HAYS – Great Bend’s boys transformed an 11-point deficit into a 50-40 lead against rival Hays High.
Peyton Kieffer scored 21 points and rescued the Indians with four consecutive 3-pointers to ignite a 66-60 Western Athletic Conference basketball victory Tuesday. The Indians outscored the Panthers 26-12 in the fourth quarter.
“We didn’t recognize a shooter who was hot and it killed us,” said Great Bend coach Tim Brooks. “We played really well tonight. We took them out of what they want to do offensively and executed some things on offense against a zone we didn’t do Friday night.”
Kieffer’s first long-range 3-pointer pulled Hays High within seven. Tradgon McCrae followed with a layup before Kieffer struck for back-to-back threes for a 51-50 lead. After Koy Brack scored, Kieffer hit from well beyond the 3-point line for a 54-52 lead.
Ethan Nunnery followed a free throw with a second-chance basket for a 63-60 lead with 36 seconds remaining. The Indians scored the final six points as Brack missed two field goal attempts.
The Panthers (1-5, 0-2 WAC) turned a 26-15 deficit into a 50-40 lead with a shocking 35-14 scoring run that started in the second period. Hays knocked down four 3-pointers in the first period to build a 26-15 lead. Hays outscored the Panthers 43-23 in the first and fourth periods.
Eight Panthers scored points in the second quarter which swung the momentum. Indian Tragdon McCrae drew a technical that handed the Panthers four free throws and a possession. Blake Penka made two free throws, but the Panthers missed two free throws and committed a turnover.
But the Panthers rallied with their best offense of the season. Brock Blessing nailed a 3-pointer and Penka scored off a Dalton Miller assist. Point guard Sam Ryan scored seven consecutive points. Ty Esfeld and Trent Steuder scored baskets for a shocking 50-40 to finish a 14-0 scoring run. The Panthers outscored the Indians 37-23 in the second and third periods.
Penka (10), Steuder (9), Esfeld (7), Ryan (7) and Blessing (7) led a perfectly balanced offense. The Panthers converted 23 of 62 field goals, 7 of 17 from long range.
“We were sharp offensively,” Brooks said. “We played with emotion and shared the basketball. We played with confidence and everyone was contributing.”
But the Indians (6-2, 2-0 WAC) kept firing away from 3-point range (10 of 29) with 11 of 20 from inside the stripe.
GB 11 20 17 12 — 60
HH 17 15 8 26 — 66
GREAT BEND—Penka 3 2-2 10, Stueder 4 1-4 9, Brack 3 0-0 7, Esfeld 2 3-6 7, Ryan 3 0-0 7, Blessing 2 1-2 7, Duvall 1 0-0 3, Widiger 1 0-0 2, Brown 1 0-0 2, Schmeidler 1 0-0 2; Totals 23-62 7-14 60.
HAYS HIGH—Kieffer 6 4-7 21, Ethan Nunnery 5 2-4 12, Murphy 3 2-2 11, McCrae 4 2-3 11, Koenke 2 2-4 6, Meyer 1 0-2 3, T.J. Nunnery 0 2-3 2, Totals 21-49 14-26 66
WESTERN ATHLETIC BOYS
Garden City. 2-0 6-2
Hays High... 2-0 6-2
Dodge City.. 0-0 3-3
Liberal.... 0-2 3-5
Great Bend.. 0-2 1-6
TUESDAY’S GAMES
*Hays High 66, Great Bend 60
*Garden City 54, Liberal 38
WAC BOYS
GARDEN CITY (2-0, 6-2)—W Cooper, Texas 43-26; W Canton, Texas 41-32; L El Paso, Texas 44-56; L Wichita Trinity 15-57; W Dumas, Texas 53-23; W Scott City 62-27; W *Great Bend 33-28; W *Liberal 54-38; 1-12—*Hays High; 1-18-20—at Valley Center Tournament; 1-23—Ulysses; 1-30—*at Dodge City; 2-2—at Guymon, Okla.; 2-6—at Hugoton; 2-9—*Great Bend; 2-13—*Dodge City; 2-16—*at Hays High; 2-20—*at Liberal
HAYS HIGH (2-0, 6-2)—L Olathe North 76-93; W Olathe North 82-52; W William Chrisman, Mo. 64-62; W Pratt 94-55; L Junction City 71-75; W Colby 84-45; W *Liberal 74-56; W *Great Bend 66-60; 1-12—*at Garden City; 1-18-20—at Dodge City Tournament; 1-23—Salina Central; 1-30—Salina South; 2-2—*at Dodge City; 2-9—*at Liberal; 2-13—Abilene; 2-16—*Garden City; 2-20—*at Dodge City; 2-23—*at Great Bend
LIBERAL (0-2, 3-5)—W Holcomb 59-45; L Guymon, Okla. 43-46; L Hereford, Texas 45-55; W Borger, Texas 60-56; L Perryton, Texas 39-41; W Perryton, Texas 56-42; L *Hays High 56-74; L *Garden City 38-54; 1-12—*Dodge City; 1-18-20—at Salina Tournament; 1-26—Hugoton; 2-2—*Great Bend; 2-6—Guymon, Okla.; 2-9—*Hays High; 2-13—at Cimarron; 2-17—*at Great Bend; 2-20—*Garden City; 2-22—*at Dodge City
DODGE CITY (0-0, 3-3)—L Junction City 76-83; L Manhattan 63-81; W Hugton 78-75 (OT); Goddard Eisenhower 76-88; W Guymon, Okla. 65-49; W Cimarron 85-44; 1-12—*at Liberal; 1-13—at Guymon, Okla.; 1-16—*at Great Bend; 1-18-20—Dodge City Tournament; 1-30—*Garden City; 2-2—*Hays High; 2-6—at Ulysses; 2-9—Nickerson; 2-13—*at Garden City; 2-16—*Great Bend; 2-20—*at Hays High; 2-22—*Liberal
GREAT BEND (0-2, 1-6)—W Wichita Life 70-50; L Othate North 37-71; Manhattan 32-46; L Junction City 39-49; L Hutchinson 48-54; L *Garden City 28-33; L *Hays High 60-66; 1-12—*Buhler; 1-16—*Dodge City; 1-18-20—*at El Dorado Tournament; 1-30—Derby; 2-2—*at Liberal; 2-6—at McPherson; 2-9—*at Garden City; 2-13—at Hays-TMP; 2-16—*at Dodge City; 2-17—*Liberal; 2-23—*Hays High
