BY JIM MISUNAS
SCOTT CITY – Great Bend coach Cindy Beck liked the way her Panther girls started each quarter with focus against Scott City with an 18-3 scoring advantage.
But she loved the way the Panthers finished with a dominating 20-4 fourth quarter for a shocking 50-42 non-league basketball victory over a Scott City state-tournament team that finished 20-4 last year.
The Panthers’ full-court pressure forced nine fourth-quarter Scott City turnovers as player-after-player converted winning plays.
Point guard Sydney Unruh highlighted a 17-point night with key assists, a clutch steal and four game-clinching free throws. Candice Smith hustled for several critical offensive rebounds and scored the go-ahead basket for a 43-42 lead. Freshman sensation Spray converted a pair of fourth-quarter baskets and passed to Smith for the go-ahead basket.
Spray followed Smith’s basket with a score for a 45-42 lead. Unruh’s steal led to free throws for a 47-42 lead.
“Girls stepped up. Watching those girls battle back was awesome,” said Beck, who earned her first varsity basketball victory. “They buckled down. They knocked down some serious shots. Their 2-3 zone gave us some trouble. Once we worked the ball the right way, they relaxed.”
Scott City was coasting with a dominating 36-21 lead halfway through the third period. The Panthers swung the momentum with a quick 9-0 scoring run. Unruh scored twice and Taryn Warren and Allyson Kaiser scored for a 36-30 score.
Scott City’s offense collapsed with 25 turnovers against the Panthers’ pressure and will to win a ballgame. After leading by 15 points, the Beavers constantly turned down quality shots and started working the clock rather than try to score.
Kaiser scored 12 points and Warren added 10 points. The Panthers overcame 3 of 20 shooting from 3-point range with 15 of 21 free throws and hustling rebounding to garner extra possessions.
The Panthers (1-0) play Holcomb at home Thursday and hit the road Friday at Junction City.
PANTHERS 50, SCOTT CITY 42
Great Bend 8 9 13 20 – 50
Scott City 18 10 8 4 – 42
GREAT BEND (1-0)—Sydney Unruh 4-15 6-6 17; Allyson Kaiser 5-11 2-4 12; Taryn Warren 3-7 4-6 10; Hannah Loomis 0-2 0-0 0; Tinkler 0-1 0-0 0; Harbaugh 0-0 2-2 2; Smith 2-4 1-2 5; Fletchall 0-3 0-0 0; Emma Loomis 0-2 0-0 0; Hall 0-1 0-0 0; Spray 2-5 0-1 4, Totals 16-51 15-21 50.
SCOTT CITY (1-1)—Latta 4-11 4-4 15; Rumford 5-7 0-0 11; Strine 2-5 4-8 8; Felker 1-8 3-4 5; Patton 1-4 0-0 2; Ford 0-0 1-2 1; Cupp 0-3 0-0 0; Totals 13-38 12-18 42.
3-pointers—GB 3-20 (Unruh 3-10, Smith 0-1, E. Loomis 0-1, Spray 0-1, Warren 0-2, Kaiser 0-5); SC 4-13 (Latta 3-5, Rumford 1-1, Patton 0-1, Felker 0-6)
