BY JIM MISUNAS
Great Bend freshman Ian Premer provided the thunder.
Panther fan favorite Kendryk Turner gave the fans what they wanted.
Premer delivered the game’s signature play with a slam dunk off transition to spark a 60-33 non-league basketball victory over Larned Tuesday night.
“It felt great,” Premer said. “I saw a clean path to the basket and wasn’t going to waste an opportunity.”
Great Bend coach Kyle Kriegh gave the students what they wanted when he inserted reserve Turner into the lineup with a 30-point lead. Just like Premer, Turner delivered with a 3-pointer that booster the crowd into the holiday spirits.
Great Bend (2-3) needed a boost of confidence heading to Friday’s home showdown against high-scoring Emporia (5-0). The Panthers built 20-rebound advantage with 18 second-chance points. Jacob Hall scored all eight points off rebounds. Cayden Scheuerman, Braylon Council, Parker Dicks and Ben Nicholson converted second-chance baskets.
“We got off to the races and scored 38 points the first half. It started with Ian’s rebounding,” said Kriegh. "When we work for rebounds, we’re a good basketball team.”
The Panthers still struggled from the perimeter with 5-of-19 shooting, but they drove the ball hard to the basket to go along with transition points off turnovers.
“What I liked is we got baskets going to the rim,” Kriegh said. “We got inside, and worked inside/out for some perimeter shots.”
Scheuerman led a perfectly balanced offense with nine points. Carter Coombs, Hall and Premer added eight points apiece. Coombs enjoyed solid minutes off the bench with key assists and spectacular ballhandling.
The Panthers broke the game open with a dazzling 23-0 scoring run that stretched a 19-10 lead to 42-10 on Premer’s slam dunk. Hall, Premer and Coombs all scored a pair of baskets.
Larned (1-4) was paced by Brady Hope with eight points and Easton Fitzpatrick and Talon Reynolds each scored seven points. The Indians play unbeaten Haven (5-0) Friday.
"We've got to control the pace and can't get into a track meet," said Larned coach Luke Steinlage. "We've got to learn to relax and handle the basketball."
Larned 7 3 11 12 – 33
Great Bend 17 21 19 3 – 60
LARNED (1-4)—Reynolds 2-5 2-3 7, Shaver 1-7 0-0 3, Fitzpatrick 3-5 0-0 7, Colglazier 2-4 0-0 4, Jayden Smith 0-3 0-2 0, Ty Smith 1-3 0-0 2, Hope 4-8 0-0 8, Lemuz 1-4 0-0 2, Totals 14-39 2-5 33
GREAT BEND (2-3)—Scheuerman 4-5 0-0 9, Premer 4-8 0-0 8, Hall 4-8 0-0 8, Coombs 3-8 1-2 8, Stuhlsatz 2-5 0-0 5, Reed 0-1 0-0 0, Sprat 3-10 0-1 6, Dicks 2-2 0-0 5, Nicholson 1-3 0-0 2, Turner 1-4 0-0 3, Totals 27-57 1-3 60
3-pointers—L 3-9 (Fitzpatrick 1-1, Shaver 1-3, Reynolds 1-3, Hope 0-1, Lemuz 0-1); GB 5-19 (Scheuerman 1-1, Dicks 1-1, Stuhlsatz 1-2, Coombs 1-4, Turner 1-4, Nicholson 0-1, Council 0-2, Spray 0-4)
