Redskins’ 3-pointers beat Panthers

By JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com

Great Bend basketball coach Tim Brooks started to get an uneasy feeling by halftime.

A brilliant 9-point start by Trent Stueder led to a 18-15 halftime lead. But Brooks knew the Panthers had wasted an 0-for-10 start by Liberal from 3-point range.

Liberal converted four third-quarter 3-pointers to swing the momentum in a 43-34 Western Athletic Conference victory over the Panthers. The Redskins converted 4 of 20 from long range, but that was enough.

Brody Sumner, Hunter Hatcher and Braxton Hyde drilled consecutive 3-pointers for a 24-20 lead. Jordan Mendoza’s 3-pointer gave the Redskins a 27-26 lead they never lost.

“That took the wind out of our sails,” Brooks said. “At the end, they stepped up and hit free throws.”

Sumner, Israel Avalos and Mendoza scored baskets and Braxton Hyde converted six free throws and a basket to hold off the Panthers in the fourth quarter.

“Give Liberal credit because they played really well,” Brooks said. “They got after us defensively and we didn’t handle it very well. We had unforced turnovers.”

It was a bitter defeat for Great Bend (5-9, 2-2 WAC) which has league title aspirations and missed a chance to lead Garden City (2-1) and Hays High (2-1) by a half-game. The Panthers visit Hays Tuesday.

The Panthers misfired after halftime with 5 of 18 shooting after halftime against Liberal’s small and lightning-quick defenders that made every pass a struggle. The Panthers failed to execute backdoor plays against Liberal’s aggressive defense.

Stueder scored 16 points with eight rebounds. Supersub Korbin Widiger knocked down a trio of 3-pointers, but shot just four times. Redskin defensive stopped Cyris Dunlap shut down Alex Schremmer to 1 of 11 shooting.

“We got off to a quick start, but we tried some questionable shots,” Brooks said. “That was Trent Stueder’s best ballgame. He finished shots inside.”

REDSKINS 43, PANTHERS 34

Liberal 6 9 12 16 – 43

Great Bend 9 9 8 8 – 34

LIBERAL (8-5, 1-2)—Hyde 3-9 6-6 13, Mendoza 4-7 1-3 9, Avalos 4-5 0-0 8, Sumner 2-5 2-2 7, Hunter Hatcher 1-8 0-2 4, Dunlap 0-6 0-1 0, Aung 1-2 0-0 2, Totals 15-42 9-14 43

GREAT BEND (5-9, 2-2)—Stueder 6-7 4-9 16, Widiger 3-4 0-0 9, Wondra 0-3 0-0 0, Sam Ryan 0-4 0-0 0, Schremmer 1-11 1-2 3, Brown 0-1 0-0 0, Olivas 2-5 0-0 4, Totals 12-38 5-11 34

3-pointers—L 4-20 (Hyde 1-4, Sumner 1-3, Mendoza 1-4, H. Hatcher 1-6, Aung 0-1, Dunlap 0-2), GB 5-18 (Widiger 3-3, Olivas 2-4, Duvall 0-2, Wondra 0-2, Schremmer 0-7)

LIBERAL GIRLS 74, GREAT BEND 32

Plan A worked just fine for Great Bend Panther Sydney Unruh. Unruh attacked the basket with a fast-paced style, charging her way for 15 points and 13 free throws.

The bad news is there was no Plan B.

Unruh was Great Bend’s shining light in a lopsided 74-32 basketball loss to No. 2 state-ranked Liberal at Friday’s Homecoming.

Liberal placed four players in double figures to overpower the Panthers with a physical defensive presence and offensive firepower inside and outside the 3-point stripe.

Reigning WAC Player of the Year Katie Hornya was dominant with 17 points and fearless defense. Aubrey Warden (15), Machia Mullens (13) and Audrey Gilmore (11) scored in double figures.

Liberal’s Mullens scored 12 first-quarter points to spark a 25-3 first-quarter lead. The Redskins made a trio of 3-pointers and converted turnovers and offensive rebounds into offensive scores. By halftime, the Redskins led 45-11 behind 50 percent shooting on 18 of 36 field goals.

The Redskins (13-0, 3-0 WAC) knocked down eight 3-pointers and scored 40 points inside the stripe to go with 10 free throws.

The Panthers have 5A defending state champion St. Thomas Aquinas and 6A state-ranked Washburn Rural.

 “Liberal is the most balanced offensive team we’ve played,” said Great Bend coach Carrie Minton. “They’ve got the ability to shoot the ball on the perimeter. They pressure you inside with their size.”

Sydney Unruh missed a chance for more scoring, but she converted 5 of 13 free throws.  Alyssa Herter and Jenna Mauler each scored five points.

Great Bend (1-14, 0-4 WAC) has lost 11 consecutive games heading to Tuesday’s showdown at Hays High.

“We scored 32 points against a very physical basketball team. We’ll go back to work Monday and try to play better,” Minton said. “Hopefully, some of what we saw will carry over into next week.”

Liberal 25 20 19 10 – 74

Great Bend 3 8 9 12 – 32

LIBERAL (13-0, 3-0)—Hornya 7-11 1-3 17, Warden 6-8 2-3 15, Mullens 5-14 2-4 13, Gilmore 4-9 1-2 11, Reece Hay 0-2 0-0 0, Whitney Hay 1-3 0-0 3, Alarcon 0-5 1-2 1, Watt 1-2 0-0 2, Kapp 1-3 3-4 5, Payton 1-2 0-0 2, Ross 1-2 0-0 2, Bree Hornya 1-1 0-0 2, Totals 28-60 10-18 74

GREAT BEND (1-14, 0-4)—Sydney Unruh 5-14 5-13 13, Schroeder 1-1 0-0 2, Kaylee Unruh 0-3 0-0 0, Harbaugh 0-1 0-0 0, Warren 0-1 0-2 0, Mauler 2-10 1-3 5, Latham 1-4 0-0 2, Herter 2-5 0-0, Smith 0-0 1-2, Totals 11-31 7-20 32

3-pointers—L 8-28 (K. Hornya 2-4, Gilmore 2-6, R. Hay 0-2, W. Hay 1-3, Mullens 1-5, Warden 1-2, Kapp 1-1, Payton 0-1, Ross 0-1, Alarcon 0-3), GB 3-13 (S. Unruh 2-7, Herter 1-1, K. Unruh 0-1, Harbaugh 0-1, Mauler 0-3)