BY JIM MISUNAS
GARDEN CITY – Great Bend’s basketball team is accustomed to low-scoring games dominated by defensive intensity against Garden City.
The Buffaloes shut down everyone but Alex Schremmer for three quarters for a hard-fought 43-34 Western Athletic Conference basketball victory.
The offensively challenged Panthers (5-12, 2-4 WAC) have lost 43-34, 4739 and 43-34 the past three WAC games. Great Bend’s record puts the Panthers in jeopardy of playing a 5A post-season playoff game.
Schremmer hit four 3-pointers and scored 14 of the Panthers’ 20 points through three quarters. The Panthers made 12 of 40 field goals, a 30 percent average to trail by as many as 15 points. Great Bend made 5 of 20 from 3-point range against the Buffaloes’ matchup zone.
Trent Stueder added six points and Korbin Widiger five points.
“We’ve got guys who can shoot the ball, but you’ve got to have that offensive balance,” said Great Bend coach Tim Brooks.
The Buffaloes (13-4, 4-1 WAC) switched screens out of a zone defense that gave the Panthers trouble during a 1 of 14 field goal stretch.
“We didn’t look inside enough and failed to execute inbounds plays,” Brooks said. “Those kinds of things shouldn’t happen this time of year. What hurt is we tossed it to them a couple times for wide-open layups.”
Defensive standout Brock Blessing, a wily defender, drew four offensive charging fouls to spark the Panthers’ defensive effort.
“He’s our defensive guy. Brock has a knack for doing that, which is cool to see,” Brooks said. “He’s plays so hard for us.”
Garden City’s Jarrod Springston, Azavier Williams and Kyler Lamb each scored 12 points. Lamb grabbed 11 rebounds.
“Our guys played hard defensively for the most part,” Brooks said. “We gave up a few offensive rebounds, but battled.”
The Panthers play Hays-Thomas More Prep Tuesday at home.
Great Bend 7 6 7 14–34
Garden City 12 11 10 10 – 43
GREAT BEND (5-12, 2-4)— Schremmer 5-15 0-0 14, Widiger 1-4 2-4 5,
Blessing 2-5 0-1 4, Stueder 3-6 0-0 6, Miller 1-7 1-2 3, Olivas 0-1 2-2 2,
Duvall 0-2 0-0 0, Totals 12-40 5-9 34
GARDEN CITY (13-4, 4-1)— Springston 4 4-5
12, Williams 4 2-3 12, Lamb 4 3-4 12, Dirks 2 0-0 4, Acosta 1 1-2 3, Totals
15-34 10-14 43
3-pointers—GB 5-20 (Schremmer 4-12, Widiger 1-4, Duvall 0-1,
Blessing 0-1, Miller 0-1, Olivas 0-1), GC 3-6 (Williams 2-2, Lamb 1-1, Acosta
0-1, Springston 0-1); Rebounds—GB 24 (Stueder 6), GC 27 (Lamb 11)
WAC BOYS
Garden City 4-1 13-4
Hays High 4-2 9-7
Dodge City 2-2 9-7
Great Bend 2-4 5-12
Liberal 1-4 9-7
TUESDAY—Hays High 47, Great Bend 39; Liberal 41, Guymon Okla. 35; Dodge City 86, Ulysses 82; Garden City 69, Hugoton 35
FRIDAY—Garden City 43, Great Bend 34; Hays High 59, Liberal 54
SATURDAY—Dodge City 64, Liberal 63, OT
TUESDAY—Hays-TMP at Great Bend; Garden City at Dodge City; Hays High at Abilene; Cimarron at Liberal
GARDEN CITY (4-1, 13-4)—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; 2-12—*at Dodge City; 2-15—*Hays High; 2-19—*at Liberal
HAYS HIGH (4-2, 9-7)—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; 2-12—at Abilene; 2-15—*at Garden City; 2-19—*Dodge City; 2-22—Abilene
DODGE CITY (2-2, 9-7)—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; 2-12—*Garden City; 2-15—*at Great Bend; 2-18—*Liberal; 2-19—*Hays High
GREAT BEND (2-4, 5-12)—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; 2-12—Hays-TMP; 2-15—*Dodge City; 2-16—*at Liberal
LIBERAL (1-4, 9-7)—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; 2-12—Cimarron; 2-16—*Great Bend; 2-18—*at Dodge City; 2-19—*Garden City
