BY JIM MISUNAS
HAYS – Great Bend’s girls scrapped and battled to the finish in a 41-32 loss to rival Hays High in Saturday’s Gerald Mitchell Hays Basketball Shootout for fourth place. The Panthers rallied within 31-28 on Makenzie Premer’s basket to start the fourth quarter.
The Panthers missed five tries to narrow the margin after five consecutive Hays turnovers. But the Panthers converted 1 of 12 field goals to miss their opportunity for their first basketball victory.
Jersey Johnson hit a free throw and Aspen Melvin drilled a 3-pointer for a safe 36-28 lead. The Indians converted five 3-pointers to outscore the Panthers 15-3 on 3-pointers.
The Panthers (0-3) committed 25 turnovers despite a patient approach that worked for quality field goal attempts. The Panthers converted 13 of 19 free throws by smartly attacking the basket.
Panther Emilee Hall played inspired basketball with nine points and superb rebounding and defense. Mersadie Spray scored six points. Hannah Loomis and Taryn Warren each added five points. Hays High’s Molly Martin scored 12 points with a trio of 3-pointers. Carly Lang scored seven points and Jersey Johnson added six points.
Great Bend 6 11 9 6 – 32
Hays High 9 11 11 10 – 41
GREAT BEND (0-3)—Hall 2-5 5-6 9, Spray 2-6 2-2 6, Hannah Loomis 1-2 1-1 3, Warren 2-5 1-3 5, Premer 1-2 2-4 4, kaiser 1-5 0-0 3, Thexton 0-0 2-2 2, Fletchall 0-1 0-0 0, Emma Loomis 0-3 0-1 0, Totals 9-30 13-19 32.
HAYS HIGH (1-2)—Martin 3-8 3-4 12, Lang 2-5 2-2 7, Johnson 2-6 2-5 6, Engel 1-2 2-2 4, Linenberger 2-3 0-3 4, Melvin 1-2 1-2 4, Ruder 0-3 2-3 2, Sheldon 1-1 0-0 2, Humphrey 0-2 0-0 0, Totals 12-33 12-21 41.
3-pointers—GB 1-7 (Kaiser 1-3, Fletchall 0-1, Warren 0-1, Premer 0-2), HH 5-14 (Martin 3-4, Lang 1-2, Melvin 1-2, Engel 0-1, Ruder 0-1, Johnson 0-4)
GERALD MITCHELL HAYS SHOOTOUT
THURSDAY—Fort Smith (Ark.) Northside 56, Great Bend 21; Olathe West 48, Hugoton 31; Hays TMP 42, Hays High 37
FRIDAY— Fort Smith (Ark.) 55, Hays High 31; Olathe West 54, Hays-TMP 28; Hugoton 58, Great Bend 39
SATURDAY—1ST—Fort Smith (Ark.) 46, Olathe West 38; 3RD—Hugoton 52, Hays-TMP 40; 4TH—Hays High 41, Great Bend 32
