LARNED — It was a blowout win for the Great Bend High School girls’ basketball team.
That didn’t stop Lady Panthers head coach Carrie Minton from finding some places to improve after a 64-34 win over Larned on Tuesday night.
“I fell like our girls came ready to play,” Minton said. “We started the game defensively very aggressive. Offensively, we did a good job working the ball around and finding the open shot.
“I felt like our intensity fell off a little bit. There were some shots in the paint that we could’ve finished. It’s something we need to improve on.”
Great Bend allowed an early basket from Larned, and then went on a massive run in the first quarter.
Larned didn’t manage its second basket until 1:13 remaining in the opening period, trailing 20-2.
A Lady Indians 3-pointer cut into Great Bend’s lead, but the Lady Panthers, with help from a Regan Unruh trey as time ran out, took a 20-point lead into halftime.
Minton said that the team needs to focus on improving heading into next week’s tournament, the Capital City Classic, which starts on Thursday, Jan. 23.
“Our girls are continuing to focus on getting better,” Minton said. “You have to be focused on improving heading into tournament week next week.”
Morgan Harwood led the Lady Panthers with 15 points, going 9-for-9 from the free-throw line.
Great Bend was collectively 21-for-24 (90 percent) from the free-throw line.
Kelsie Doll was Great Bend’s No. 2 scorer with eight points.
Shaylene Shepherd led Larned with 12 points.

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

GIRLS

Tuesday

At Larned

Great Bend 64, Larned 34
GREAT BEND (8-1)
Kacee Kasselman 0 0-0 0, Lauren Welsch 0 5-6 5, Hannah Hildebrand 1 0-0 2, Kelsie Doll 4 0-0 8, Payton Burkhart 0 2-2 2, Kylie Spray 2 1-2 6, Regan Unruh 2 2-2 7, Kaylie Doll 3 0-0 6, McKenna Mauler 3 0-0 6, Tarynn Stueder 2 2-3 7, Hannah Mauler 0 0-0 0, Morgan Harwood 3 9-9 15, Madison Unruh 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 21-24 64.
LARNED
A. Aldrich 2 0-0 5, S. Shepherd 6 0-0 12, A. Byrum 2 0-1 4, M. Perez 1 0-0 2, T. Diaz 1 1-1 3, J. Johnson 1 3-4 5, A. Langdon 1 0-0 3. Totals 14 4-6 34.
Great Bend    20    17    11    16  —  64
Larned           5      12     9      8   —  34
Three-point goals — Great Bend 3 (Spray, R. Unruh, Stueder); Larned 2 (Aldrich, Langdon).