3 0-0 2, Council 0-0 2-2 2, Sam Hall 1-3 0-0 2, Hernandez 0-2 0-0 0, Scheuerman 0-1 0-1 0, Totals 11-29 10-13 36
KMC (5-2)—Danitschek 7-13 3-4 20, Johnson 4-7 3-3 11, Anciaux 5-7 0-0 10, Jones 2-6 0-0 6, Woodward 0-0 4-4 4, Porter 1-1 0-0 3, Thengvall 1-2 2-2 5, Stuhlsatz 1-5 4-4 7, Totals 22-42 16-17 66
3-pointers—GB 4-13 (Koelsch 3-5, Streck 1-7, Scheuerman 0-1); KMC 8-17 (Danitschek 3-8, Jones 2-5, Porter 1-1, Stuhlstz 1-1, Thengvall 1-2)
