Panthers girls lose season opener
BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
HAYS – Arkansas powerhouse Fort Smith (Ark.) Northside converted many of 36 Great Bend turnovers into easy transition points en route to a 56-21 opening victory over Great Bend in Thursday’s Gerald Mitchell Hays Basketball Shootout.
The Panthers (0-1) meet 3A state-ranked Hugoton (0-1) at 8:15 p.m. Friday at Hays Middle School.
The Panthers hung tough in the first quarter when they surprised the Bears with full-court defense that forced four first-quarter turnovers. The Bears led 9-6 after one quarter. They stretched the lead to 26-13 by halftime, fueled by 25 Great Bend turnovers.
The Panthers performed admirably when they attempted field goals with 9 of 20 field goal shooting against a Fort Smith squad that outweighed and outsized the Panthers at every spot. Emilee Hall sparked the Panthers with a career 10 points off perfect 4-of-4 shooting and 2-of-2 free throws. Makenzie Premer added four points. Hall, Premer, Taryn Warren and Melyne Fletchall sparked the offense with nifty assists for baskets.
But the Bears simply had too much size and speed for the Panthers, who battled hard inside against the best basketball team they’ll see all season.
“We have to get shots off,” said Great Bend coach Cindy Beck. “That’s a real athletic team that’s hard to match up with. The 36 turnovers were a frustration for us. That’s taking away opportunities away from us. You can’t do the same thing over-and-over. They hurried us up. We need to be calm and relaxed. But we’ll have to build from this. There were a few things we did well.”
Khassidy Warr led the Bears with 13 points and LaTia Johnson and Ashya Harris each added 12 points. The Bears scored dozens of points off fast-break baskets and converted five 3-pointers.
The Bears won last year's Arkansas 6A state championship with a 52-51 victory over Fayetteville, Ark. Yoni Releford converted the game-winning field goal. Fort Smith Northside has won eight state basketball titles.
Great Bend 6 7 2 6 — 21
Fort Smith 9 17 17 13 — 56
GREAT BEND (0-1)—Hall 4-4 2-2 10, Premer 2-2 0-0 4, Warren 1-2 1-2 3, Spray 1-2 0-0 2, Kaiser 1-7 0-2 2, Fletchall 0-1 0-0 0, Reyes 0-1 0-0 0, Hannah Loomis 0-1 0-0 0, Totals 9-20 3-6 21
FORT SMITH (4-0)—Khassidy Warr 4-5 3-5 13, Johnson 5-7 2-2 12, Harris 5-8 0-0 12, Washington 3-5 1-2 7, Releford 1-3 0-0 2, Taylor 1-2 0-0 3, Erianna Gooden 1-6 0-1 2, Erikka Gooden 0-2 2-2 2, Khamille Warr 1-3 0-0 2, Bershers 0-2 0-0 0, Totals 21-46 9-14 56
3-pointers—GB 0-5 (Fletchall 0-1, Spray 0-1, Kaiser 0-3). FS 5-18 (Khassidy Warr 2-3, Harris 2-5, Taylor 1-2, Erianna Gooden 0-1, Washington 0-1, Johnson 0-1, Erikka Gooden 0-2, Beshears 0-3). TO—GB 36, FS 10
GERALD MITCHELL HAYS SHOOTOUT
THURSDAY—Fort Smith (Ark.) Northside 56, Great Bend 21; Olathe West 48, Hugoton 31; Hays TMP 42, Hays High 37
FRIDAY— Fort Smith (Ark.) 55, Hays High 31; Olathe West 54, Hays-TMP 28; Hugoton 58, Great Bend 39
SATURDAY—1ST—Fort Smith (Ark.) vs. Olathe West, 4:15; 3RD—Hays-TMP vs. Hugoton, 2:30; 5TH—Great Bend vs. Hays High, 11 a.m.
