The No. 3 state-ranked Class 4A McPherson girls led Great Bend comfortably 36-24 at halftime.
But when the Bullpups hit their stride in the third period, they left the overmatched Panthers in their dust 69-38 in Tuesday’s non-league basketball game.
McPherson’s all-stater Taylor Robertson keyed an 8-3 scoring run for a 44-27 lead. Robertson scored three times off steals and she passed to Mandi Cooks for an inside score.
McPherson (12-3) converted nine of 23 3-point goals to score 27 points on the perimeter. Robertson scored a game high 22 points after torching the Panthers for a school record 43 points last year. Robertson scored 13 third-quarter points for a 55-32 lead after three quarters.
“It was a snowball effect. Once they got got going, it was hard to stop,” said Great Bend coach Carrie Minton. “We got flustered and didn’t play like we could play. They took advantage of some mismatches.”
Six other Bullpups scored at least six points. Five players hit a 3-pointer, including two apiece by Robertson, Emma Yowell, Claire Yowell and Jaycee Burghart.
“It makes it tough to defend,” Minton said. “They’ve got the Cooks girl inside. They are a smart team and take what the defense gives them. We helped off a little too much. They got some open looks and knocked some down.”
Panthers Carly Dreiling and Annie Mills made Robertson work for her points, but there was no defense for her transition baskets.
Great Bend’s Dreiling backed up her game-winner against Liberal with a solid 11-point game. McPherson’s swarming defense held Carley Brack to nine points and three of 17 shooting. The Panthers made 11 of 42 field goals.
“We attacked the basket, but we didn’t get some inside shots to fall,” Minton said. “That was frustrating.”
Fast-paced McPherson showed off a wide variety of offensive weapons, including a barrage of 3-point attempts.
Nine Bullpups scored first-half points for a 36-24 halftime lead that was sliced by a five-point Panther run. McPherson converted six of 15 3-pointers and four of 10 2-pointers at the half. Nine players attempted 3-point attempts.
Great Bend (9-6, 4-0 WAC) will play Garden City at home Friday in a key Western Athletic Conference game.
McPherson 20 16 19 14 — 69
Great Bend 10 14 8 6 — 38
MC—E. Yowell 2-3 0-0 6; C. Yowell 2-3 0-0 6; Burghart 3-4 0-0 8; Hageman 2-5 2-2 6; Schieferecke 0-3 2-4 2; Hett 1-4 2-2 5; Robertson 9-12 2-2 22; Bruner 3-10 0-0 6; M. Cooks 4-7 0-0 8; Sweat 0-3 0-0 0; Eisenbarth 0-1 0-0 0; Totals 26-55 8-10 69.
GB—Carley Brack 3-17 3-3 9; Keely Ireland 1-3 1-2 4; Camryn Dunekack 3-10 0-0 6; Annie Mills 1-7 0-2 2; Brooklyn Burkhart 0-0 4-6 6; Kate Warren 1-1 0-0 2; Carly Dreiling 3-4 5-7 11; Totals 11-42 13-20 38.
3-point goals—M 9-23 (E. Yowell 2-3, C. Yowell 2-3, Robertson 2-5, Burghart 2-3, Hett 1-3, Schieferecke 0-2, Bruner 0-1, M. Cooks 0-1, Hageman 0-1), GB 3-11 (Dunekack 2-3, Ireland 1-2, Mills 0-1, Brack 0-5).
WESTERN ATHLETIC GIRLS
Great Bend 4-0 9-6
Liberal 3-1 11-4
Hays High 2-2 9-4
Garden 1-3 5-11
Dodge City 0-4 4-10
TUESDAY
McPherson 57, Great Bend 30
Liberal 57, Guymon, Okla. 37
Ulysses 34, Dodge City 33
THURSDAY’S GAME
Hays High at Salina Central
FRIDAY’S GAMES
Garden City at Great Bend
Liberal at Hays High
Dodge City at Nickerson
SATURDAY’S GAME
Dodge City at Manhattan
