BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
HAYS — Great Bend's aggressive defense forged a 35-35 tie with state-ranked Hays High through three quarters. The Panthers accomplished the feat with 34% shooting.
The upset-minded Panthers executed a confident, aggressive game plan to move eight minutes away from first place in the Western Athletic Conference.
But the Indians' defense held the Panthers to 1 of 13 shooting in the fourth quarter for a 50-37 Western Athletic Conference victory. The Indians scored the final 12 points.
Trey Oakley hit a pair of hard-driving shots and Brody Harmoney converted a game-clinching 3-pointer in the fourth quarter before a rowdy Hays home crowd.
The Panthers dictated the game's tempo with a patient offense and a halfcourt trap that prevented the Indians from creating a faster pace. Great Bend's zone defense protected the paint and slowed the Indians' tempo.
"We've got to play better, but that was fun," said Great Bend coach Kyle Kriegh. "Hays hit some tough shots."
Great Bend's Cooper Ohnmacht scored nine of his 16 points in the third quarter by hitting mid-range shots in addition to slashing drives to the basket. Jacob Hall chipped in 11 points against an Indian defense focused on slowing him down.
The Panthers misfired from 3-point range with 4 of 20 shooting from behind the arc.
Indian Isaac Fox stepped up for a gritty 14-point effort. Standout center Dawson Ruder scored 13 points, but shot 4 of 12 against aggressive Panther defense that featured feisty Daxton Minton as a primary second-half box-and-one defender.
Minton made Ruder uncomfortable with his physical defensive style.
"Daxton is a warrior," Kriegh said. "At 5-10, Dax was battling when we defended Ruder in a box-and-one. Ruder is a tough kid."
Manhattan (10-3) visits the Fieldhouse Tuesday.
Great Bend 8 28 16 23 — 37
Hays High 10 28 16 23 — 50
GREAT BEND (8-7, 1-1)—Ohnmacht 7-19 (1-4) 1-2 16; Jacob Hall 4-12 (1-4) 2-2 11; Alec Premer 0-8 (0-5) 2-2 2; Wondra 1-4 (1-3) 0-0 3; Minton 1-4 (1-3) 0-0 3; Stroup 1-6 (0-2) 0-0 2; Totals 14-51 (4-20) 5-6 37
HAYS (12-3, 3-0)—Fox 6-13 2-4 14; Ruder 4-12 (0-2) 5-6 13; Oakley 3-8 (0-3) 3-5 9; Harmoney (2-4) 0-0 6; Day 1-1 1-2 3; Smalley 1-2 0-0 2; Homeier 1-3 0-0 2; Pfeifer 0 1-2 1; Totals 18-43 (2-8) 12-19 50
HAYS GIRLS 61 , PANTHERS 22 — Hays High All-WAC standout Jenna Schmeidler knocked down five uncontested 3-pointers and scored 25 points to spark the reigning WAC champions past Great Bend 61-22 Friday.
Schmeidler scored 10 first-quarter points and Zoe Winter netted seven of her 11 points in the opening quarter for a dominating 20-4 lead. The Indians converted 10 of 23 shots from 3-point range to outscore the Panthers 30-3 from long distance.
The Indians' quickness and athleticism converted 21 anther turnovers into transition points and extra offensive possessions.
The Indians coasted to a 32-8 halftime lead and held the Panthers to 3 of 23 first-half shooting (13%). Great Bend improved its shooting after halftime to finish 9 of 49 (18%) and 1 of 11 from 3-point range (9%).
Panther Chayla Prendergast continues to compete at a high level with six points. Katherine Mazouch added five points.
State-ranked Manhattan (11-2) will visit the Fieldhouse Tuesday.
Great Bend 4 4 5 9 — 22
Hays High 20 12 18 11 — 61
GREAT BEND (3-12, 0-2)—Stevie Mayers 1-4 0-0 2; Meredith Mazouch 0-7 2-2 2; Hogan 0-3 (0-1) 0-0 0; Alex Mayers 1-7 (1-3) 0-0 3; Chayla Prendergast 3-8 0-0 6 0-2 6; Ringo 0-4 0-0 0; Katherine Mazouch 2-4 (0-1) 1-2 5; Fanshier 1-1 0-0 2; McCauley 1-10 (0-5) 0-0 2; Umphres (0-1) 0-0 0; Totals 9-49 (1-11) 3-4 22
HAYS (14-1, 3-0)—Schmeidler 8-16 (5-10) 4-5 25; Winter 4-7 (1-1) 2-2 11; Armbruster 2-7 (2-6) 0-0 6; Turner 2-5 (1-3) 0-0 5; Harrington 2-4 (0-1) 1-1 5; Cunningham (1-1) 1-2 4; Bates 1-3 0-0 2; Humphrey 0-3 (0-1) 0-0 0; LaBarge 1-3 1-2 3; Totals 21-49 (10-23) 9-12 61
