BY JIM MISUNAS
KINGMAN — Once Great Bend's girls turned up the defensive pressure, Sterling had no answers. The Panthers outscored 2-time state champion Sterling 24-2 in the third quarter en route to a 54-21 victory in Thursday's Kingman Basketball Classic.
Time-after-time, the Panthers used their quickness to convert Sterling turnovers into transition points. Sadie Spray led the Panthers with 16 points and her typical defensive excellence. Emilee Hall scored 10 points and Makenzie Premer added eight points.
"At halftime, I told the girls our first four minutes of the second half were a big key. We wanted to show pressure and take over the game," said Great Bend coach Cindy Beck. "The girls did an awesome job defensively and took care of the basketball. We did the work tonight."
Great Bend (2-0) must beat Conway Springs at 3 p.m. Friday to qualify for Saturday’s championship showdown with 3A Haven.
Great Bend opened with sharp offensive play for a 15-5 lead after one quarter. Spray scored seven first-quarter points and Kara Feist chipped in five points. Sterling committed 15 first-half turnovers.
Sterling (0-3) closed within 23-15 right before halftime when Spray scored a basket. In the third quarter, Hall scored eight points and Premer tallied six points off excellent transition plays. Great Bend showed off a nice mix of inside and outside offense. The Panthers grabbed 17 offensive rebounds.
"When you're playing three games in three days, you want to same some legs and get your other players into the varsity game," Beck said. "We did a nice job keeping everyone well rested."
Sterling's Olsen scored six points. The Black Bears (0-3) converted 3-of-13 3-pointers.
GREAT BEND 54, STERLING 21
Sterling 5 10 2 4 — 21
Great Bend 15 10 24 5 — 54
STERLING (0-3)—Rowland 1-5 0-0 3, Olsen 2-9 0-0 6, Webb 0-1 1-4 1, Conrad 1-5 0-0 2, Ravenstein 1-3 0-0 2, Brownlee 1-1 0-0 2, Linden 0-1 4-4 4, Garrett 0-1 1-2 1, Totals 6-26 6-10 21
GREAT BEND (2-0)—Ellegood 2-7 0-0 4, Thexton 1-3 0-0 2, Spray 7-14 2-4 16, Reimer 1-4 0-0 3, Kara Feist 2-12 1-1 6, Hall 5-10 0-1 10, Premer 4-8 0-0 8, Nicholson 1-4 0-0 3, Jones 0-2 0-0 0, Mayers 1-1 0-0 2, Totals 24-55 3-6 54
3-pointers—S 3-13 (Olsen 2-7, Rowland 1-4, Linden 0-1, Ravenstein 0-1); GB 3-9 (Reimer 1-1, Nicholson 1-2, Kara Feist 1-5, Thexton 0-1)
HAVEN 49, SUNRISE 38
Haven 12 15 7 15 – 49
Sunrise 9 10 11 8 – 38
HAVEN (3-0)—Jacques 4 4-4 14, Sienna DeFrain 6 2-7 14, Brieann Brawner 1 8-9 10, Estill 1 3-4 5, Bland 2 0-0 4, Avery Brawner 0 2-2 2, Totals 14 19-26 49
SUNRISE—Kinniburgh 4 0-0 11, Charynek 3 0-1 9, Hracka 3 0-1 8, Edwards 1 3-4 6, Ferguson 1 0-2 2, Linwood 1 0-0 2, Moore 0 0-2 0, Totals 13 3-10 38
3-pointers—H 2 (Jacques 2), S 9 (Kinniburgh 3, Charynek 3, Hracka 2, Edwards 1)
KINGMAN GIRLS—Conway Springs 45, Sterling 30; Haven 38, Kingman 27; Sterling 56, Great Bend 50 (OT); Haven 49, Wichita Sunrise 38; 12-9—Great Bend vs. Conway Springs; Kingman vs. Sunrise;
