HAYS — Playing in a seventh-place game of the Hays City Shoot-Out at 10 a.m. on Saturday, the Great Bend High School Lady Panthers led Kearney, Neb., 23-22 at halftime.
But Kearney went on a decisive run in the second half, outscored GBHS 30-19 in the second half and salted away a 52-42 victory by sinking 13 of 19 free throws in the fourth quarter alone.
“We were the first to score, and we were ahead by one  halftime,” Great Bend head coach Jason Tatkenhorst said of his team. “We didn’t do that in the previous two games.
“We improved from Day 1 to Day 2, and then Day 3, I felt like we got stuck there in the same spot (similar to Friday’s loss during Saturday’s game).”
“From now, what we need to get back into some practices and get some things done.”
Kelsey Wiemers led Kearney (1-2) with 20 points, including 14 in the second half while making 7 of 8 from the line in the fourth quarter.
GBHS post player Liz Kutina, coming off a career-most 18 points the day before, finished with a team-high 14 points. Olivia Basye drained four 3-pointers and finished with 12 points, her same exact scoring line as Thursday’s season-opener.
“We’ve found a couple people that can consistenly score,” Tatkenhorst said of Kutina and Basye. “Now we need some other players to step up.”
GBHS is idle until Friday, when it travels to Pratt for non-conference action, followed by a road trip to Manhattan on Tuesday, Dec. 13.

                                                                                                                                — Mack McClure
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
Hays City Shoot-Out
At Hays
Felten Middle School

GIRLS

Saturday
Seventh place

Kearney, Neb. 52, Great Bend 42
KEARNEY (1-2)
     Kelsey Wiemers 5 8-10 20, Abby Ray 5 1-1 9, Claire Sickler 2 2-5 6, Gretchen Mak 2 0-2 5, Kendra Coslor 0 4-4 4, Rachael Bauenger 1 1-2 3, Kelsey Stithem 1 0-0 3, Payton Cudaback 1 0-0 2. Totals 16 16-24 52.
GREAT BEND (0-3)
     Brandi Schneider 0 3-4 3, Emily Cruse 1 0-0 2, Olivia Basye 4 0-0 12, Sara McAfee 1 0-0 2, Katelyn Henning 0 1-2 1, Kelsie Doll 0 0-0 0, Liz Kutina 3 8-11 14, Regan Unruh 1 0-0 2, Kaylie Doll 0 0-0 0, McKenna Mauler 0 0-0 0, Tarynn Stueder 0 0-0 0, Kalee Maneth 0 0-0 0, Morgan Harwood 0 0-0 0, Kelsey Crosby 3 0-0 6. Totals 13 12-17 48.
Kearney       10   12  13  17  —  48
Great Bend  10   13   6   13  —  42
    Three-point goals — Kearney 4 (Wiemers 2, Stithem, Mak); Great Bend 4 (Basye 4).