Panthers’ rally falls short, 62-57
BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
HAYS – When Great Bend basketball coach Kyle Kriegh switched to a pressure defense, it worked like a charm when Hugoton committed six consecutive fourth-quarter turnovers. The desperation tactic worked perfectly as they outscored the Eagles 17-8 down the stretch.
But a 14-point deficit (54-40) proved too much to overcome as 3A Hugoton escaped with a hard-fought 62-57 victory in Friday’s Gerald Mitchell Hays Basketball Shootout.
Great Bend’s Sage Koelsch scored 12 fourth-quarter points, Stefan Spray converted four free throws, Maddox Spray hit a 3-pointer and Joseph Moeder contributed an inside basket in the fourth-quarter rally.
Had the Panthers pressured the Eagles quicker, they would’ve been in position for a victory.
“It’s a true test to the character of the guys,” Kreigh said. “The guys on the bench were hyped. It was a team thing. Maybe we should’ve pressured them sooner than that.”
The Panthers sliced the lead to 56-54 when they made a mistake by fouling Hugoton’s best player Carson Bennett, who converted six consecutive free throws to seal the victory.
Bennett sparked Hugoton (1-1) with 19 points and Ryle Riddlesperger added 18 points, including a pair of 3-pointers. The Eagles converted 8 of 10 field goals for an 18-10 first-quarter lead. Hugoton made 7 of 8 field goals behind excellent execution in the fourth quarter to finish 23 of 40 from the field.
Koelsch sparked the Panthers with a career high 20 points. Carter Coombs scored 11 points and Stefan Spray added 10 points in addition to a strong floor game. Mr. Defense Joseph Moeder drew two charging fouls for the second consecutive game to lead the defensive effort.
Great Bend did a nice job mixing drives to the basket with seven 3-pointers and nine free throws. The 15 turnovers proved too much to overcome in a wild ballgame.
“We moved the basketball much better today. But there are times where we are still holding the basketball,’ Kreigh said. “There’s times where we’re forcing it. We need to kick it out and pass to the opposite block.”
Great Bend 10 15 9 20 – 57
Hugoton 18 9 13 22 – 62
GREAT BEND (0-2)—Koelsch 8-19 2-2 20, Coombs 4-13 0-2 11, Stefan Spray 3-7 4-5 10, Hernandez 1-1 3-3 6, Maddox Spray 1-2 0-0 3, Council 1-4 0-0 3, Joseph Moeder 1-6 0-2 2, Mathew Moeder 1-1 0-0 2, Totals 20-53 9-14 57
HUGOTON (1-1)—Bennett 6-10 6-6 19, Riddlesperger 7-13 2-2 18, Lewis 4-4 0-1 11, Harris 2-2 0-0 4, Martin 2-2 0-0 4, Gaskill 1-4 0-1 2, Williams 1-2 0-0 2, Mecklenburg 0-2 2-2 2, Heger 0-1 0-0 0, Totals 23-40 10-11 62
3-pointers—GB 7-25 (Koelsch 2-7, Coombs 2-7, Hernandez 1-1, M. Spray 1-2, Council 1-4, S. Spray 0-3, Joseph Moeder 0-1), H 6-15 (Lewis 3-3, Riddlesperger 2-7, Bennett 1-3, Mecklenburg 0-2)
GERALD MITCHELL HAYS SHOOTOUT
THURSDAY—Lawrence Free State 62, Great Bend 35; Olathe West 60, Hugoton 37; Hays High 69, Hays-TMP 36
FRIDAY—Free State 75, Hays-TMP 23; Hugoton 62, Great Bend 57; Hays High 63, Olathe West 44
SATURDAY—1ST—Free State 45, Hays High 41, OT; 3RD—Olathe West 74, Hugoton 37; 5TH—Hays-TMP 60, Great Bend 58
