BY JIM MISUNAS

jmsunas@gbtribune.com

SALINA — Tavon Stroup picked a perfect time as the latest Great Bend Panther to earn a career-best basketball outing.

The 6-foot-3 Stroup dominated Buhler with a career high 17 points and 18 rebounds to spark a 58-49 semifinal victory over the Buhler Crusaders Friday at Kansas Wesleyan.

Stroup attacked the gaps for 7 of 8 shooting against Buhler when the Crusaders' defense focused on Panther standout Jacob Hall during the early afternoon tipoff.

Great Bend basketball coach Kyle Kriegh saw Stroup realize his potential after encouraging him to play with confidence.

"I got after him the other day and Tavon responded," Kriegh said. 

Kriegh appreciated his assistant coaches for preparing the scouting report on Buhler.

"Our guys were locked in and ready to go," he said. "Our guys were prepared."

Hall worked inside for 15 points. Cooper Ohmacht (11 points), Alec Premer (8) and Jaxon Wondra (7) helped balance the offensive game. Great Bend converted 23 of 48 field goals (48%) and 9 of 12 free throws (75%).

Great Bend led by as many as 14 points before the Panthers' offense slowed down after they started to run time off the clock rather than play with tempo and put pressure on Buhler's defense. Four consecutive Panther turnovers helped Buhler slice the lead to 53-47. Ohnmacht stopped the run with a pair of free throws.

The Panthers' crafty man-to-man defense held Buhler to 20 of 52 shooting (38%) and limited the Crusaders to 3 of 15 shooting (20%) from 3-point range.

Buhler's Jacob Miller scored 18 points and Luke Holmberg added 15 points. The rest of the Crusaders misfired with 6 of 27 shooting (22%).

Defending Salina Invitational champion Great Bend (7-5) advances to Monday's 7:30 p.m. championship game against Salina South at Kansas Wesleyan. The Panthers will seek revenge after losing to Salina South 61-59 on a game-winning shot that came after time expired in the first overtime Jan. 6.

Great Bend 14 17 11 16 — 58

Buhler 11 10 10 18 — 49 

GREAT BEND (7-5)—Stroup 7-8 3-5 17; Jacob Hall 7-13 (1-4) 0-0 15; Ohnmacht 3-14 (0-2) 5-5 11; Alec Premer 3-7 (2-5) 0-0 8; Wondra 3-5 1-2 7; Minton (0-1) 0-0 0; Totals 23-48 (3-12) 9-12 

BUHLER (8-5)—Jacob Miller 8-13 (1-2) 1-4 18; Holmberg 6-12 (1-3) 2-2 15; Jared Miller 2-9 (0-2) 0-0 4; Zachary 1-2 (0-1) 2-3 4; Martinez (1-2) 0-0 3; Edmund 1-3 0-0 2; McCurdy 1-6 (0-4) 1-2 3; Heredia 0-5 (0-1) 0-0 0; Totals 20-52 (3-15) 6-11 49.

SALINA INVITATIONAL BOYS

1-26—1ST—Great Bend 7-5 vs. Salina South 9-4, 7:30; 3RD—Buhler 8-5 vs. Salina Central 7-7 4:30; 5TH—Wamego 4-10 vs. DeSoto, 7:30; 7TH—Abilene vs. Wichita South, 4:30

SECOND ROUND—Great Bend 58, Buhler 49; Salina South 58, Salina Central 53; Wamego 57, Abilene 43; DeSoto 59, Wichita South 57

FIRST ROUND—Salina South 64, Wichita South 53; Salina Central 61, DeSoto 57; Buhler 63, Abilene 47; Great Bend 54, Wamego 28

GREAT BEND 60, ABILENE 36 —  The Great Bend/Abilene girls matchup featured a Big Mc Attack and showcased "Kit" versus "Kat."

Great Bend's Alyssa McCauley delivered the 'Big Mac Attack,' with back-to-back 3-pointers that sparked the Panthers to a 24-point victory 60-36 after leading 26-24 at halftime.

The Panthers limited the Cowgirls to 1 of 14 shooting in the third quarter to break the game open. McCauley played her most complete game of the season with 14 points, a pair of 3-pointers and three of her five assists in the decisive third quarter.

Chocolate fans loved when Abilene started 'Kit' Barbieri and Great Bend started Katherine 'Kat' Mazouch.

Panther Chayla Prendergast continues to perform with a steady confidence with 11 points, six off offensive rebounds. Alex Mayers tallied nine points and sparkplug Meredith Mazouch and Stevie Mayers each added eight points.

Great Bend continued to show defensive progress with forcing 25 Abilene turnovers that helped fuel transition points.

Abilene's Tessa Herrman worked hard in a 20-point outing off 6 of 18 shooting. Her teammates managed to convert 4 of 23 field goals (17%). The Cowgirls misfired from long range with 1 of 15 shooting (7%).

The Panthers (3-9) play Buhler (6-7) for fifth place at 5 p.m. Monday at Salina South.

Abilene 11 13 14 8 — 36

Great Bend 12 14 15 19 — 60

ABILENE (3-9)—Tessa Herrman 6-18 (0-5) 8-13 20; MaKenna Stover 1-11 (1-6) 1-4 4; Taylor 1-3 (0-1) 1-2 3; Barbieri 1-3 1-6 3; Klovis Stover 0-0 1-2 1; Coyle 0-1 0-0 0; (24) 1-4 2-3 4; (32) 0-1 1-2 1; Totals 10-41 (1-15) 15-32 36

GREAT BEND (3-9)—McCauley 4-7 (2-5) 4-7 14; Chayla Prendergast 4-6 3-4 11; Alex Mayers 4-10 (0-2) 1-1 9; Meredith Mazouch 2-6 (0-1) 4-5 8; Stevie Mayers 4-11 (0-1) 0-0 8; Hogan 2-6 (0-1) 1-1 5; Katherine Mazouch 0-2 0-2 0; Ringo 1-1 0-0 2; Umphres 1-2 1-2 3; Totals 22-51 (2-10) 14-22 60

SALINA INVITATIONAL GIRLS

1-26—1ST—Wichita East 10-3 vs. Wamego 12-1, 5; 3RD—Salina South 10-4 vs. Salina Central 7-7, 3; 5TH—Great Bend 3-9 vs. Buhler 6-7, 5; 7TH—Abilene 3-9 vs. Junction City 1-11, 3

SECOND ROUND—Wichita East 59, Salina South 22; Wamego 43, Salina Central 34; Great Bend 60, Abilene 36; Buhler 46, Junction City 39

FIRST ROUND—Wamego 58, Junction City 20; Salina Central 56, Buhler 24; Salina South 54, Great Bend 48; Wichita East 76, Abilene 23