BY JIM MISUNAS

jmisunas@gbtribune.com

Great Bend’s hard-nosed boys basketball team knows the script all too well.

Brilliant play by Kody Crosby and Brayden Smith and a hard-nosed defensive effort will keep the Panthers within range.

But one poor streak of basketball will typically cost the Panthers a chance at a victory.

Smith played all-world defense on 6-foot-6 Deladris Green and worked for 15 points. Crosby accounted for the Panthers’ first eight points.

But a 13-0 first-quarter streak by Liberal ignited a 50-38 Western Athletic Conference victory over Great Bend (3-11, 0-4 WAC) Friday.

Liberal’s Cade Hinkle drilled three consecutive 3-pointers and Green and Cole Evans scored inside during the 13-0 run for a 15-6 lead.

Hinkle scored 18 points and Kylan Thomas, who controlled the offensive boards, scored 16 points.

Great Bend led 6-2. Crosby scored six first-quarter points and passed to Smith for an early assist.

“We are a mentally tough basketball team and making things tough on teams is our calling card,” said Great Bend coach Tim Brooks. “We show effort and fight. We got off to a good start.”

Great Bend’s scouting report knew about Hinkle.

“He’s the type of shooter who makes you pay if you lose him,” Brooks said. “Hinkle got going that first quarter.”

Smith and Logan Perry held Green to two points.

“Brayden matched up well with Green and Smith and Logan Perry battled him down low,” Brooks said.

But the Panthers had no matchup for Kylan Thomas, who scored six points off second-chance rebounds.

“We had no answer for him,” Brooks said.

The Panthers closed within 29-22 and 31-24 when Logan Perry and Jacob Murray scored and Smith blocked a Thomas attempt and scored inside.

But Thomas scored on two tip-ins and Hinkle scored seven fourth-quarter points and fed an assist to Markalyn Eatmon.

Konner Ireland scored twice and a third straight score was nullified on a charging call in the fourth period. The Panthers missed all nine 3-point attempts.

 “Our defense is competitive,” Brooks said. “We need to continue our improvement offensively.”

Liberal (12-2, 3-1 WAC) moves into a first-place tie with Hays High (10-3, 3-1) and Garden City (7-9, 3-1). Great Bend (3-11, 0-4 WAC) is 0-3 at home this season entering Tuesday’s home game against McPherson.

LIBERAL 50, PANTHERS 38

Liberal 15 5 11 19 –  50

Great Bend 8 4 10 16 – 38

LIBERAL—Eatmon 1-4 2-4 4; Thomas 8-14 0-0 16; Hinkle 6-14 3-4 18; Evans 2-3 1-2 5; Green 1-5 0-0 2; Carrillo 0-0 1-2 1; Bigham 2-3 0-0 4; King 0-1 0-0 0, Totals 20-44 7-12 50.

GREAT BEND—Kody Crosby 4-11 1-3 9; Brayden Smith 7-9 1-1 15; Ty Esfeld 0-1 0-0 0; Konner Ireland  2-8 1-2 5; Logan Perry 1-3 2-2 4; Koy Brack 0-2 0-0 0; Jacob Murray 1-3 3-4 5; Totals 15-37 8-13 38.

3-point goals—L 3-8 (Hinkle 3-5, Bigham 0-1, Eatmon  0-2), GB 0-9 (Crosby 0-4, Esfeld 0-1, Ireland 0-2, Brack 0-2). TO—L 9, GB 11.