Panther girls lose opener 52-15
TECUMSEH – No. 2 ranked Washburn Rural held Great Bend to 15 percent shooting to roll past the Panthers 52-15 in Thursday’s Thunderbird Basketball Classic.
Kasey Hamilton scored 15 points and University of Creighton commit Carly Bachelor scored 11 points for the 6A Junior Blues (12-0). The Junior Blues featured too much height, skill and experience for the Panthers.
The Panthers’ tandem of Kaylee Brack and Alyssa Herter slowed Bachelor in a diamond-and-one defense. But the Junior Blues grabbed 16 offensive rebounds to converted several second-chance points.
“We changed it up with a diamond and one,” said Great Bend coach Carrie Minton. “We did a good job. Our downfall was their offensive rebounding. Washburn Rural is a real physical team. We’re not going to see better teams. They’re a good team, 12-0 for a reason.”
The Panthers hit 5 of 33 field goals, 15 percent. Jaclynn Schroeder hit a 3-pointer and scored six points. Sydney Unruh and Halle Latham scored three points.
The Panthers (1-10) committed 15 turnovers in the low-possession game. The Panthers play in Friday’s 5:30 p.m. consolation game.
“We need to reverse the basketball rather than force it in,” Minton said. “Our shooting is frustrating.”
Ninth-grader Steele Brack provided a spark with physical play inside off the bench.
“Steele Brack posted up strong and gave us a lift,” Minton said.
Great Bend 3 5 6 1 – 15
Washburn Rural 17 12 11 12 —52
GREAT BEND (1-10)—Schroeder 2-5 2-2 6, Sydney Unruh 1-9 1-2 3, Latham 1-3 0-0 3, Wasinger 1-2 0-0 2, Steele Brack 0-1 0-2 0, Kaylee Unruh 0-0 1-2 1, Cailyn Brack 0-1 0-1 0, Herter 0-3 0-0 0, Mauler 0-4 0-0 0, Smith 0-5 0-0 0, Totals 5-33 4-11 15
WASHBURN RURAL (12-0)—Hamilton 6-12 1-3 15, Bachelor 5-11 2-2 13, Ebert 3-6 1-2 9, Krueger 3-6 0-0 6, Conklin 2-6 0-0 5, Brogan 1-2 0-0 2, Campbell Bagshaw 0 3-2 2, Riley Bagshaw 0 0-2 0, Sheridan Wichman 0-2 0-0 0, Totals 20-48 6-11 52
3-point goals — Great Bend 1 (Latham 1), Washburn Rural 6 (Hamilton 2, Ebert 2, Bachelor 1, Conklin 1).
