By the time Great Bend’s basketball teams return home Feb. 17, they’ll travel more than 500 miles in the next 14 days. They’ll know the roadway in every direction from Great Bend.
The Panthers’ wonderful, wacky Wild West journey starts with a 170-mile trip to Liberal, followed by road games at McPherson, Garden City, Hays and Dodge City.
The trickiest part is the Panthers should feel comfortable being the underdog in every scheduled game except when the Panther girls visit Garden City. The Panthers have been swept by Dodge City.
GREAT BEND GIRLS — The Panther girls (3-10, 1-2 WAC) are in the middle of a three-game stretch against state-ranked powerhouses. The Panthers started with No. 2 6A Derby in a 69-43 loss against the state’s tallest recruit, 6-foot-6 Kennedy Brown. Next up is No. 5 5A Liberal (12-1, 2-1 WAC), the only league team that didn’t play for seventh-place in a midseason tournament. The third team is No. 2 4A McPherson, which handed Derby its only loss.
Panthers Camryn Dunekack and Carley Brack have been consistent double-figure scorers. Beyond those two players, Great Bend coach Carrie Minton never knows which players will step up that night. Most Valuable Salina Invitational Player Katie Hornya joins Ali Lucero and Machia Mullens as double-figure scorers. Hays High handed Liberal a surprising 50-44 setback. 
GREAT BEND BOYS — The Panther boys (2-11, 0-3 WAC) have competed favorably in many of their 11 losses. Great Bend has lost several games that went down to the last possession of the game. Point guard Alex Schremmer has averaged 18 ppg and Ty Esfeld has thrived with double-figure scoring in Schremmer’s arrival on the scene. Schremmer scored 14 points and Esfeld 11 in a 59-50 loss to state-ranked Derby.
Liberal (5-8, 0-3 WAC) might be the fifth-best team the Panthers will play in the next two weeks. Wichita North transfer Kace Vongsokda has matched Schremmer with an 18-point average since becoming eligible. Cameron Riley and Tristen Bigham have also averaged in double figures.
One team will celebrate its first league victory since both squads are 0-3 in WAC action.

WILD WEST
2-2—@ Liberal — 170
2-6—@ McPherson — 60
2-9—@ Garden City — 120
2-13—@ Hays — 60
2-16—@ Dodge City — 85