BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
EL DORADO — Great Bend built a 10-point lead and held off a late Campus rally for a 56-51 fifth-place victory at the Bluestem Basketball Classic.
Brayden Smith worked for a career high 20 points and Kody Crosby added 18 points as the Panther post players dominated inside.
“The kids played tough, especially the second half,” said Great Bend coach Tim Brooks. “We were patient with our passing and got the ball inside. Our big guys played really well. Kudos to the guards.”
Great Bend (3-9) won two of three games at the Bluestem Classic for the first time in seven years.
Smith and Crosby combined for 12 third-quarter points for a 36-31 lead keyed by assists from Jacob Murray and Ty Esfeld. Smith scored seven fourth-quarter points and Murray scored and dished another assist for a 49-39 lead after Crosby’s inside basket.
Campus made a 9-2 run for a 51-48 score keyed by Rico Harvey and Demetrius Schley. The Panthers committed four of their 12 turnovers during that stretch. But the Panthers’ defense drew an offensive foul that waved off a potential game-tying 3-point play by Harvey.
Crosby, Konner Ireland and Esfeld converted free throws to secure the Panthers’ second straight victory.
“It was great to find a way to win that game,” Brooks said. “We stepped up and made a defensive plays and made our free throws.”
Demetrius Schley led Campus (3-8) with 18 points and Rico Harvey contributed 16 points.
PANTHERS 56, CAMPUS 51
Campus 10 12 9 21 – 51
Great Bend 8 13 15 20 – 56
CAMPUS—Schley 7 3-5 18; Rico Harvey 6 2-2 16; Kahman 4 0-0 8; Rogers 0 2-2 2; Leslie 2 0-0 5; Howard 0 2-2 2; Totals 20 9-11 51.
GREAT BEND—Smith 9 2-5 20; Crosby 7 3-4 18; Esfeld 0 1-2 1; Ireland 1 2-2 4; Perry 3 1-2 7; Brack 2 0-0 4; Murray 1 0-1 2; Totals 23 9-16 56.
BLUESTEM CLASSIC
SATURDAY
1st—Wichita Collegiate 69, Wichita Trinity 51
3rd—Gardner-Edgerton 57, Wichita Kapaun-Mt. Carmel 54
5th—Great Bend 56, Campus 51
7th—El Dorado 58, Circle 48
FRIDAY
Wichita Collegiate 62, Gardner-Edgerton 54
Wichita Trinity 63, Kapaun-Mt. Carmel 61
Great Bend 59, Circle 51
Campus 46, El Dorado 42
THURSDAY
Wichita Collegiate 69, Great Bend 56
Gardner-Edgerton 59, Circle 51
Wichita Trinity 51, El Dorado 46
Kapaun-Mt. Carmel 58, Campus 44
