BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
MCPHERSON – McPherson’s basketball clinic started early. Had the Great Bend Panthers been taking notes, they would’ve learned a lot.
The No. 2 ranked 4A Bullpups roared to a 25-9 first-quarter lead and rolled past the lifeless Panthers 68-38 in Tuesday’s non-league basketball game. The Bullpups converted 10 of 14 field goals the first quarter.
McPherson dished out seven assists the first quarter and finished with 20 assists on 27 baskets, 10 by standout passer Mason Alexander. Six players scored in the first quarter.
Western Illinois University signee 6-8 Ben Pyle contributed 22 points and five assists. Mason Alexander posted a double/double with 13 points and 10 assists. Jake Alexander scored 15 points.
The Bullpups (14-1) might be ranked second behind two-time 4A champion SM Miege, but the Bullpups showed a team concept few teams can play.
Great Bend (3-12) showed one spark, an 8-4 run that sliced McPherson’s lead to 12 points in the second quarter. But the Bullpups closed on a scoring run to end the half ahead 41-24.
Reserve Ray Kuhlman delivered one of the few highlights with his first varsity basket of the season. Ty Esfeld blocked two shots. Alex Schremmer contributed eight points, but made 3 of 12 shots. Sam Ryan added seven points. Esfeld and Dalton Miller each had two steals.
Great Bend coach Tim Brooks said he was surprised his team did not exhibit its typical hard-nosed play. The Bullpups roamed in the paint with no problem.
The Bullpups took advantage of every turnover with an 18-0 edge off ballhandling errors.
The worst mistake of the night came when the Panthers gave the ball away on the last possession of the third quarter to trail 57-30 with the 30-point running clock looming.
“We didn’t start off very good and didn’t finish quarters very well,” Brooks said. “We didn’t play with the intensity we normally play with. We won’t know how the kids will react to this. Hopefully, we can show some fight next time. We didn’t show it tonight.”
Brooks said the Bullpups showed why McPherson is the home of Kansas high school basketball. Mitch Holthus, the Voice of the Kansas City Chiefs, watched the festivities in amazement.
“McPherson is a very good basketball town. They live and breathe basketball,” Brooks said. “They know how to play basketball. They know exactly how to read counters off what you do defensively. They take advantage of everything move you make defensively.”
BULLPUPS 68, PANTHERS 38
Great Bend 9 15 6 8 – 38
McPherson 25 16 16 11 – 68
GREAT BEND (3-12)—Schremmer 3-12 0-0 8, Sam Ryan 3-7 0-0 7, Esfeld 1-4 2-2 4, Schmeidler 0-1 0-0 0, Blessing 1-1 0-0 2, Miller 1-7 1-1 3, Stueder 2-4 2-2 6, Kuhlman 1-1 0-0 2, Wondra 1-2 1-1 2, Duvall 1-2 0-0 3, Brown 0-1 0-0 0, Penka 0-1 0-0 0, Totals 14-43 6-6 38.
MCPHERSON (14-1)—Ben Pyle 9-16 2-2 22, Mason Alexander 5-10 1-1 13, Jake Alexander 6-10 0-0 15, Labertew 1-1 0-0 2, Diggs 1-30-0 3, Stufflebean 1-1 0-0 2, Schmid 1-1 0-0 2, Hoppes 1-1 0-0 2, Kinnamon 0-1 0-2 0, Trost 0-1 0-0 0, Jayse Alexander 2-3 0-0 6, Totals 27-48 5-8 68.
3-pointers—GB 4-12 (Schremmer 2-6, Duvall 1-2, Ryan 1-1, Wondra 0-1, Miller 0-1, Penka 0-1), M 11-22 (Pyle 2-6, J. Alexander 3-6, M. Alexander 2-3). Rebounds—GB 22 (Schremmer 4), M 29 (Pyle 6). Assists—GB 4 (Miller 2), M 20 (M. Alexander 10). Steals—GB 7 (Esfeld 2, Miller 2), M 10 (Pyle 4). TO—GB 15, M 10.
WESTERN ATHLETIC BOYS
Hays High...... 4-0.... 10-5
Garden City... 3-1.... 9-6
Dodge City.... 2-2.... 8-7
Great Bend.... 1-3.... 3-12
Liberal........... 0-4.... 5-9
TUESDAY
McPherson 68, Great Bend 38
Dodge City 73, Ulysses 46
Hugoton 69, Garden City 35
Liberal 67, Guymon, Okla. 33
FRIDAY
Great Bend at Garden City
Hays High at Liberal
Nickerson at Dodge City
