GREAT BEND 76, LIBERAL 70 — Great Bend rallied from an 8-point deficit to hold off Liberal 76-70 in Friday's Western Athletic Conference basketball game. The Panthers outscored the Redskins 40-26 after trailing 44-36.
Daxton Minton and Cooper Ohnmacht sparked the Panthers with steals and scores off the Panthers' pressure defense that swung the momentum. In a 3-minute stretch near the end of the third quarter, Liberal committed six turnovers.
Great Bend featured a season high five players in double figures — Ohnmacht (17), Alec Premer (16), Minton (14), Jaxon Wondra (13) and foul-plagued Jacob Hall (12). Great Bend converted 27 of 38 free throws in a game plagued by tight officiating and 64 foul shots.
Ohnmacht scored 11 fourth-quarter points. Premer scored 10 second-half points.
Great Bend led 61-58 when the Panthers started an 6-0 scoring run. Premer fed Jaxon Wondra for a basket. Hall scored inside. Ohnmacht's steal led to Minton's basket for a 67-58 lead.
Liberal did an excellent job extending the game by forcing a few turnovers along with launching quick shots.
The Redskins created game-long chaos by changing their lineup on virtually every dead-ball timeout.
Liberal's Ethan Hernandez scored 17 points and James Feiser (14) and Juan San Diego (14) scored in double figures. Liberal cost itself with 12 of 26 free throw shooting.
The Redskins benefited from the Panthers' slow start to stay close on Winter Homecoming. Diego provided a spark with 13 first-half points.
Great Bend (9-8, 2-1 WAC) handed Liberal (1-14, 0-4 WAC) its 26th consecutive Western Athletic Conference loss. The Panthers (9-8) are seeded 10th in the 5A West and must maintain homecourt advantage to remain 10th with Dodge City, Garden City and Liberal at home
Great Bend 20 12 18 26 — 76
Liberal 21 17 10 22 — 70
GREAT BEND (9-8, 2-1)—Ohnmacht 5-9 7-9 17; Alec Premer 4-14 (0-6) 8-11 16; Minton 5-10 (0-1) 4-6 14; Jaxon Wondra 5-10 3-4 13; Jacob Hall 4-5 (1-1) 3-4 12; Stroup 1-1 2-4 4; Totals 24-49 (1-8) 27-38 76
LIBERAL (1-14, 0-4)—Hernandez 6-10 (2-2) 3-4 17; Fieser 5-6 (1-2) 3-6 14; Juan San Diego 5-9 (3-7) 1-3 14; Adrian Gonzales 3-7 (1-2) 0-4 7; Collins 2-7 (0-3) 2-3 6; Olmstead 2-3 (0-1) 2-4 6; Olvera 1-3 (1-2) 0-0 3; Reeves 1-1 1-2 3; Cardenas 0-1 0-0 0; Totals 25-47 (8-20) 12-26 70
5A WEST BOYS (4 substates)—1—Kapaun-Mt, Carmel 17-0; 2—Topeka West 14-3; 3—Maize South 14-3; 4—Hays High 14-3; 5—Topeka Seaman 14-3; 6—Emporia 14-3; 7—Salina South 13-5; 8—Wichita Carroll 10-6; 9—Andover High 10-6; 10—Great Bend 9-8; 11—Salina Central 9-8; 12—Goddard Eisenhower 7-9; 13—Andover Central 7-10; 14—Valley Center 6-9; 15—Hutchinson 6-10; 16—Arkansas City 5-11; 17—Goddard 2-11; 18—Newton 0-18
LIBERAL GIRLS 74, GREAT BEND 40 — After Liberal's girls sprinted to a 26-0 lead with a perfect start, the Redskins could enjoy their Winter Homecoming on cruise control.
Liberal's Shamari Lewis scored 18 points and Maliyah Mullens added 17 points to spark a dominating 74-40 Western Athletic Conference basketball victory over Great Bend.
Great Bend's Alyssa McCauley was brilliant with a career high 17 points, including a pair of 3-pointers. Alex Mayers added 10 points. McCauley sustained a bloody nose after a collision, but rallied with an impressive 14-point second half.
The Panthers played short-handed without standout center Chayla Prendergast with injured Stevie Mayers also missing the game. Alex Mayers had to have a fingernail removed during the game.
Great Bend coach Jade Winter had plenty of off-court drama to deal with.
"Stevie fell in the JV game, and it started swelling up," Winter said. "Alyssa had a bloody nose, but said, 'I'm ready to go.' Alex had a fingernail taken off."
Lewis and Mullen dominated the paint for 35 inside points. The other Redskins converted eight 3-pointers to outscore the Panthers 24-9 from long range.
"They shot the ball outside really well," Winter said. "They put up quick shots. You've got to pick your poison on how to defend that."
The No. 17 seeded Panthers (3-14, 0-3 WAC) face a must-win showdown against Dodge City Tuesday to stay viable for a top 16 spot to play a postseason game.
Great Bend 5 8 21 6 — 40
Liberal 29 15 19 11 —74
GREAT BEND (3-14, 0-3)—McCauley 6 (2) 3-6 17; Alex Mayers 5 0-2 10; Hogan (1) 3-6 6; Meredith Mazouch 1 2-4 4; Katherine Mazouch 1 0-0 2; Ringo 0 1-2 1; Totals 14 (3) 9-22 40
LIBERAL (11-2, 3-1)—Lewis 9 0-0 18; Mullens 8 1-1 17; Favila 4 (3) 0-0 11; Olvera 4 (1) 0-0 9; Rhine 3 (2) 0-0 8; Hammond (2) 0-0 6; Short 1 0-0 2; Villa 1 1-2 3; Totals 32 (8) 2-3 74
5A WEST GIRLS (4 substates)—1—Hays High 16-1; 2—Andover High 13-1; 3—Maize South 16-2; 4—Kapaun Mt. Carmel 13-5; 5—Wichita Carroll 11-5; 6—Goddard Eisenhower 11-5; 7—Salina South 11-7; 8—Andover Central 9-6; 9—Topeka Seaman 9-7; 10—Hutchinson 8-8; 11—Salina Central 8-8; 12—Goddard 7-8; 13—Emporia 6-11; 14—Valley Center 5-11; 15—Arkansas City 5-12; 16—Topeka West 4-13; 17—Great Bend 3-14; 18—Newton 1-17
