By JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
A brilliant defensive effort was a silver lining for Great Bend’s hard-luck boys basketball team. The Buffaloes scored one field goal in the second and fourth periods.
But Garden City escaped with a 33-28 Western Athletic Conference opener over Great Bend when a final tying 3-point attempt by Ty Esfeld missed in the final seconds. Jayden Crook’s two free throws handed the Buffaloes a final 33-28 margin.
The Panthers went scoreless in a 13-possession second quarter, but nearly pulled off a miraculous WAC basketball victory before a military-dressed student body.
The Panthers scored back-to-back baskets off steals by Koy Brack and Ty Esfeld to slice the Buffaloes’ lead to 30-26. Esfeld muscled home an inside basket against DeMarcus Elliott for a 30-28 deficit with 14 seconds left in regulation.
Jarrod Springston’s free throw made it 31-28, but the Buffaloes’ Tye Davis and Carlos Acosta defended Esfeld on his final 3-point attempt.
“We had a shot at it, but it wasn’t meant to be,” said Great Bend coach Tim Brooks.
Great Bend (1-5, 0-1 WAC) held the Buffaloes to 33 percent shooting, but 15 turnovers in a low-possession game were too many against Garden City’s scrambling 2-3 and 3-2 matchup zone defenses.
Esfeld (10), Sam Ryan (8) and Trent Steuder (6) led the scoring. The Panthers converted four-of-18 3-pointers for 22 percent and eight-of-16 shots inside the 3-point stripe. Great Bend made one-of-12 3-pointers after the first period.
“We had too many mental lapses,” said Brooks. “We didn’t execute against their zone very well. We settled for some 3-pointers and should’ve worked the ball inside better. Their defense is very active and applies pressure. We were not aggressive. We had too many mistakes on offense.”
The Panthers (1-5, 0-1 WAC) sliced up Garden City’s man-to-man defense with a trio of 3-pointers in a 15-point first quarter.
Garden City coach Jacy Holloway had seen enough and switched to 2-3 and 3-2 zone defenses with trapping schemes. The Panthers shot six of 23 with 13 turnovers in the final three quarters.
Tye Davis led Garden City (4-3, 1-0 WAC) with nine points. Jarrod Springston added eight points and Carlos Acosta and hard-charging DeMarcus Elliott added six points and two crucial third-quarter assists.
Elliott made the game-changing plays in the third quarter with a pair of second-chance baskets and nifty assists on 3-pointers by Davis and Springston for a 28-22 lead after three quarters.
“We were really good on defense,” Brooks said. “We showed heart, desire and pride on defense. We threw some different traps at them. We played our tails off.”
Garden City (4-2, 0-0 WAC) faced a 27-day layoff after beating Scott City 62-27 to close out the Clarion Inn Roundball Classic.
“Great Bend always plays us tough,” said Garden City coach Holloway. “We played Great Bend three times last year and they had us scouted really well. Great Bend’s team plays with great effort.”
BUFFALOES 33, PANTHERS 28
GC 12 3 13 5 — 33
GB 15 0 7 6 — 28
GARDEN CITY (5-2, 1-0)—Davis 3-6 0-1 9, Springston 3-8 1-2 8, Crook 2-3 2-4 6, Acosta 2-3 2-4 6, Elliott 3-6 0-2 6, Doll 1-6 0-0 2, Lamb 0-1 0-0 0, Totals 12-37 5-11 33.
GREAT BEND (1-5, 0-1)—Esfeld 4-10 0-2 10, Ryan 3-7 0-1 8, Steuder 3-3 0-0 6, Brack 1-3 0-0 2, Penka 1-4 0-0 2, Blessing 0-3 0-0 0, Miller 0-2 0-0 0, Widiger 0-2 0-0 0, Totals 12-34 0-3 28.
3-point goals—GC 4-12 (Davis 3-4, Springston 1-3, Doll 0-1, Crook 0-4), GB 4-18 (Esfeld 2-5, Ryan 2-6, Blessing 0-1, Brack 0-2, Miller 0-2, Penka 0-2). TO—GC 16, GB 15. Rebounds—GC 25 (Doll 7), GB 22 (Esfeld 6).
