BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
TECUMSEH — Sydney Unruh rode to the rescue for the Great Bend Panthers.
Unruh converted a momentum-swinging 3-point play, and Emilee Hall scored the game-winning basket to spark the Panthers' 49-46 basketball victory over Shawnee Heights in Saturday's finale of the Topeka Round-Robin.
Thunderbird Abby Fleischer drilled a 3-pointer for a 46-42 lead. The Panthers threw away several possessions with a fourth-quarter lead when no one looked to shoot the basketball.
But Unruh responded with a 25-foot 3-pointer that the Thunderbirds would gladly let her shoot.
"We'll take it," said Great Bend coach Cindy Beck. "She's one we want to shoot the basketball."
Hall converted the go-ahead field goal for a 47-46 lead. The Panthers survived when the Thunderbirds missed four field goals and two free throws to take the late lead. Halle Latham scored two clinching free throws with two seconds left as the Panthers scored the final seven points.
The Panthers are gradually understanding how much effort they require to overcome a lack of height and size inside. Great Bend's outsized inside players Hall, Candice Smith and Ashlyn Harbaugh continue to perform with consistent effort.
"That was fun. We saw lots of smiles and excitement," Beck said. "It was awesome to see how hard the girls worked to pull out a win. It's a great group of girls that played strong. As a team, we did unselfish things."
Unruh scored 19 points with four 3-pointers and three steals. Freshman Sadie Spray continues to progress with 10 points and aggressive defense.
"Sadie Spray enjoyed a big week," Beck said. "She's a tough player to guard who is gaining her confidence."
The Thunderbirds trailed 35-26 in the fourth quarter when they benefited from a block/charge that went the T'birds way on Halle Latham's drive right under the basket.
Tatum Brown suddenly caught fire with 12 points to spark a Thunderbird 20-8 scoring burst for a 46-42 lead. Leading scorer Adysen Burghart scored seven of her 19 points during that stretch.
Great Bend (5-7, 0-3 WAC) return to Western Athletic play against defending champion Liberal (10-3, 2-2 WAC) Friday.
Great Bend 16 8 11 14 — 49
Shawnee Heights 8 12 12 14 — 46
GREAT BEND (5-7)—Unruh 5-13 5-9 19, Spray 5-9 0-1 10, Hall 1-3 4-4 6, Kaiser 1-3 2-2 5, Latham 1-7 2-2 4, Smith 1-2 1-3 3, Harbaugh 1-4 0-2 2, Totals 15-41 14-22 49
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS (3-8)—Burghart 4-14 10-11 19, Brown 3-7 4-4 12, Canady 2-6 2-6 6, Showalter 2-5 1-2 5, Fleischer 1-1 0-0 3, Rottinghaus 0-5 1-2 1, Hill 0-1 0-0 0, Oezko 0-1 0-0 0, Totals 12-40 18-25 46
3-pointers—GB 5-14 (Unruh 4-7, Kaiser 1-3, Harbaugh 0-1, Latham 0-3), SH 4-16 (Brown 2-5, Fleischer 1-1, Burghart 1-4, Hill 0-1, Canady 0-2, Rottinghaus 0-3)
TOPEKA GIRLS ROUND ROBIN
SATURDAY—Great Bend 49, Shawnee Heights 46; Washburn Rural 71, Lawrence 38; Topeka High 75, Leavenworth 39
FRIDAY—Leavenworth 53, Great Bend 46; Washburn Rural 63, Shawnee Heights 24; Topeka High 79, Wichita Kapaun-Mt. Carmel 50
THURSDAY—Washburn Rural 75, Great Bend 37; Topeka High 71, Shawnee Heights 28; Leavenworth 41, Lawrence 29
WESTERN ATHLETIC GIRLS
Garden City 3-0 8-1
Dodge City 2-0 11-0
Liberal 2-2 10-3
Hays High 1-3 4-8
Great Bend 0-3 5-7
GARDEN CITY (3-0, 8-1)—W *Great Bend 50-44; L Kearney, Neb. 36-38; W *Liberal 42-38; W *Hays 56-42; W Guymon, Okla. 38-30; Colby (W Wichita Life 46-35; W Colby 54-43, OT; W Goodland 57-45); W Ulysses 62-31; 2-2 *Dodge City; 2-5 at Guymon, Okla.; 2-9 Wichita Life Prep; 2-12 *Great Bend; 2-16 *at Dodge City; 2-19 *Hays High; 2-23 *at Liberal
DODGE CITY (2-0, 11-0)—Newton 78-19; Goodland Tournament (W Lakin 76-30; W Nickerson 64-56; W Goodland 58-37); W McPherson 58-41; W Colby 62-37; W Guymon, Okla. 48-31; W *Liberal 45-36; W *Great Bend 63-21; McPherson (W Wichita Southeast 56-33; W Manhattan 43-21; McPherson); 2-2 *at Garden City; 2-5 *at Hays High; 2-8 at Ulysses; 2-13 Maize High; 2-16 *Garden City; 2-19 *at Great Bend; 2-23 *Hays High; 2-25 *at Liberal
LIBERAL (2-2, 10-3)—W Colby 41-30; W Holcomb 80-25; W Wichita Trinity 66-56; W Scott City 42-26; W *Hays 54-23; W *Hays 42-26; L *Garden City 38-42; L *Dodge City 36-45; Salina (W Abilene 62-31; Salina South 43-19; W Salina Central 60-58); L Gruver, Okla.31-67; W Guymon, Okla. 70-49; 2-5 *at Great Bend; 2-9 Guymon, Okla.; 2-12 Hooker, Okla.; 2-16 at Hugoton; 2-20 *Great Bend; 2-23 *Garden City; 2-25 *Dodge City
HAYS HIGH (1-3, 4-8)—Hays (L Hugoton 26-47; L Wichita Life 30-46; W Hays-TMP 31-44); W Hoisington 56-32; L *Liberal 23-54; L *Liberal 26-42; W *Great Bend 48-34; L *Garden City 42-56; Colby (L Wichita Life 31-40; L Goodland 41-54; W Osborne 53-28); W Pratt 52-40; 1-29 Salina Central; 2-2 at Scott City; 2-5 *Dodge City; 2-12 at Colby; 2-16 at Abilene; 2-19 *at Garden City; 2-23 *at Dodge City; 2-26 *Great Bend
GREAT BEND (0-3, 5-7)—W Scott City 50-42; W Holcomb 48-45; L Junction City 42-49; W Larned 54-21; L Emporia 32-57; *Garden City 44-50; *Hays High 34-48; W Hutchinson High 41-32; L *Dodge City 21-63; Topeka (L Washburn Rural 37-75; L Leavenworth 46-53; W Shawnee Heights 49-46); 2-5 *Liberal; 2-9 at Buhler; 2-12 * at Garden City; 2-16 Hays-TMP; 2-19 *Dodge City; 2-20 * at Liberal; 2-26 *at Hays High
