BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbribune.com
EL DORADO — Joseph Moeder and Mathew Moeder showed their Great Bend teammates how brotherly love works when Joseph passed to Mathew for a momentum-building basket.
After the Moeders showed the way to play, the Panthers roared past the El Dorado Wildcats 63-52 in Thursday's Bluestem Basketball Classic. Joseph Moeder played his patented defense by drawing charging fouls against Connor Clausing, Jayden Sundgren and Barry Sanders.
Time-after-time, a Panther would make the extra pass for a basket. Standout Stefan Spray and Sage Koelsch each passed out three assists. Carter Coombs and the Moeder brothers each got in on the fun.
The terrific trio of Stefan Spray, Sage Koelsch and Joseph Moeder each scored 14 points. The Panthers dominated the boards and held El Dorado to 4 of 23 shooting from 3-poinr range, 17 percent.
"That was fun once we got going," said Great Bend coach Kyle Kriegh. "We worked really well together. We placed three players in double figures and handled their pressure."
The Panthers took control with an 18-5 scoring run for a 28-17 lead. Koelsch, Tyler Stuhlsatz, Braylon Council and Joseph Moeder each scored four points in the second quarter.
The key difference was the Panthers played with a team concept while the Wildcats preferred to play a one-on-one offensive style. The Panthers harassed sharpshooter L.J. Berkstresser, who fouled out with 4 of 13 shooting. The Panthers showed off good ball pressure and expertly defended the Wildcats' perimeter game.
"Our guys followed out game plan and knew exactly what we needed to do," said Kriegh. "It was good to see the guys execute the game plan."
Great Bend started the fourth quarter with three solid assists as Stefan Spray, Joseph Moeder and Koelsch dished out assists twice to Joseph Moeder and once to Mathew Moeder for a 52-38 lead. The Wildcats made a brief run when Berkstresser, Barry Summers, Logan Garner and Trip Baker scored to slice the lead to 54-48.
Joseph Moeder scored on a Coombs assist and Koelsch sealed the victory with four free throws.
The Panthers (4-6) play Wichita Collegiate (6-2) at 7:30 p.m. Friday. The Wildcats (4-5) had upset 3A state-ranked Wichita Collegiate 63-50 Wednesday night.
3-WAY TIEBREAKER SCENARIO — The Panthers could face a unique dilemma Friday if Collegiate wins to force a 3-way pool tie. The 3-way tiebreaker favors least points permitted. El Dorado has yielded 113 points, Great Bend 52 and Collegiate 63. Even with a loss, the Panthers would advance to the championship game if they score at least 51 points (eliminating Collegiate 114); and yield 60 points or less (eliminating El Dorado, 113).
Great Bend 12 16 18 17 — 63
El Dorado 12 7 13 20 — 52
GREAT BEND (4-6)—Stefan Spray 5-8 2-3 14, Koelsch 4-7 6-6 14, Joseph Moeder 7-8 0-0 14, Stuhlsatz 2-4 0-1 4, Council 3-11 1-2 8, Mathew Moeder 1-2 0-0 2, Coombs 3-8 0-0 7, Totals 25-48 9-12 63.
EL DORADO (4-5)—Summers 5-9 2-3 12, Garner 3-5 0-0 6, Kemboi 3-14 1-2 8, Sundgren 1-4 0-0 3, Baker 3-7 0-0 8, Berkstresser 4-13 1-2 9, Clausing 3-4 0-0 6, Rickard 0-0 0-2 0, Totals 22-56 4-9 52.
3-pointers—GB 4-18 (S. Spray 2-4, Coombs 1-4, Council 1-7, Koelsch 0-1, Stuhlsatz 0-2), ED 4-23 (Baker 2-6, Sundgren 1-4, Kemboi 1-7, Garner 0-2, Berkstresser 0-4).
WEDNESDAY—Wichita Trinity 65, Goddard 43; El Dorado 63, Wichita Collegiate 50
THURSDAY—Great Bend 63, El Dorado 52; Kapaun Mt. Carmel 57, Goddard 48
FRIDAY—Kapaun-Mt. Carmel def. Wichita Trinity; Wichita Collegiate 49, Great Bend 40
SATURDAY—1ST—Kapaun-Mt. Carmel 10-1 vs. Great Bend 4-7; 3RD—Wichita Trinity vs. Collegiate 7-2; 5TH—Goddard 2-9 vs. El Dorado
