EL DORADO — The Great Bend High School boys’ basketball team secured their second win of the season on Saturday, beating Campus in the 2014 Bluestem Classic.
“We played really well today,” GBHS head coach Chris Battin said. “We got on the floor for loose balls. We moved the ball well. We handled pressure well. We had a good day.”
The Panthers improve to 2-9 on the season with a Tuesday evening matchup against Larned on the road ahead of them. The game starts at 7:30.
“It’s nice to get a victory,” Battin said. “We can leave the tournament feeling good about ourselves. Now, we have to keep getting better so we can take on a good Larned team. Hopefully we can win and build up some momentum.”
Trey Ibarra and Nick Warren each scored 11 points.
From the free-throw line, Warren went 7-for-8 and Ibarra was 5 of 6.
The Panthers went 26-for-37 collectively from the charity stripe, scoring just over half of their points. Great Bend scored all 17 of its fourth-quarter points from the free-throw line.
“We’ve been able to make our free throws this year,” Battin said. “It’s been a key for us, and today, we knocked them down when we needed them.”

FRIDAY
Trinity 66, Great Bend 46
EL DORADO — For the second time in the 2014 Bluestem Classic, Great Bend played even with its opponent, just to see that opponent win thanks to one large run.
“That’s been our Achilles’ Heel,” Battin said. “We’ve had some possession where we just don’t get it all together. We got to keep find ways to battle that and get some buckets. It’s a work in progress.”
A run in the second quarter was the difference-maker in the game.
“First quarter, we came out and played well,” Battin said. “I think they had a one-point lead at the end of the first quarter. We did a nice job.
“At the end of the first quarter into the second quarter, they went on a 16-0 run and rolled it up a little bit.”
Kody Crosby broke out for 25 points, a career-high for the freshman.
“He’s been really asserting himself, posting up hard,” Battin said. “He’s doing a nice job demanding the basketball, scoring inside and out.”
Crosby went 7-for-7 from the free-throw line.

                              — Kevin Price

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
2014 Bluestem Classic

BOYS

Friday

At El Dorado

Trinity 66, Great Bend 46
GREAT BEND (1-9)
     Kody Crosby 8 7-7 25, Bryce Beck 2 4-6 8, Dillon Reiser 2 0-0 5, Wyatt Bryant 4 0-0 8. Totals 16 11-13 46.
TRINITY
     Carro 4 3-4 11, Mosley 2 1-2 5, Miller 1 0-0 3, Johnson 1 2-2 5, Shanks 7 5-6 23, Burns 2 1-1 5, Loon 2 0-0 4, Jones 3 0-0 6, List 2 0-0 4. Totals 24 12-15 66.
Great Bend     9     10    14    13  —  46
Trinity           10    17    19    20  —  66
     Three-point goals — Great Bend 3 (Crosby 2, Reiser); Trinity 6 (Shanks 4, Johnson, Miller).

Saturday

Great Bend 51, Campus 30
GREAT BEND (2-9)
     Jack Westhoff 0 1-2 1, Trey Ibarra 2 5-6 11, Kody Crosby 2 5-8 9, Bryce Beck 2 2-5 6, Blake Sullivan 0 2-2 2, Dillon Reiser 2 4-6 9, Wyatt Bryant 1 0-0 2, Nick Warren 2 7-8 11. Totals 11 26-37 51.
CAMPUS
     Nicks 1 0-0 3, Howard 2 0-0 4, Schutt 1 0-2 2, Moody 2 1-3 5, Leeper 2 0-0 6, Hyde 1 0-0 2, Moore 2 0-0 4, Chavez 1 0-0 2, Parker 1 0-3 2. Totals 13 1-8 30.
Great Bend    8    10    16    17  —  51
Campus         6     6      5     13  —  30
     Three-point goals — Great Bend 3 (Ibarra 2, Reiser); Campus 1 (Nicks).