By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Panther girls lose 10th consecutive game
sydney unruh1
Great Bend Panther Sydney Unruh (12) attacks the basket against Dodge Citys Madison Armstrong (2) and Lauren Gleason (21). - photo by JIM MISUNAS Great Bend Tribune

BY JIM MISUNAS

jmisunas@gbtribune.com


WAMEGO – The Great Bend girls, bless their hearts, deliver excellent effort every night. 

However, executing phases of the game are an issue for the Panthers, who lost to 4A Wamego Tuesday 58-40 to drop their 10th consecutive basketball game. 

Inaccurate shooting, 50 percent free throw shooting, lack of height and 17 turnovers were too much to overcome.

Panther point guard Sydney Unruh was a warrior with 12 points, three steals and several assists. Whenever the Panthers made a play, Unruh was in the middle of it. Candice Smith added seven points.

Wamego (9-6) is red hot after winning the Tonganoxie Tournament by beating state-ranked Eudora, Bonner Springs and DeSoto.

Paige Donnelly led the Red Raiders with 14 points and Kynzie Underwood added nine points. Wamego hit six 3-pointers to outscore the Panthers 18-0.

Wamego took charge with a 22-7 scoring run for a 35-17 lead in the third quarter. Again, the Panthers hit long scoring droughts. The Panthers made 3 of 11 first-half free throws.

“You’re not going to win games with six-minute scoreless streaks,” said Great Bend coach Carrie Minton. “We are not taking advantage of things that we can control.”

Panther Kaylee Unruh defended Wamego’s top scorer Aubri Alexander, shutting out for three quarters with a diamond-and-one defense.

“We executed the defense to stop the girl we wanted,” Minton said. “We did a tremendous job on her. They had other girls step up.” 

The Panthers (1-13, 0-3 WAC) will be heavy underdogs against WAC champion and 6A state ranked Liberal (12-0) at Friday’s Homecoming game.

Great Bend  10 17  6  17 – 40

Wamego      13 15 15 15 – 58

GREAT BEND (1-13)— Sydney Unruh 6 0-2 12, Smith 3 1-2 7, Harbaugh 2 0-0 4, Herter 0 4-6 4, Latham 0 2-3 2, Mauler 0 4-6 4, Kaylee Unruh 1 1-2 3, Warren 2 0-2 4, Totals 14 12-23 40 

WAMEGO (9-6)— Donnelly 5 3-4 14, Underwood 4 0-0 9, Petty 4 0-0 8, Beachler 1 4-8 7, Hamman 1 4-5 6, Alderson 2 0-0 6, Alexander 1 2-2 5, Schoenbeck 0 1-4 1, Totals 19 14-25 58

3-pointers—W 6 (Alderson 2, Donnelly 1, Underwood 1, Beachler 1, Alexander 1)

WAC GIRLS

Liberal 2-0 12-0

Dodge City 1-0 5-7

Hays High 1-1 8-4

Garden City 1-1 7-5

Great Bend 0-3 1-13

TUESDAY—Wamego 58, Great Bend 40; Dodge City 46, Garden City 39; Salina South 54, Hays High 49, OT

FRIDAY—Liberal at Great Bend; Garden City at Guymon, Okla.; Dodge City at Hays High

SATURDAY—Garden City at Hays High

LIBERAL (2-0, 12-0)—W Holcomb 66-19; W Guymon, Okla. 44-20; W Dumas, Texas 51-31; W Wichita Trinity 51-36; W Scott City 60-26; W Perryton, Texas 59-38; W *Hays High 61-42; W *Garden City 53-22; Salina (W Wichita West 51-29; W Salina South 54-37; W Salina Central 59-45); W Hugoton 52-31; 2-1—*at Great Bend; 2-5—Guymon, Okla.; 2-7—*at Dodge City; 2-8—*at Hays High; 2-12—Cimarron; 2-16—*at Great Bend; 2-18—*at Dodge City; 2-19—*Garden City

DODGE CITY (2-0, 6-7)—W Junction City 55-22; L Newton 40-53; L Maize 44-61; W Hugoton 50-46; W Guymon, Okla. 45-31; L McPherson 52-66; W Cimarron 54-40; L Ulysses 31-42; W *Great Bend 54-40; Newton Tournament (L Ulysses 24-29, L Wichita SE 39-69); W *Garden City 46-39; 2-1—*at Hays High; 2-5—Ulysses; 2-7—*at Liberal; 2-12—*Garden City; 2-15—*at Great Bend; 2-18—*Liberal; 2-19—*Hays High

HAYS HIGH (1-1, 8-4)—W Great Bend 79-44; L Manhattan 39-49; L Millwood, Okla. 40-57;  Colby 47-44; W Pratt; L *Liberal 42-61; W *Great Bend 64-41;  Colby Tournament (W Goodland 59-36; W Scott City 68-50; W Colby 50-19); W Salina Central; L Salina South 49-54, OT; 2-1—*Dodge City; 2-2—*Garden City; 2-5—*Great Bend; 2-8—*Liberal; 2-12—at Abilene; 2-15—*at Garden City; 2-19—*Dodge City; 2-22--Abilene

GARDEN CITY (1-2, 7-6)—W Guymon, Okla. 59-50; W Coronado, Colo. 39-22; W Palmer Ridge, Colo. 46-27; W Holcomb 43-29; L Deer Creek, Colo. 45-52; W Junction City 64-41; W *Great Bend 47-29; L *Liberal 22-53; L Ulysses 42-49; Newton Tournament (L Andover Central 38-52; L Newton 33-35; W Kapaun-Mt. Carmel 40-37); L *Dodge City 39-46; 2-1—at Guymon, Okla.; 2-2—*at Hays High; 2-5—Hugoton; 2-8—*Great Bend; 2-12—*at Dodge City; 2-15—*Hays High; 2-19—*at Liberal

GREAT BEND (0-3, 1-13)—L Hays High 44-79; L St. Thomas Aquinas 41-71; L Hays-TMP 50-53; W Junction City 60-25; L Salina Central 42-71; L Hutchinson 48-50; L Buhler 45-53; L *Garden City 29-47; L *Hays 41-64; L *Dodge City 40-54; Topeka (L Shawnee Heights 15-52; L SM East 40-44; L Shawnee Heights 33-51); L Wamego 40-58; 2-1—*Liberal; 2-5—*at Hays High; 2-8—*at Garden City; 2-12—Hays-TMP; 2-15—*Dodge City; 2-16—*at Liberal