By JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com

The Great Bend High School basketball teams are heavy underdogs heading to No. 8-ranked Wichita Carroll Wednesday and No. 1 ranked Goddard-Eisenhower Thursday in the Class 5A basketball substates.
But they’ve got a shot.
The Great Bend boys pulled off two of the biggest upsets in Kansas high school post-season basketball history 29 years ago.
The 2-18 Panthers shocked Hays High 53-46 and doubled down with a 53-50 upset of Salina South in overtime to qualify for the Class 5A state tournament. Erik Olsson averaged 14 ppg. Bill Bahr, Jason Lohmeyer and Terry Hipp also played on the 1988 Panthers, coached by Rick O’Neil.

GREAT BEND GIRLS
Great Bend’s girls (11-9) journey to Wichita Carroll (16-4) for a 6 p.m. start Wednesday. Carroll features Brynn Maul (12 ppg) and Josie Allen (10 ppg) in double figures with five others averaging at least six points per game. Carroll has lost twice to defending 6A state champion Wichita South and state-ranked Derby and SM Miege.
Carly Dreiling sparked a season-ending 51-45 upset over Hays High with a 28-point night that clinched second place in the Western Athletic Conference and stopped the Panthers’ late-season struggles.
“Winning against Hays builds momentum heading to post-season,” said Great Bend coach Carrie Minton. “It was good to see some shots fall after we had gone through a stretch where we had not shot the ball very well.”
Minton said the Eagles play pressure defense and forces teams to work from the perimeter with a scrappy 3-2 zone defense.
“We feel comfortable with our game plan. We match up fairly well. They are a team that likes to get out and run in transition,” Minton said. “They play mostly four guards with a post. They’ll drive the basketball and kick out to shooters.”
The Panthers have been effective attacking the basket and getting to the free throw line. Perimeter shooting has been inconsistent.
“We’ve struggled against some zones, but we’ll be able to attack their zone,” she said.

GREAT BEND BOYS
The Panther boys (6-14) travel to No. 1 ranked Goddard Eisenhower (19-1) at 7 p.m. Thursday. Eisenhower captured AVCTL-Div. 1 with their only loss to state-ranked Salina Central. Matt Pile has signed an offer at Nebraska-Omaha. The 6-foot-8 post averages 19 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks per game. He spearheads Eisenhower’s pressure defense.
“He knows he can score inside with his strength and size,” said Great Bend coach Tim Brooks. “He is tall and long, the type of dominating big man we have not played against. Our task is to take away a few things he likes to do and block him out on the boards.”
Eisenhower point guard Dylan Vincent averages 23 points and several assists per game.
“Vincent shoots it well and works with with the big kid,” Brooks said.
Panther Kody Crosby scored a season-high 31 points in a stunning 66-61 upset over WAC runner-up Hays High. The Panthers have won three of their past four games with a scrappy defensive style.
“Once we displayed the characteristics of heart desire and toughness, our offense and defense became more effective,” Brooks said. “The players have bought into what we’re doing and performed with terrific energy.”

CLASS 5A
WEDNESDAY, GIRLS—Great Bend (11-9) at Wichita Carroll (16-4). 6; Arkansas City (5-15) at Liberal (16-4), 6
THURSDAY, BOYS—Great Bend (6-14) at Goddard Eisenhower (19-1), 7; Arkansas City (11-9) at Maize (12-8), 7