BY JIM
MISUNAS
Great Bend Panther Alex Schremmer was up to his usual tricks with a 20-point night in the Panthers’ 60-40 basketball victory over Hays Thomas More Prep Marian.
But Payton Duvall played the role of the understudy with a 12-point and a magical 30-foot buzzer-beater to end the third quarter.
“That was nice to see Payton make that right in front of me,” said Great Bend coach Tim Brooks.
Brooks was like a proud papa watching his team mature before his eyes.
The Panthers executed solidly at both ends of the court to improve their record to 6-12. It’s a victory that enables the Panthers to move out of a potential play-in game for the 5A post-season playoffs.
Schremmer, as usual, did the heavy lifting with brilliant ballhandling and passing. The Panthers made the extra pass all night, and for once were rewarded with decent shooting. Schremmer knocked down four 3-pointers and Duvall dialed long distance twice.
“It feels really good because we did a lot of great things tonight,” Brooks said. “We played well at both ends of the court. Everyone played well together, which is good to see. We made some really good passes. We didn’t always score, but we made good plays to get those quality shots.”
For once, the Panthers benefited from a break when Schremmer converted two free throws for a 8-4 lead off a technical foul when Monarch coach Bill Meagher failed to enter Grant Ginther in the scorebook.
Schremmer scored 10 first-half points and eight Panthers scored points for a 29-19 halftime lead.
The Panthers kept the Monarchs off balance with five half-court and full-court defenses. But it was old-fashioned man-to-man defense that set the tone for a game-clinching 15-2 scoring run for a 48-25 lead. The Panthers pressured the ballhandlers and helped on the Monarchs’ inside players.
“It was effort and desire, tough man-to-man defense,” Brooks said. “It was good tough defense. We put our mind to it on the boards and did a great job there too.”
Duvall was happily greeted by his teammates with his third-quarter buzzer-beater. The Panthers kept attacking the basket, which kept their offensive flow moving. Ten Panthers found the scoring column.
As usual, defensive stopper Brock Blessing has his typical signature plays. He drew two charging fouls to extend his school record to 22 offensive fouls drawn.
Brooks believes the Panthers are peaking at the right time with a home game Friday against Dodge City before a trip to Liberal Saturday.
TMP 7 12 6 15 — 40
Great Bend 13 16 16 15 — 60
TMP (9-9)—Karlin 4-11 0-0 9, Lang 0-4 0-0 0, Jacobs 2-3 1-2 5, Schulte 4-6 6-6 14, Kreutzer 0-1 0-0 0, Johnson 2-5 1-3 5, Mayers 1-3 1-4 3, Ginther 2-2 0-3 4, Breown 0-1 0-0 0, Wentling 0-2 0-0 0, Totals 15-38 9-18 40
GREAT BEND (6-12)—Wondra 0 2-2 2, Widiger 1-3 0-0 2, Duvall 4-10 2-3 12, Sam Ryan 2-6 0-0 5, Blessing 1-3 0-0 2, Miller 1-3 0-0 2, Schremmer 7-14 2-2 20, Stueder 2-8 0-0 4, Olivas 3-6 0-0 7, Brown 1-2 0-0 2, Hall 0-2 0-0 0, Streck 1-1 0-0 2, Kuhlman 0-1 0-0 0, Totals 23-59 6-7 60
3-pointers—GB 8-20 (Schremmer 4-9, Duvall 2-5, Ryan 1-2, Olivas 1-3, Brown 0-1)
WAC BOYS
Garden City 5-1 14-4
Hays High 4-2 9-8
Dodge City 2-3 9-8
Great Bend 2-4 6-12
Liberal 1-4 10-7
TUESDAY—Great Bend 60, Hays-TMP 40; Garden City 63, Dodge City 62; Abilene 53, Hays High 49; Liberal 63, Cimarron 49
FRIDAY—Dodge City at Great Bend; Hays High at Garden City
SATURDAY—Great Bend at Liberal
GARDEN CITY (5-1, 14-4)—W Guymon, Okla. 57-38; W Coronado, Colo. 60-46; W Palmer Ridge, Colo. 49-42; W Holcomb 48-46; W Bear Creek, Colo. 52-47; L Junction City 39-54; W *Great Bend 39-38; W *Liberal 54-45; Valley Center (W Wichita NW 44-39; L Maize South 44-63; L Valley Center 55-60); W Ulysses 48-33; L *Dodge City 50-53, OT; W Guymon, Okla. 41-37; W *Hays High 50-39; W Hugoton 65-43; W *Great Bend 43-34; W *Dodge City 63-62; 2-15—*Hays High; 2-19—*at Liberal
HAYS HIGH (4-2, 9-8)—W Great Bend 74-58; L Manhattan 56-78; L St. Thomas Aquinas 45-61; W Colby 82-69; W Pratt 67-41; W * Liberal 68-56; L *Great Bend 67-76; Colby (L Scott City 47-55; W Goodland 79-50; W Heritage 83-53); L Salina Central 39-52; L Salina South 62-64 OT; W *Dodge City 74-62; L *Garden City 39-50; W *Great Bend 47-39; W *Liberal 59-54; L Abilene 49-53; 2-15—*at Garden City; 2-19—*Dodge City; 2-22—Abilene
DODGE CITY (2-3, 9-8)—L Junction City 71-87; W Newton 79-76; L Maize 49-85; W Hugoton 100-77; W Guymon, Okla. 62-39; L McPherson 76-87; W Cimarron 84-44; W Ulysses 65-59; Dodge City (W Hutchinson 79-72; L Junction City 58-73; L Wichita South 63-77); L *Great Bend 71-83; W *Garden City 53-50, OT; L *Hays High 62-74; W Ulysses 86-82; W *Liberal 64-63, OT; L *Garden City 62-63; 2-15—*at Great Bend; 2-18—*Liberal; 2-19—*Hays High
GREAT BEND (2-4, 6-12)—L Hays High 58-78; L Millwood, Okla, 48-58; L Hays-TMP 47-50; L Junction City 35-63; L Salina Central 38-56; L Hutchinson 29-39; W Buhler 53-46; L *Garden City 38-39; W *Hays High 76-67; El Dorado (L Wichita Trinity 45-57; W Circle 53-37; L Gardner 60-74); W *Dodge City 83-71; W Wamego 58-42; L *Liberal 34-43; L *Hays High 39-47; L *Garden City 34-43; W Hays-TMP 60-40; 2-15—*Dodge City; 2-16—*at Liberal
LIBERAL (1-4, 10-7)—W Holcomb 64-55; W Guymon, Okla. 64-55; W Dalhart, Texas 72-70; L Wichita Trinity 38-55; W Scott City 40-37; W Perryton, Texas 47-32; L *Hays High 56-68; L *Garden City 45-54; Salina Tournament (L Wichita South 49-60; W Concordia 49-41; L Abilene 50-60); W Hugoton 62-61, OT; W Great Bend 43-34; W Guymon, Okla. 41-35; L *Hays High 54-59; L *Dodge City 63-64, OT; W Cimarron 63-49; 2-16—*Great Bend; 2-18—*at Dodge City; 2-19—*Garden City
