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Sadie Spray sparks Panthers past Buffaloes
Lady Panther Jilian Reimer gets a layup shot against Garden City.jpg
Lady Panther Jilian Reimer gets a layup shot against Garden City. - photo by Hugo Gonzalez

Panther girls cruise past Buffaloes

BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com

Great Bend’s set the tone with aggressive full-court defense that keyed a dominating 50-30 Western Athletic Conference basketball rout over Garden City Friday.

A loud Homecoming crowd cheered wildly as All-WAC Sadie Spray dominated the game with 22 points and several nifty assists to her teammates. Emilee Hall and Makenzie Premer each added nine points with solid inside and perimeter play for Great Bend (12-5, 3-2 WAC).

“Sadie shot the ball really well,” said Great Bend coach Cindy Beck. “She took what the defense is giving her. It’s nice to see her hit some pull-up jumpers. She was playing her game tonight.”

Beck liked the defensive intensity and teamwork the Panthers showed.

“The girls come out and play hard,” Beck said. “I’m proud of how they’re playing basketball. The girls had a good focus. They’re executing well and they showed good court awareness.”

Great Bend (12-5, 3-2 WAC) chance of tying Hays High for a share of the WAC title likely ended Friday when Hays (11-5, 5-0) downed Liberal 59-49.

The Panthers dictated the early tempo to roar to a 10-2 lead as Premer, Hall, Spray and Paige Thexton all scored in the opening minutes.

After a 14-7 first-quarter lead, Alyssa McCauley hit back-to-back 3-pointers and Spray converted another 3-pointer in the midst of 14-3 scoring burst for a 28-10 lead. Spray and Premer capped the rally with back-to-back layups off Garden City turnovers.

The Panthers continued to move the basketball crisply and attempted quality shots. After leading 44-23 after three quarters, the Panthers’ offense was slowed by 10 fourth-quarter turnovers.

Garden City’s athletic K.J. Pinchon scored a team high 12 points, but was slowed by defensive standout Premer. Miraya Martinez added 10 points for the Buffaloes (7-9, 0-5 WAC).

Garden City 7 5 11 7 – 30

Great Bend 14 16 14 6 – 50

GARDEN CITY (7-9, 0-5)—Pinchon 3-6 5-5 12, Martinez 5-9 0-0 10, Powers 1-1 0-0 3, Villegas 1-4 1-2 3, Korf 0-0 1-2 1, McDonald 0-5 0-0 0, Carr 04 1-2 1, Brown 0-4 0-0 0, Totals 10-33 8-11 30.

GREAT BEND (12-5, 3-2)—Spray 8-17 4-4 22, Hall 4-9 1-2 9, Premer 4-6 1-4 9, McCauley 2-4 0-0 6, Thexton 0-2 2-2 2, Ringo 1-4 0-0 2, Reimer 0-2 0-0 0, Nicholson 0-1 0-0 0, Harbaugh 0-0 0-2 0, Totals 19-45 8-14 50.

3-pointers—GC 2-15 (Powers 1-1, Pinchon 1-2, Villegas 0-1, Brown 0-2, Martinez 0-3, Carr 0-3, McDonald 0-3); GB 4-11 (Spray 2-6, McCauley 2-4, Nicholson 0-1)