Panthers’ offense downs Liberal
BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
LIBERAL – Great Bend’s defense was questionable at times at Liberal’s Winter Homecoming.
The Panthers’ offense was effective in a 74-56 Western Athletic Conference basketball victory over Liberal. The Panthers hit four 3-pointers in the first quarter and outscored the Redskins 16-3 from the free throw line to sweep the season series.
Ian Premer rebounded from a 5-point outing with a solid 17-point effort. Carter Coombs continued his late-season surge with a 16-point effort and a trio of 3-pointers.
As usual, Tyler Stuhlsatz hustled for 15 points. Braylon Council passed superbly and kicked in eight points. Mathew Moeder enjoyed a season highlight with his first basket of the season after rallying from a football injury.
Great Bend (11-8, 5-2 WAC) remains anchored in the No. 8/9 Western seeding in the Hutchinson 5A basketball substate. A victory over Hays next Friday will secure a home playoff game. A loss will likely send the Panthers to Hays for back-to-back games.
After leading 39-34 at halftime, the Panthers outscored Liberal 35-22 in the second half behind improved defense. Premer scored 11 second-half points and Coombs sank seven free throws.
“We took care of business,” said Great Bend coach Kyle Kriegh. “When we got going, we got some deflections and scored off them.”
Liberal (2-16, 0-6) stretched its losing streak to 15 games in a row. But the Redskins played their best basketball of the season into the second half. Izzy Rotolo-Garcia was brilliant in a 20-point effort capped by a slam dunk in the third quarter. James Fleser (11) and Zayden Martinez (10) scored in double figures.
Great Bend 16 23 15 20 – 74
Liberal 15 19 9 13 – 56
GREAT BEND (11-8, 5-2)—Premer 8-13 1-4 17, Coombs 3-9 7-9 16, Stuhlsatz 7-8 1-2 15, Scheuerman 0-6 2-2 2, Spray 2-7 0-0 5, Council 3-6 0-0 8, Dicks 0-3 1-2 1, Hall 2-4 4-5 8, Moeder 1-1 0-0 2, Turner 0-1 0-0 0, Totals 26-58 16-24 74
LIBERAL (2-16, 0-6)—Rotolo-Garcia 9-20 0-0 19, Kappelmann 2-6 0-0 5, Fleser 4-9 1-2 11, Mata 1-3 0-0- 2, Martinesz 5-11 0-4 10, Jennings 3-4 1-2 7, Loza 1-8 1-2 3, Chamberlain 0-2 0-0 0, Totals 25-63 3-10 56
3—pointers—GB 6-16 (Coombs 3-5, Council 2-4, Spray 1-2, Scheuerman 0-1, Premer 0-2, Dicks 0-2); L 3-21 (Fleser 2-7, Totolo-Garcia 1-8, Chamberlain 0-1, Martinez 0-1, Mata 0-2, Loza 0-2)
