BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
KINGMAN — Great Bend's defense rode to the rescue on a night the Panthers shot 30% from the field and 20% from the free throw line with 24 turnovers.
The Panthers scored 26 second-half points for a hard-fought 35-30 victory over Clearwater, which qualified for the 4A state basketball tournament last season. Great Bend held the Indians to 3 of 25 shooting (12%) in the second and third quarters to build a 24-17 lead.
Panthers DeShawnna Bryant and Cassie Ellegood teamed for clutch fourth-quarter plays. Bryant scored a basket and fed Ellegood for a basket. Ellegood scored again and passed to Chayla Prendergast for a 32-21 lead.
"They left our posts open, and we took what the defense was giving us," said Great Bend coach Jade Winter. "We had to finish inside shots."
Alyssa McCauley's third 3-pointer helped hold off a trio of 3-pointers by Clearwater's Makena Hampton and Kaylee Hampton that sliced the final margin to 35-30 in Thursday's Kingman Basketball Classic. The Hamptons combined for 18 points.
Winter pleaded with the Panthers to "set it up," when McCauley converted the game-clinching 3-pointer on Bryant's baseline assist for a 35-27 lead.
Fortunately, the inside presence of 5-11 Ellegood, 6-1 Prendergast and 5-8 Katherine Mazouch slowed down the Indians' inside scoring. The Indians converted 12 of 53 field goals (23%).
"Our defense was phenomenal," Winter said. "Cassie Ellegood earned our 'Hard Hat' award. We needed her in there."
The Panthers' offense struggled during a 4 of 27 first-half (15%) with 11 turnovers. Great Bend scored on four of 39 first-half possessions, a 10% clip.
The Panthers (2-1) will likely play Haven (3-0) in Saturday's first-place game unless the Wildcats get upset by 2A Sterling in Friday's showdown.
Clearwater 10 1 6 13 — 30
Great Bend 4 5 15 11 — 35
CLEARWATER (0-1)—Kaylee Hampton 4-9 (2-5) 0-0 10; Makena Hampton 3-12 (2-8) 0-0 8; Clevenger 2-11 (0-2) 1-2 5; Noland 1-5 0-0 2; Carlson 0-5 1-2 1; Potter 0-1 0-0 0; Berlin 2-10 0-0 4; Totals 12-53 (4-16) 30
GREAT BEND (2-1)—Ellegood 5-14 0-0 10; McCauley 3-10 0-0 9; Bryant 3-10 0-0 6; Katherine Mazouch 2-3 0-0 4; Meredith Mazouch 1-6 (0-2) 2-6 4; Reimer 0-1 0-2 0; Harbaugh 0-2 0-0 0; Predengast 1-3 0-2 2; Mayers 0-1 0-0 0; Totals 15-50 (3-11) 2-10 35
Haven 13 12 23 16 — 64
Meade 6 12 11 2 — 31
MEADE (2-1)—Stapleton 5 (2) 1-2 13; Sherman 4 (1) 1-2 10; Powell 1 2-2 4; McDowell 2 0-0 4; Totals 12 (3) 4-6 31.
HAVEN (3-0)—DeFrain 9 2-3 20; Patry 6 2-2 14; Brawner 6 2-2 14; Holzrichter 4 (1) 0-0 9; Percy (1) 0-0 3; Williams 0 2-2 2; Cooprider 1 0-0 2; Totals 27 (2) 8-9 64
KINGMAN GIRLS—Great Bend 54, Sterling 36; Meade 53, Kingman 46; Haven 64, Meade 31; Great Bend 35, Clearwater 30; 12-13—Sterling vs. Clearwater; Kingman vs Haven; 12-14—1ST—Great Bend vs. Haven; 3RD—Sterling/Clearwater winner vs. Meade; 5TH—Sterling/Clearwater loser vs. Kingman
