BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
If Dodge City had beaten Great Bend's bsketball team at home, it would’ve been understandable when the Red Demons held a 52-21 free throw advantage.
But the 52-21 free throw advantage gave the home crowd plenty to cry foul. The Panthers drew 38 fouls and Brock Blessing, Dalton Miller and Koy Brack fouled out.
Dodge City outscored the Panthers 27-12 at the free throw line to secure an intense 64-61 Western Athletic Conference basketball victory Friday night.
Panther Alex Schremmer missed a tying 3-point attempt with the Panthers down 64-61 after Luke Gleason missed two free throws. Schremmer led the Panthers with a season high 20 points and Ty Esfeld added 15 points.
“We wanted the ball in his hands because he makes good decisions,” said coach Tim Brooks. “It was a good look that didn’t go.”
The Panthers roared back from a 40-31 deficit with an 11-0 scoring run for a 42-40 lead. Schremmer, Peyton Duvall and Sam Ryan converted 3-point plays during a 21-point third period.
“We buckled down and got defensive stops and that fueled our offense,” Brooks said. “We make good passes for layups.”
The pesky Panthers forced fourth-quarter ties at 52, 54, 56 and 58 before the Red Demons scored their final six points at the charity stripe.
The Demons clinched the game (where else?) at the free throw line when Noah Sowers converted eight free throws in the final period. The hard-charging Sowers scored 19 points and initiated contact all night, but drew foul-after-foul. Sowers and John Johnson combined for 15 of 26 free throws.
Needless to say, coach Brooks said Dodge City’s aggressive fullcourt defense and hard-charging offense made it difficult to officiate.
“They got to the free throw line. It’s hard to call the game the way they play,” Brooks said. It’s difficult.”
3-9, 0-3 WAC fought hard and faced adversity. Brooks was pleased with the effort.
“Our guys played to win and showed heart, hustle and desire,” he said. “That’s all I can ask for.”
DC 7 14 23 20 – 64
GB 9 13 21 18 – 61
DODGE CITY—Sowers 4 11-16 19, Johnson 5 4-10 14, Gleason 2 1-4 6, Riekenberg 1 2-2 4, Heath 3 6-7 12, Mendoza 2 0-0 4, Ibarra 0 1-2 1, Foster 0 1-4 1, Williams 1 1-6 3, Mod 0 0-1 0, Totals 18 27-52 64.
3-9—Schremmer 6 5-6 20, Esfeld 5 2-4 15, Wondra 1 0-0 2, Duvall 3 1-1 7, Sam Ryan 2 1-2 5, Blessing 2 1-4 6, Miller 1 1-2 3, Penka 0 1-2 1, Schmeidler 1 0-0 2, Totals 22 12-21 61.
