BY JIM MISUNAS
LIBERAL – Thirteen was definitely not a lucky number for the Great Bend girls basketball team.
No. 2 state-ranked Liberal rolled past Great Bend 52-26 in Wednesday’s 5A basketball playoffs to end the Panthers’ season on a 13-game losing streak. Liberal beat Great Bend by the identical score of 52-26 when the teams met Feb. 17.
Great Bend (3-18) beat Buhler 52-38 Jan. 12, which marked the last time the Panthers won a basketball game.
Carley Brack scored eight points and Camryn Dunekack added seven points in their final appearance in a Panther uniform.
“They are tremendous young ladies,” said Great Bend coach Carrie Minton. “It’s hard to see those kids walk off the floor the last time. They’ve contributed a lot to our program and will be a huge loss.”
Liberal (20-1) exhibited too much speed, height and aggressive defense for the Panthers. The Redskins started the first quarter on a 6-0 scoring run and ended with an 8-0 scoring run for an 18-5 lead. The Panthers started 2 of 10 from the field with five turnovers.
Brack scored the Panthers’ first five points then drew four fouls to end her effectiveness. Liberal led 28-13 at halftime by converting 11 Panther turnovers into 13 points. Alyssa Herter and Jenna Mauler converted 3-pointers in the second period. The Panthers shot 5 of 24 the first half.
“Liberal played really well,” Minton said. “We had turnovers that let things slip away. A lot of it is Liberal’s defense. They are very athletic. When you’re not shooting the ball very well, it’s hard to keep up.”
Liberal started the second half on a 13-2 scoring run for a 41-15 lead after three quarters.
The only question was whether Liberal (ahead 44-15) would push the lead to 30 points to trigger a running clock. The Panthers did not let that happen.
Brack ended that speculation when she bounced the basketball off the back of Whitney Hay to trigger two free throws. Dunekack followed with a basket for a 44-19 deficit.
Great Bend 7 6 2 11 – 26
Liberal 18 10 13 11 – 52
GREAT BEND (3-18)—Brack 2-7 4-5 8, Dunekack 3-5 0-0 6, Clark 0-2 1-2 1, Herter 2-6 0-0 5, Mauler 1-5 0-0 3, Sydney Unruh 1-10 0-0 3, Kaylee Unruh 0-2 0-0 0, Urban 0-1 0-0 0, Totals 9-38 5-7 26.
LIBERAL (20-1)— Mullins 6-9 5-7 17, Lucero 3-8 2-2 9, Gilmore 2-6 2-4 6, Warden 2-2 2-2 6, Hornya 2-8 5-8 9, Alarcon 1-4 1-1 3, Watt 1-2 0-0 2, W. Hay 0-1 0-0 0, Totals 17-40 17-24 52.
5A GIRLS PLAYOFFS
KANSAS CITY—KC Schlagle 65-49 Shawnee Heights; Topeka Highland Park 55-43 Olathe West; KC Schlagle 15-5 vs. Highland Park 15-6
LANSING—Lansing 78-17 KC Washington; Lenexa St. James 49-47 Topeka Seaman; Lansing 16-5 vs. Lenexa St. James 7-14
LIBERAL—Liberal 52-26 Great Bend; Goddard 45-33 Valley Center; Liberal 20-1 vs. Goddard 11-9
MAIZE—Maize 47-29 Goddard Eisenhower; Andover 62-58 Maize South; Maize 15-6 vs. Andover 13-7
NEWTON—Newton 50-23 Salina South; Salina Central 61-56 Wichita Kapaun-Mt. Carmel; Newton 15-6 vs. Salina Central 14-7
OVERLAND PARK—St. Thomas Aquinas 59-15 KC Wyandotte; Leavenworth 39-27 Pittsburg; Aquinas 19-2 vs. Leavenworth 13-8
SHAWNEE—Mill Valley 57-39 KC Turner; Blue Valley SW 57-39 DeSoto; Mill Valley 17-4 vs. Blue Valley SW 9-12
WICHITA—Wichita Carroll 61-31 Topeka West; Wichita Heights 67-60 Emporia; Wichita Carroll 16-5 vs. Wichita Heights 13-8
