Panthers roar into championship

BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com

KINGMAN – It’s safe to say that Great Bend’s boys own the keys to Kingman after burying Kingman 81-35 in Friday’s semifinal pool game.

Kingman alumni Mike Minton from Great Bend was inducted into the Eagles’ athletic Hall of Fame Friday night.

Then, the Panthers played like Hall of Famers, especially in the fourth quarter with a shocking 21-0 fourth quarter with a running clock.

Great Bend (2-1) answered the question about their preferred pace of play with a 23-point first quarter, a 30-point third period and a closing 21-0 barrage.

Panther guard Carter Coombs ignited a running frenzy with perfect outlet passes time-after-time in a 51-point second half.

“That second half was fun,” said Great Bend coach Kyle Kriegh. “We’re a good basketball team when we play with confidence. Credit goes to the guys. They are smart basketball players.”

All five starters scored in double figures. The Panthers passed the ball perfectly to teammates and knocked down open shots. Coombs played his best game of his Panthers career by moving the basketball and creating offense.

Ian Premer converted 10-of-12 field goals for 23 points followed by Coombs (14), Jacob Hall (11), Parker Dicks (11) and Maddox Spray (10). After missing every 3-point attempt Tuesday, Coombs hit four 3-pointers and Dicks knocked down three attempts. The Panthers made 7-of-11 attempts from long range after halftime, 9 of 16 overall.

Reserve Izeah Reed played flawlessly and scored nine points to nearly deliver six players in double figures.

The Panthers jumped to a 23-9 lead keyed by suffocating defense that forced seven early turnovers that were converted into scores by Premer, Spray and Coombs for a 10-0 lead. Dicks and Hall followed with 3-pointers and the rout was on.

Kingman’s Chase Webster scored 20 points and kept the Eagles within 30-21 at halftime behind an inspired 16-point half. But his teammates knocked down two first-half field goals.

Webster was never a factor after the Panthers kept the pressure on after halftime.

The biggest difference was Coombs and company pushed the pace and the Panthers donned their track shoes for easy transition scores.

Full speed ahead to Saturday’s championship game against Wichita Sunrise, which outlasted Sterling 64-61 when a final 3-point attempt to force a third overtime missed.

The only time the Panthers struggled is when they slowed the pace of play in the second period.

Great Bend 23 7 30 21 – 81

Kingman 12 9 14 0 – 35

GREAT BEND (2-1)—Premer 10-12 1-9 21, Coombs 5-11 0-0 14, Spray 5-9 0-1 10, Hall 4-6 2-3 11, Dicks 4-8 0-0 11, Nicholson 0-2 0-0 0, Minton 0-2 0-0 0, Ohnmacht 13 0-0 3, Reed 4-4 1-1 9; Kern 1-1 0-0 2 Totals 34-54 4-14 81.

KINGMAN (1-2)—Webster 6-12 7-12 20; Wood 0-1 0-0 0, Watkins 1-2 0-0 2l Bamna 1-1 0-0 2; Cress 2-2m0-0 5; Cremins 0-1 0-2 0; Davidson 1-8 1-2 3; Volden 13 1-2 3; Totals 12-30 9-18 35.

3-pointers—GB 9-16 (Coombs 4-7, Dicks 3-5, Ohnmacht 1-1, Hall 1-1, Spray 0-1, Nicholson 0-1); K 2-7 (Webster 1-2; Cress 1-1; Wood 0-1, Cremins 0-1, Davidson 0-2).