The Great Bend girls pushed No. 2 Class 5A state-ranked Salina Central to the limit.
But the Mustangs outscored the Panthers 10-3 in overtime to escape with a 72-65 non-league basketball victory.
Mustang standout Casey Knoth scored 26 points and sidekick Elisa Backes scored 19 points. Myah Ward drilled a 3–pointer for a 66-65 lead and Knoth and Backes scored the final six points in overtime.
“We feel good when Casey has the basketball in her hands,” said Central coach Geoff Andrews. “But we were pretty fortunate to win tonight.”
The Mustangs took charge with a 17-0 third-quarter run for a 47-37 lead after trailing 37-30. Maddie Newlin hit a pair of 3-pointers and Knoth scored four points in the run.
“We slowed our offense down and made some 3-pointers to get back into the game,” Knoth said. “Our defense got under control.”
The Panthers charged back with a 20-point fourth quarter. Carley Brack scored 10 points, including a key 3-pointer followed by tying free throws Carly Dreiling for a 62-62 tie heading to overtime.
Brack scored 22 points and Dreiling added 16 points and Lauren Welsch 15 points. The Panthers converted a trio of 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to rally.
“We played our hearts out and played extremely well,” said Great Bend coach Carrie Minton. “We did a lot of things right to put ourselves in position to win. We played with composure and got better as a basketball team tonight.”
But the 5-10 Knoth and 5-10 Backes were difficult matchups for the outsized Panthers.
“Their size provides a tough matchup,” Minton said.
Andrews said the Mustangs struggle with shorter, quicker teams like Great Bend.
“We knew it’d be a tough matchup for us defensively. We tried several zones and man-to-man,” he said. “We have trouble defending teams that penetrate to the basket. We’re a quality offensive team that can score. But our help defense is slow sometimes.”
The Panthers outplayed the Mustangs from the outset with a 5-0 lead they extended to 10-4 in the first quarter and 25-17 in the second period.
The Panthers exhibited solid teamwork with nifty assists by Lauren Welsch, Camryn Dunekack, Kate Warren and Carley Brack leading to inside scores in the paint. Dreiling’s score off Warren’s pass led to a 31-26 halftime lead.
Mustang standout Knoth scored eight points before drawing her third foul at the 3:06 mark of the second period.
The Panthers converted 12 of 30 field goals against a mix of zone defenses. The taller Mustangs made 9 of 37 field goals despite attempting quality shots, mostly off isolation offense.
The Mustangs (12-1) are ranked second in Class 5A. The Panthers drop to 8-5.
MUSTANG BOYS 60, PANTHERS 51
Central’s J.D. McHenry knocked down a 3-pointer to start the game and followed with a slam dunk off transition. He dominated inside and outside with 27 points. The Mustangs (10-3) are ranked eighth in Class 5A. The Panthers drop to 3-10.
The Panthers had trouble matching with the 6-4 McHenry, who is quick and athletic.
“McHenry is the best stretch 4 player we’ve played,” said Great Bend coach Chris Battin. “He’s highly skilled and athletic. He can shoot the 3-pointer and drive it past you. He’s really a good player who’s tough to defend.”
The Panthers’ excellent team play had the Mustangs on their heels during the first half. The Panthers’ Jacob Murray and Trey Ibarra hit back-to-back 3-pointers and Brayden Smith scored two baskets for a 23-17 lead.
But the Mustangs closed the half on a 14-2 run for a 28-23 in a first half where the Mustangs were outplayed. The Panthers gave away the final two points on a foul with one second left. McHenry scored three baskets in the third quarter and three more in the fourth.
Murray led the Panthers with 13 points and Ibarra (12) and Kody Crosby (10) scored in double figures with Smith adding nine points.
“Our effort going to the glass was good and we were happy defending their 3-point shooters,” Battin said. “We were balanced tonight.”
GIRLS
MUSTANGS 72, PANTHERS 65
Salina Central 11 15 22 14 10 – 72
Great Bend 15 16 11 20 3 – 65
SC—Knoth 9-17 8-11 26; Nowlin 3-7 0-0 9; Ward 3-7 0-0 9; Backes 6-18 4-5 19; Petty 0-1 1-2 1; Moyorga 0-3 2-2 2; Cain 0-7 2-4 2; Merkle 1-4 0-2 0; Montre 1-1 0-0 2; Totals 23-65 19-28 72.
GB—Ireland 0-1 0-0 0; Welsch 6-18 1-1 15; Dunekack 2-5 0-2 4; Kottas 1-3 0-0 2; Burkhart 2-3 0-0 4; Warren 1-3 0-1 2; Brack 9-20 1-1 22; Dreiling 4-6 7-10 16; Totals 25-59 9-15 65.
3-point goals—SC 7-21 (Nowlin 3-5, Ward 3-6, Backes 1-3, Cain 0-1, Petty 0-1, Mayorga 0-1, Merkle 0-1, Knoth 0-3), GB 6-22 (Brack 3-7, Welsch 2-8, Dreiling 1-2, Dunekack 0-3, Kottas 0-2).
BOYS
MUSTANGS 60, PANTHERS 51
Salina Central 11 17 17 15 – 60
Great Bend 11 12 11 17 – 51
SC—McHenry 11-16 3-3 27; Neuschafer 1-5 0-0 3; Shaffer 5-10 0-0 13; Williams 1-1 0-0 2; Speer 0-1 0-0 0; Castelli 3-4 2-2 8; Unruh 3-4 1-1 7; Totals 24-42 6-6 60.
GB—Ibarra 5-9 0-0 12; Crosby 4-10 0-0 10; Perry 1-1 0-0 2; Elliott 0-2 0-0 0; Smith 4-5 1-2 9; Ireland 0-3 0-0 0; Takota Esfeld 1-2 0-0 3; Murray 5-9 0-1 13; Totals 20-42 1-3 51.
3-point goals—SC 6-16 (Shaffer 3-7, Neuschafer 1-4, McHenry 2-4, Castelli 0-1), GB 8-17 (Ibarra 2-4, Crosby 2-4, Murray 3-6, Esfeld 1-2, Elliott 0-1).
