EL DORADO — One run was the difference in the high school basketball game between Great Bend and Circle.
The Panthers kept pace with the Thunderbirds until late in the third quarter, falling short in the end 67-59 to open up the Bluestem Classic.
“I thought in the first half we did some nice things,” GBHS head coach Chris Battin said. “It was really the end of the third quarter that killed us. We just couldn’t guard the ball.
“We played well in the fourth quarter, too.”
Things were going well for Great Bend until the third period.
“We had a one-point lead after the first quarter,” Battin said. “We had a one-point lead at halftime, too. There was just a 12-0 run that really was the difference.
“We just had a couple turnovers, and we didn’t give ourselves opportunities a couple times offensively.”
Freshman Kody Crosby finished with a team-leading 18 points.
“He’s been playing since he was a little kid,” Battin said. “He put a lot of time in the gym, and it shows.”
Bryce Beck added 15 points, going 9-for-10 from the free-throw line.
The Panthers continue in the Bluestem Classic today, playing Wichita Trinity at 3 p.m.

                              — Kevin Price

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
2014 Bluestem Classic

BOYS

Thursday

At El Dorado

Circle 67, Great Bend 59
GREAT BEND (1-8)
     Jack Westhoff 1 0-2 2, Kody Crosby 7 2-2 18, Bryce Beck 3 9-10 15, Blake Sullivan 1 0-0 3, Dillon Reiser 3 0-0 9, Wyatt Bryant 2 0-0 4, Nick Warren 3 2-2 8. Totals 20 13-16 59.
CIRCLE
     Kirkpatrick 3 0-0 8, Fowler 3 0-0 6, Driver 9 1-2 19, Cannon 4 0-0 8, Horyna 4 0-1 8, Richard 2 0-0 4, Wright 6 2-2 14. Totals 30 1-5 67.
Great Bend    18    14     8    19  —  59
Circle             17    14    18    18  —  67
     Three-point goals — Great Bend 6 (Reiser 3, Crosby 2, Sullivan); Circle 2 (Kirkpatrick 2).