BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
Leave it to the Great Bend girls to write a perfect script until the tragic ending.
On the eve of Valentine's Day, it was genuine heartbreak for the Panther girls on Winter Homecoming Night.
Garden City outscored Great Bend 30-8 after trailing 49-41 for a 71-57 victory over the Panthers, who played with fearless intensity and focus for 32 minutes.
Unfortunately, the game required an extra four minutes, which Garden City dominated 14-0. The Buffaloes scored on six of seven possessions to start overtime.
Most "experts' wouldn't figure that homecourt advantage would mean 30 points over a 32-minute period. After all, Garden City routed the Panthers 67-37 when the teams met Jan. 8.
Great Bend coach Jade Winter believed the Panthers played their best because of a supportive Homecoming crowd, which was on upset alert.
"That's the best environment we've had for a home game," Winter said. "The crowd was helping us. It was a crazy environment. The girls work hard every day with their effort and attitude. The loss stings, but I'm proud of their effort."
Spunky Baze Hogan set the tone with a tireless defensive effort against Garden City's Mia Hannagan, the Buffaloes all-time single game, single season and career 3-point scorer.
Hogan could've told you what fictional bubblegum Hannagan was chewing.
"Baze was chasing around a lot of girls at practice this week getting ready for that job," said Winter.
But Hannagan pulled a trio of 3-point bullets from her holster because that's what gunslingers do despite 4 of 16 shooting.
Garden City (11-7, 3-2 WAC) converted five consecutive 3-point possessions to rally from a 49-41 deficit. Gracyn Doll converted a 3-pointer and Myah Korf kicked in an old-fashioned 3-point play. Thaylee Powers' trey was followed by back-to-back bombs by Hannagan.
The Panthers pushed to overtime when Meredith Mazouch made two free throws and Alyssa McCauley converted the best basket of her career with a tying 3-pointer for a 57-57 tie.
There's luck involved, and that swung the Buffaloes' way when both halves ended.
A phantom 'touch foul' on a 25-footer that Tegan Snodgrass converted into two points on the last play of the half wasn't granted to Panther Meredith Mazouch, who earned contact but no foul on a last-second game-winner.
Chayla Prendergast led the Panthers with 14 points. McCauley scored 11 points and Hogan and Meredith Mazouch added nine apiece.
"Alyssa's shot is hit-and-miss, but she's always putting in the work to get it locked in," Winter said. "It does help when you put the ball through the hoop. Chayla (Prendergast) really stepped up and scored."
Buffalo Snodgrass exploited a left-handed driving shot for 10 field goals and 30 points until the Panthers stopped it which they never did.
"That's why she's so successful when people force her to the left," Winter said.
Garden City 8 16 15 18 14 — 71
Great Bend 16 9 19 13 0 — 57
GARDEN CITY (11-7, 3-2)—Snodgrass 10-18 (0-1) 10-14 30; Hannagan 4-16 (3-10) 0-0 11; Powers 4-9 (3-6) 0-0 11; Korf 3-7 (0-3) 3-4 9; Doll 3-4 (2-3) 0-0 8; Meng 1-4 0-2 2; Brown (0-2) 0-0 0; Finch 0-3 (0-2) 0; Totals 25-63 (8-27) 13-22 71
GREAT BEND (3-16, 0-5)—Chayla Prendergast 6-18 (0-1) 2-5 14; McCauley 4-13 (2-6) 1-4 11; Meredith Mazouch 3-8 (1-1) 2-3 9; Hogan Baze 3-10 (1-4) 2-4 9; Alex Mayers 1-8 (2-3) 0-0 4; Katherine Mazouch 1-8 (0-2) Totals 21-71 (5-18) 9-21 57
