The Great Bend High School boys’ basketball team found their shot early, taking off in the first quarter to give themselves an early lead.
After that, it was a matter of keeping Liberal at arm’s length for the rest of the Western Athletic Conference game as the Panthers won 47-40 on Saturday night at the Panther Fieldhouse.
A 10-0 run that closed the first quarter gave Great Bend its initial breathing room.
Starting with a 3-pointer from Bryce Beck, Jack Westhoff added 1 of 2 free throws and Kody Crosby sank back-to-back 3-pointers.
“We hit some big shots,” GBHS head coach Chris Battin said. “Guys found guys open and just did a tremendous job. It was a total team effort. Guys passed the ball well. I thought we executed well.”
Things went back-and-forth in the second quarter, leaving Great Bend ahead 22-15 at intermission.
Liberal started making 3-pointers.
The Redskins whittled away at Great Bend’s lead, tying things at 28 with one minute remaining in the third quarter.
Shade Wondra got a layup, Crosby hooked in a shot to make it 32-28 before the close of the quarter.
The run continued for Great Bend with a pull-up jumper from Beck and a layup from Trey Ibarra, who was fouled but couldn’t complete the three-point play.
Beck, who finished with 10 points, got a breakaway layup to make it 38-28 with 6:30 left in the game.
Crosby made a team-leading 20 points for the Panthers.
Great Bend couldn’t get the lead past 10 points, though, it held Liberal at arm’s length for the rest of the quarter.
Great Bend made 5 of 7 free throws in the final 40 seconds to remain ahead of the Redskins.
“Anytime you can get guys to go up there and knock down 2 of 2, that’s huge,” Battin said. “That’s what we needed.”

Friday

Dodge City 44,
Great Bend 28
DODGE CITY — Dodge City took off in the second quarter, outscoring Great Bend 13-7 to take a 21-12 lead into intermission.
Things didn’t improve as the Demons rang up 14 points to Great Bend’s seven in the third quarter.
Kody Crosby scored a team-high 14 points.
Shade Wondra added seven points.

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
Western Athletic Conference

BOYS

Saturday

At Great Bend
Panther Fieldhouse

Great Bend 47, Liberal 40
LIBERAL
     Quintana 0 2-4 2, Hasik 1 1-3 3, Abbott 3 2-4 8, Stout 3 0-0 8, Fitzgerald 1 0-0 2, Ware 2 0-0 4, Hinkle 3 0-0 9, Thomas 1 0-0 2, Coker 1 0-0 2. Totals 15 5-11 40.
GREAT BEND (7-12, 1-6)
     Jack Westhoff 0 2-4 2, Trey Ibarra 1 2-3 4, Kody Crosby 8 2-4 20, Bryce Beck 3 3-5 10, Blake Sullivan 0 0-2 0, Dillon Reiser 1 2-2 5, Shade Wondra 2 2-4 6. Totals 15 13-24 47.
Liberal            8    7    13    12  —  40
Great Bend    16    5    11    15  —  47
     Three-point goals — Liberal 5 (Hinkle 3, Stout 2); Great Bend 4 (Crosby 2, Beck, Reiser).