GIRLS
Manhattan High 60,
Great Bend 42
MANHATTAN (2-0)
Elayna Spilker 0 0-0 0, Jenna Crusinberry 0 0-0 0, Kaitlyn Motley 0 0-0 0, Oneykia Ehie 4 1-2 10, Emilie Liebe 0 0-0 0, Alix Miller 4 2-2 10, Katie Proctor 1 1-2 3. Kristen Thompson 3 1-2 9, Mari Jo Massanet 9 1-2 19, Michelle Woods 3 1-2 7, Darby Price1 0-1 2, Ashley Hageman 0 0-0 0, Veronica Pitchford 0 0-0 0. Totals 25 7-13 60.
GREAT BEND (1-4)
Brandi Schneider 1 0-0 2, Emily Cruse 0 0-0 0, Lexie Brack 1 0-0 3, Kelsey Crosby 1 0-1 2, Katelyn Henning 0 0-0 0, Olivia Bayse 0 0-0 0, McKenna Mauler 1 0-0 2, Liz Kutina 4 3-4 11, Kaitlee Spray 0 2-4 2, Jennifer Allende 1 0-0 2, Taycee Bunn 1 2-2 4, Cassidy Tutak 3 1-2 7, Kalie LeShore 2 1-1 5, Morgan Harwood 0 0-0 0, Jordan Haney 1 1-2 3. Totals 16 10-16 42.
Manhattan 20 11 16 13 — 60
Great Bend 10 12 10 10 — 42
Three-point goals — Manhattan 3 (Thompson 2, Elie 1); Great Bend (None).
Sometimes it’s hard to find a sliver of silver lining when your team just dropped their third game in four outings this season.
Yet Great Bend High School girls’ head basketball coach Justin Tatkenhorst came away pleased with the way his team played in spurts, despite a 60-42 setback to Manhattan High Tuesday night at Panther Gymnasium.
Mari Jo Massanet, a junior forward, pumped in a game-high 19 points and guard Alix Miller scored six of her 10 points in the first half, as the Lady Indians (2-0) jumped out to a 20-10 lead after one quarter and extended the margin to 31-22 at halftime.
The Tribe was never seriously threatened in the second half.
In their highest scoring output of the season, Great Bend was outscored 16-10 in the third quarter. Still, the Tribe took a 47-32 advantage into the final eight minutes.
“We were disappointed that they scored 20 points in that first quarter,” Tatkenhorst said. “The second quarter was much better and we really thought we were in the game.
“Manhattan quickly changed that with a 7-0 run in the third quarter, after I felt like we got some of the momentum.”
The difference, according to Tatkenhorst, was the play of Massanet and Miller.
“We really have got to give those girls credit,” he said. “On several possessions, we were really good on defense and they still scored.
“They’re excellent ballplayers.”
Liz Kutina led the Lady Panthers with 11 points.
“She did well,” Tatkenhorst said, “and I can give a lot of girls credit. They took the ball to the basket and got to the free-throw line.”
GBHS will be idle until it travels to McPherson on Jan. 4 to resume the second portion of the schedule.
