BY JIM MISUNAS
LIBERAL – It was apparent that Liberal girls basketball coach Brandi Fowler wasn’t scoreboard watching. Fowler kept her primary starters competing until the 2-minute mark of a resounding 68-29 rout of Western Athletic rival Great Bend Saturday.
6A state-ranked Liberal powered past the Panthers, showing off a mix of pressure defense, which the Panthers handled well at times.
Great Bend’s Taryn Warren was spectacular, playing with confidence in a career-high 12 points. Warren attacked the basket and took the ball right at the heart of Liberal’s defense.
“Warren had a mismatch at times,” said Great Bend coach Cindy Beck. “She posted up hard. She battled in there. She took that ball up strong and took it at them rather than fall away.”
Halle Latham scored eight second-half points. Sydney Unruh sparkled with her all-around ballhandling and defense, drawing an offensive foul on Ashley Carrillo.
The Panthers were a step slow defensively, reacting all night rather than anticipating. Liberal took advantage with 8 of 16 3-pointers for 24 points. Liberal’s ball movement was superb.
“We have to know every time you move defensively, it’s got to be quick,” said Beck. “It’s with a purpose. We moved from spot-to-spot rather than move with a purpose to get a hand on the basketball. We need to improve that. I hate to lose. It doesn’t affect where we go from here though.”
The Panthers never cut off Carrillo who drove through traffic for 24 points. Bree Hornya added 14 points and Aubrey Warden 10 points. The Redskins converted 24 of 39 field goals for 61 percent.
Great Bend 6 11 13 5 – 29
Liberal 21 14 19 14 – 68
GREAT BEND (6-11, 0-7)—Warren 4-7 4-8 12, Latham 3-5 2-2 8, Spray 1-6 1-2 3, Unruh 1-10 1-3 3, Harbaugh 0-3 1-2 1, Kaiser 0-1 0-0 0, Hall 0-1 0-0 0, Smith 1-3 0-0 2, Totals 10-38 9-17 29
LIBERAL (15-3, 4-2)—Carrillo 10-14 3-4 24, Hornya 5-8 3-4 15, Warden 3-4 4-4 10, Hay 1-3 0-0 3, Payton 2-3 0-0 6, Hatcher 0-0 2-2 2, Dodge 1-1 0-0 3, Contreras 2-4 0-0 5, Hallman 0-2 0-0 0, Totals 24-39 12-14 68
3-pointers—GB 0-5 (Spray 0-1, Unruh 0-4), Liberal 8-16 (Payton 2-3, Hornya 2-3, Hay 1-2, Dodge 1-1, Contreras 1-3, Carrillo 1-4)
