LIBERAL — Someone once said that a cat has nine lives.
For the Great Bend High School Panthers on Friday night, they had only three.
In a back-and-forth Western Athletic Conference nail-biter on Friday night, Liberal held on for a 77-75 victory over Great Bend in three overtime periods.
The loss snapped Great Bend’s three-game winning streak as it dropped to 4-10 overall.
Buoyed by a career-high 28 points by Jace Bowman, including eight 3-pointers, the Panthers were able to answer every run by the Redskins — to the end of regulation and two times over.
It was 65-all entering the third overtime, where Liberal outscored GBHS 12-10 to hold on for the win.
Junior forward Ethan Henderson added 12 points, Junior forward Chad Touslee scored eight points and post player Wyatt Bayless, a junior, put in seven points for the Panthers.
The game was tied at 44 at the end of regulation.

                                                             — Mack McClure


HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
Western Athletic Conference
At Liberal

Friday

BOYS

Liberal 77, Great Bend 75, 3OT
GREAT BEND (4-10, 1-3)
Conner Sell 1 0-0 2, Matt Marshall 4 3-5 13, Chad Touslee 3 2-5 8, Bryce Beck 1 0-0 2, Gabe Joiner 1 0-0 3, Jace Bowman 9 2-2 28, Ethan Henderson 5 2-2 12, Wyatt Bayless 3 1-4 7. Totals 27 10-18 75.
LIBERAL
DeVondre Levingston 11 4-8 26, Osvaldo Villareal 5 1-2 14, William Ross 2 2-2 6, Kenlee West 0 1-2 1, BJ Washington 3 3-7 11, Andre Jackson 3 0-0 6, JJ Lewis 3 7-8 13. Totals 27 18-29 77.
     Three-point goals — Great Bend 11 (Bowman 8, Marshall 2, Joiner); Liberal 5 (Villareal 3, Washington 2).