GARDEN CITY – Great Bend’s Lauren Welsch and Carley Brack combined for 37 points to spark the Panthers past Garden City 63-53 in Western Athletic comeback basketball victory.
Brack scored 21 points and Welsch added 16 points and 13 rebounds. Carly Dreiling grabbed 11 rebounds. The Panthers (10-6, 4-1) remain one game behind WAC leader and defending champion Dodge City.
The Panthers roared to a 9-0 lead and capped a 19-4 first quarter with a 10-0 run. The Panthers led 32-13 before the Buffaloes rallied with a 15-2 scoring run for a 34-28 score.
Morgan Kottas and Welsch scored baskets, sandwiched around a 3-pointer by Camryn Dunekack for a 41-31 lead.
Abbie Dart led Garden City (6-11, 0-5 WAC) with 12 points. Josie Calzonetti added 11 points. Garden City cut the lead to single digits twice in the fourth quarter.
GREAT BEND 67, GARDEN CITY 62
GARDEN CITY – After losing a nine-point lead, the Great Bend Panthers converted eight consecutive free throws for a hard-fought 67-62 Western Athletic Conference basketball victory Friday.
The Panthers led 59-50, but committed four turnovers and see the Buffaloes tie the score at 59-59, keyed by back-to-back 3-point plays by Jared Koster and Garret Doll.
Kody Crosby sank four free throws after Jacob Murray broke the tie with two foul shots for a 61-59 lead. The Buffaloes missed four chances to tie. Brayden Smith also sank two free throws in a career high 16-point game.
Crosby scored 16 points for the Panthers (4-12, 2-3 WAC) with Trey Ibarra (12) and Murray (11) scoring in double figures. The Panthers converted nine 3-pointers and made 20 of 24 free throws.
Koster led the Buffaloes (5-12, 0-5 WAC) with 31 points, including six 3-pointers. Doll added nine and Leal and Zac Karlin had eight each.
GIRLS
Great Bend 19 15 10 19 – 63
Garden City 4 17 14 18 – 53
GB—Brack 7 6-7 21; Welsch 4 8-12 16; Kottas 2 3-4 7; Durekack 2 3-5 8, Ireland 1 3-4 6; Warren 1 0-0 2; Dreiling 1 0-2 2; Totals 18-46 24-35 63.
GC—Dart 4 3-4 12; Calzonetti 3 4-6 11; Munoz 3 0-0 7; Bellows 1 3-4 5; Calvillo 3 0-2 6; Stinemetz 1 0-0 2; Butler 2 3-4 8; Longoria 1 0-0 2; Totals 18-55 14-20 53.
BOYS
Great Bend 15 12 19 21 — 67
Garden City 6 15 22 19 — 62
GB—Ibarra 4 0-0 12; Crosby 4 9-10 16; Perry 1 1-2 3; Ireland 2 0-0 6; Smith 5 6-7 16; Murray 3 4-5 11; Totals 19-36 20-24 67.
GC—Davis 1 1-2 4; Doll 3 3-3 9; Koster 10 3-3 31; Karlin 4 0-1 8; Leal 2 3-8 8; Elliott 1 0-0 2; Totals 22-48 10-17 62.
3-point goals—GB 9-17 (Ibarra 4, Crosby 2, Ireland 2, Murray), GC 8-23 (Koster 6, Davis 1, Leal 1).
