BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com

SALINA – Alex Schremmer gave the Great Bend Panthers a chance for a stunning road basketball victory with a solid 19-point night and typical solid floor game.

Schremmer needed plenty of help from his teammates for the Panthers to pull off a clutch 50-45 victory over Salina Central.

Peyton Duvall delivered with the go-ahead free throws and game-winning steal for a 49-45 lead. Dalton Miller converted two free throws for a 45-45 tie and Nick Wondra drilled the game’s biggest 3-pointer for a 41-36 lead.

 “That’s a game we probably lose last year,” said Great Bend coach Tim Brooks, who earned his most important victory at Great Bend. “Duvall was huge with his free throws and a steal. That was a big-time winning play. We found a way to win. We have tough-minded players. That’s the way to be.”

The Panthers (3-2) earned their first victory over the Mustangs since 2009. The Panthers play Hutchinson High in their home opener Thursday.

Reed McHenry single-handedly brought the Mustangs back from a 27-16 deficit with a sparkling 28-point night. The Mustangs led twice – 43-41 and 45-43. McHenry’s final basket gave the Mustangs a 45-43 lead with two minutes left. But Miller and Duvall combined for six consecutive free throws as the Panthers earned key defensive stops.

“Credit to Salina Central because we knew they had a run in them,” Brooks said. “We took a couple bad shots and they got some easy baskets. But we rebounded there and found a way win. It’s a huge win.”

Ray Kuhlman opened the game with a 3-pointer off Schremmer’s assist. Schremmer closed out the first half with a trio of 3-pointers, including a buzzer-beater to end the first half.

“One thing we struggled last year was end-of-quarter situations,” Brooks said. “We drew Alex’s defender and threw it to him.”

Panther Alex Olivas chipped in nine points and Miller added seven points. Central’s Jevon Burnett scored nine points and Aaron Watson added eight as three Mustangs scored points.

SALINA CENTRAL GIRLS 69, PANTHERS 27 – Great Bend’s start was scary enough to be played on Friday the 13th.

The Panthers missed their first 10 field goals and committed 11 first-quarter turnovers. The Mustangs ended the Panthers’ two-game winning streak with a stunning 32-1 lead in the second quarter.

The No. 5 ranked 5A Mustangs featured too much size, strength and athleticism for the Panthers to compete. Halle Latham scored the Panthers’ first field goal at the 5:25 mark of the second quarter for a 32-3 score.

Aubrie Kierscht led the Mustangs with 17 points and Cobb added 10 points. The Mustangs converted 27 of 55 field goals.

Sparkplug Jenna Mauler led the Panthers with nine points and a pair of 3-pointers. Taryn Warren added nine points and several blocked shots. The Panthers committed 23 turnovers. Great Bend (2-3) plays Hutchinson High in a home opener Thursday.

GREAT BEND 50, SALINA CENTRAL 45
Great Bend 11 17 7 15—50
Salina Central 9 8 15 13—45
GB (3-2)— Schremmer 6-15 2-2 19, Olivas 2-4 3-4 9, Miller 2-6 3-4 7, Duvall 1-6 4-4 6, Kuhlman 2-6 0-0 6, Wondra 1-4 0-0 3, Brown 0-1 0-0 0, Ryan 0-0 0-0 0, Dunekack 0-0 0-0 0, Hall 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 14-42 12-14 50.
SC (1-1)— McHenry 13-20 0-0 28, Burnett 4-7 0-1 9, Watson 4-9 0-0 8, Losey 0-4 0-0 0, Tedlock 0-2 0-0 0, Stack 0-2 0-0 0, Speer 0-1 0-0 0; Totals 21-45 0-1 45.
3-point goals—GB 10-28 (Schremmer 5, Kuhlman 2, Olivas 2, Wondra 1), SC 3-16 (McHenry 2, Burnett 1). Rebounds—GB 22 (Miller 6); SC 33 (Watson 12). Turnovers—GB 11, SC 16. Fouls—GB 11, SC 16. 

SALINA CENTRAL 69, GREAT BEND 27

Great Bend 1 6 9 11—27

Salina Central 24 21 15 9—69

GB (2-3)— Mauler 2-7 3-4 9, Warren 1-7 3-6 5, Unruh 0-6 3-6 3, Fletchall 1-3 0-0 2, Herter 1-1 0-0 2, Schroeder 1-4 0-0 2, Smith 1-3 0-0 2, Latham 1-3 0-0 2, Harbaugh 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 8-35 9-16 27.

SC (2-0)—Kierscht 6-13 2-2 17, Cobb 4-6 1-2 10, Samilton 4-6 0-0 8, Williams 1-3 5-6 7, Stewart 2-4 1-2 5, Griffin 2-7 0-0 4, Opat 0-1 0-2 0, Cunningham 5-7 1-4 11, DeVoe 0-2 0-1 0, Polk-Darby 3-5 1-1 7; Totals 27-55 11-20 69.

3-point goals—GB 2-12 (Mauler 2), SC 4-12 (Kierscht 3, Cobb 1). Rebounds—GB 24 (Fletchall 4), SC 40 (Stewart 6). Turnovers—GB 23, SC 9. Fouls—GB 18, SC 17.