A lot can happen in a short amount of time in the five-team Western Athletic Conference basketball races — especially when there’s still three league games remaining for Great Bend High School, including back-to-back, starting tonight at 6.
Playing host to Dodge City at Panther Fieldhouse on Hall of Fame night, it will be the home finales for both the Lady Panthers and the Panthers.
Great Bend travels to Liberal on Saturday night, and then travels to Hays a week from tonight to close the conference and regular season.
The Lady Panthers, 11-6 overall and 3-2 in the Western Athletic Conference, will be taking on a Dodge City Lady Red Demons team that is 5-12, 1-4.
Currently tied for second place in the WAC with Hays, the Lady Panthers need to take care of business against Dodge City and Liberal, teams they have already beaten this season.
GBHS hammered the Lady Demons — the three-time defending conference champions, who are in a rebuilding mode this season — 49-35 at United Wireless Arena in Dodge City on Jan. 11.
On Feb. 1, the Lady Panthers drubbed Liberal 73-41 at Panther Fieldhouse.
It was the first of five straight home dates for Great Bend, which ends tonight.
The Panthers (5-12, 2-3) haven’t won at home since drubbing Larned 52-30 on Jan. 22.
Having lost five straight, the Panthers haven’t won during their homestand and would like nothing better than to beat first-place Dodge City (10-7, 4-1) a second time.
On Jan. 11, Great Bend went on the road and upset Dodge City — the two-time defending WAC champions — 49-43.
But the Panthers haven’t been able to replicate that performance since, losing seven of their last nine.
One of those losses came against Liberal at home on Feb. 2, a 47-39 setback that punctuated the Panthers’ free-fall.
The Redskins, who have the same overall record as the Panthers at 5-12 overall, currently sit in last place in the WAC with a 1-4 mark.
GREAT BEND HIGH SCHOOL HALL OF FAME DAY
• Today — Hall of Fame Banquet (11:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m. at Heritage Room-Highland Hotel )
• Tonight — Varsity basketball at Panther Fieldhouse (Dodge City Lady Red Demons vs. Great Bend Lady Panthers, 6; Dodge City Red Demons vs. Great Bend Panthers, 8)
• Induction ceremony — Between girls’ and boys’ basketball games. After boys’ game, reception in GBHS Commons.
• Saturday — Varsity basketball at Liberal (Great Bend Lady Panthers vs. Liberal Lady Redskins, 6 p.m.; Great Bend Panthers vs. Liberal Redskins, 7:30 p.m.)
