BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
HAYS – Great Bend’s boys duplicated its opening basketball game with a spectacular start with a 16-8 lead over Class 6A Olathe North.
But the Eagles used a stunning 19-4 run for a 27-20 lead. The Eagles were never seriously threatened in a 48-40 victory Friday in the Hays City Shootout. Great Bend dropped into the consolation game against Western Athletic Conference rival Garden City.
First-year Great Bend coach Tim Brooks was denied his first victory with the Panthers for the second consecutive night. The Panthers limited Eagle standout Ken Byers to 3 of 12 shooting. The Eagles made 17 of 40 field goals.
“Our defense played good enough to win that ballgame,” Brooks said. “We stopped Byers’ penetration and controlled him very well. But his teammates stepped up and helped out.”
Panther sharpshooter Konner Ireland scored 14 points and knocked down his first 3-pointers, one from 25 feet to hand the Panthers a 16-8 first-quarter lead. Jacob Murray converted an early 3-pointer. Kody Crosby dished an assist to Ireland and matched Koy Brack with a second-chance basket for a 16-8 lead.
“Konner got off to a great shooting start,” Brooks said. “Their defense shadowed him better and pushed him further out on the court to deny him shots.”
The Eagles swung the momentum with five consecutive 3-point plays that turned a 16-8 deficit into a 23-20 lead. Adam Coffman converted a conventional 3-point play and Shawn Freeman followed with back-to-back 3-pointers.
Olathe North’s Tymer Jackson delivered a back-breaking 3-pointer and was fouled on the play. When the Eagles scrapped for an offensive rebound when Jackson missed, Byers converted another conventional 3-point play for a 6-point possession. Kaleb Walton finished the streak with two baskets for a 27-20 lead.
“That stretch really hurt us,” Brooks said.
The Panthers’ sterling defense kept them within range. Kody Crosby chipped in 12 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Brayden Smith added six points.
“We battled hard,” Brooks said. “We found a few open areas, but we didn’t make shots. When that happens, you’ve got to penetrate and get to the free throw line.”
Ireland converted a basket off a Koy Brack steal to draw the Panthers within 39-34 in the middle of the fourth period. But Crosby missed two good shots after the Panthers’ defense responded with back-to-back stops.
The Eagles’ Byers and Jackson scored clinching baskets.
• MANHATTAN 60, GARDEN CITY 42 (Semifinal) — All-Tournament Tommy Ekart led the Indians with 17 points and Trevor Hudgins added 14 points to spark the Indians into the boys championship game. Carlos Acosta led Garden City with 14 points.
* HAYS HIGH 67, TMP 48 (Semifinal) — Claiborne Kyles scored 17 points and Tyrese Hill (12), Ethan Nunnery (12) and Shane Berens (10) scored in double figures as Hays High rolled past Thomas More Prep to advance to the boys championship game. Hayden Lowe led the Monarchs with 11 points.
EAGLES 48, PANTHERS 40
SECOND ROUND
GB 16 8 7 9 — 40
ON 14 16 9 9 — 48
GB—Ireland 5-8 0-0 14; Crosby 6-13 0-2 12; Smith 2-4 2-5 6; Perry 0-3 0-0 0; Brack 2-4 0-0 5; Murray 1-5 0-0 3; Totals 16-37 2-5 40.
ON—Walton 4-10 0-0 10; Byers 3-12 4-5 10; Jackson 3-9 1-4 9; Coffman 3-3 1-1 7; Freeman 2-3 0-0 6; Williams 2-2 2-4 6; Milner 0-1 0-0 0; Totals 17-40 8-14 48.
3-point goals—GB 6-16 (Ireland 4-6, Brack 1-3, Murray 1-4, Crosby 0-3); ON 6-13 (Freeman 2-3, Jackson 2-4, Walton 2-4, Byers 0-2). TO—GB 14, ON 12.
HAYS HIGH 67, TMP 48
SEMIFINAL
TMP 10 12 12 14 — 48
HH 12 16 19 20 — 67
TMP—Hayden Lowe 4 3-4 11; Luke Ruder 4 0-0 9; David McFarland 2 1-2 7; Creighton Renz 1 3-7 5; Chase Werth 2 1-2 5; Michael Lager 2 0-2 4; Ryan Karlin 0 1-2 1; Trent Mayo 1 0-0 2; Tate Garcia 1 0-0 2; Bruce Chiu 0 2-2 2; Totals 17 11-21 48.
HH—Claiborne Kyles 5 6-8 17, Tyrese Hill 5 2-4 12, Ethan Nunnery 3 6-6 12, Shane Berens 2 6-8 10, Peyton Kieffer 1 0-0 3, Tradgon McCrae 2 0-0 4, Collyn Kreutzer 1 2-2 4, Xander Swayne 2 0-0 5, Totals 21 22-28 67.
MANHATTAN 60, GARDEN CITY 42
SEMIFINAL
GC 10 10 11 11 — 42
MHS 17 20 8 15 — 60
GC—Carlos Acosta 5 3-4 14; Garret Doll 3 2-2 9; Tye Davis 2 0-0 6; Derrick Sexton 2 0-0 5; Griff Brunson 1 3-4 5; Demarcus Elliot 1 1-2 3; Totals 14 9-12 42.
MHS—Tommy Ekart 5 5-5 17, Trevor Hudgins 6 2-4 14, Cade Roberts 2 2-3 6, Ian Trapp 3 0-0 6, Luke Saville 2 0-0 5, Dawson Stewart 1 0-2 3, Josh Haus 1 0-2 2, Carson Marsh 1 2-2 4; Nate Awbrey 1 0-0 3; Totals 22 11-19 60.
HAYS CITY SHOOTOUT, BOYS
SATURDAY’S GAMES
Championship—Hays High 51, Manhattan 49
3rd Place—Olathe North 79, TMP 71
4th Place—Great Bend 65, Garden City 61, 2 OT
FRIDAY’S GAMES
Manhattan 60, Garden City 42
Olathe North 48, Great Bend 40
Hays High 67, TMP 48
THURSDAY’S GAMES
Manhattan 65, Great Bend 50
Hays-Thomas More Prep 61, Olathe North 54
Hays High 66, Garden City 58
HAYS CITY SHOOTOUT
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Kenny Byers, Olathe North; Hayden Lowe, TMP; Creighton Renz, TMP; Garret Doll, Garden City; Carlos Acosta, Garden City; Kody Crosby, Great Bend; Konner Ireland, Great Bend; Ethan Nunnery, Hays High; Claiborne Kyles, Hays High; Shane Berens, Hays High; Trevor Hudgins, Manhattan; Tommy Ekart, Manhattan.
Most Inspirational Player—Tommy Ekart, Manhattan.
