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Panthers upset state-ranked Crusaders
Alex Schremmer
Great Bend High School’s Alex Schremmer (14) drives past Hutchinson's Brenton Burns (2) and Weston Kraus (20) Thursday night while Bryce Brown (1) looks to rebound in Great Bend. - photo by By Jim Misunas

BY JIM MISUNAS

jmisunas@gbtribune.com

EL DORADO – Alex Schremmer, Great Bend’s magician, delivered the Panthers’ biggest mid-season basketball victory in a decade.

Schremmer scored 29 points and converted six consecutive free throws in the fourth quarter to shock No. 4 state-ranked 5A Kapaun-Mt. Carmel 60-52 in Friday’s Bluestem Classic semifinal.

Great Bend (7-4) stunned the Crusaders (9-3) by outscoring them 27-15 on 3-pointers and 17-3 on free throws to offset Kapaun’s strong inside scoring.

The Panthers led 52-40 after Schremmer and Duvall scored consecutive baskets. Duvall’s 3-pointer followed back-to-back trifectas by Alex Olivas to start the fourth quarter.

The Crusaders rallied with a 9-0 burst for a 52-49 score as Blake Danitschek drilled a 3-pointer after Grant Johnson scored three consecutive baskets.

Panther Ray Kuhlman preserved the lead with two clutch free throws followed by Schremmer’s six consecutive free throws as the Crusaders foolishly fouled an 80 percent shooter.

Olivas scored nine points and Duvall added seven points.

Kuhlman and Nick Wondra sparked the Panthers’ defense by shadowing high-scoring Blake Danitschek, who worked for his 13 points.

“We played tremendous defense, especially on their ‘stud.’ The job Ray Kuhlman and Nick Wondra did was incredible,” said Great Bend coach Tim Brooks. “He’s a big-time scorer. Our guys buckled down and played great team defense. They hurt us with their height and their ability to get in the lane.”

After a 22-point first half, the Panthers converted six 3-pointers and made 9 of 14 field goals for 64 percent. Schremmer scored 20 second-half points, keyed by 10 of 11 free throws.

“We did a lot of good things,” Brooks said. “In the second half, we hit some 3s and got some runouts. Alex Olivas can knock it down when he gets his feet set.”

Except for a brief stretch, the Panthers had command.

“We lost our mind for 45 seconds,” Brooks said. “We didn’t move and when guys were trapped, we didn’t move to an open area.”

It was Brooks’ signature coaching victory at Great Bend.

“The guys are good friends who have fun with it,” Brooks said. “They want to compete. All 12 had a part in it.”

Great Bend 14 8 15 23 – 60

Kapaun MC 12 7 17 16 – 52

GREAT BEND (7-4) —Schremmer 7 12-14 29, Olivas 3 0-0 9, Kuhlman 0 4-4 4, Duvall 3 0-0 7, Dunekack 1 0-0 3, Miller 1 1-2 3, Sam Ryan 1 0-0 3, Wondra 1 0-0 2, Totals 17-29 17-20 60.

KAPAUN-MT. CARMEL (9-3) —Danitschek 5 1-2 13, Anciaux 4 2-4 10, Johnson 5 0-0 10, Woodward 3 0-0 7, Jones 2 0-0 5, Bezdeck 1 0-0 3, Kennedy 1 0-0 2, Thengvall 1 0-0 2, Totals 22-46 3-6 52.

3-pointers—GB 9-17  Olivas 3, Schremmer 3, Sam 3-pointers—GB 9-17 (Olivas 3, Schremmer 3, Sam Ryan 1, Dunekack 1, Duvall 1); KMC 5-13 (Danitschek 2, Ackerman 1, Jones 1, Woodward 1).

EL DORADO BLUESTEM CLASSIC

SATURDAY—1st—Great Bend 60, Wichita Collegiate 35; 3rd—Newton 75, Wichita Kapaun Mt. Carmel 60; 5th—El Dorado 73, Manhattan Homeschool 68; 7th—Circle 55, Wichita Trinity 45; FRIDAY—Great Bend 60, Kapaun-Mt. Carmel 52; Wichita Collegiate 76, Newton, 62; El Dorado 55, Circle 45, Manhattan Homeschool 69, Wichita Trinity 61; THURSDAY—Kapaun-Mt. Carmel 64, El Dorado 38; Great Bend 61, Circle 40; Newton 98, Manhattan Homeschool 81; Wichita Collegiate 64,  Wichita Trinity 38