BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
On a festive night that celebrated the holidays, Great Bend's basketball team unwrapped a surprise gift for coach Kyle Kriegh.
The No. 10 ranked 5A Panthers rallied from a 10-point deficit to stun the Emporia Spartans 56-49.
Great Bend's 1-3-1 trapping defense swung the momentum with a game-closing 27-10 scoring edge. Great Bend forced four turnovers and outscored the Spartans scoreless 11-0 for a 40-39 lead.
Izeah Reed ignited the rally with a clutch 3-pointer to end the third quarter and a hustling rebound basket to start the fourth period. Reed converted a pair of 3-pointers. The Panthers converted five 3-pointers after 0-for-15 perimeter shooting against Haven.
Kriegh had witnessed Reed's perimeter skill in a friendly 3-point shooting contest at Monday's practice.
"That shot shifted momentum. I work on those shots every day," Reed said. "Coach tells us to keep shooting."
The Panthers held the Spartans scoreless for six possessions to lead 40-39 with 6-6 Ian Premer, 6-6 Ben Nicholson and defensive standout Cooper Ohnmacht keying the pressure defense. The trapping defense sped up the Spartans, who managed a trio of baskets in the final 10 minutes.
"Our zone defense is great," Kriegh said. "Our length makes it tough to beat."
The Panthers overcame a 36% shooting night (17 for 47) with five rebound baskets in the final minutes and 17 of 23 free throw shooting. Premer converted a trio of putback baskets and Reed and Daxton Minton delivered second-chance points.
Minton's rebound basket sliced the lead to 49-48 after Emporia's Harrison Treic and Rylan Crowell converted 3-pointers.
"When we didn't shoot it that great, the guys got out and rebounded," Kriegh said. "We kept fighting. They're competitors."
Ohnmacht created signature back-to-back game-winning plays. Ohnmacht deflected the basketball, chased it down and delivered a perfect bounce pass to Ian Premer for a 50-49 lead. Emporia's Crowell missed a go-ahead 3-pointer. Nicholson's screen freed Ohnmacht for a clinching 3-pointer on Premer's pass for a 53-49 lead.
"Cooper is super athletic and makes plays," Kriegh said. "It was great teamwork on Cooper's 3. We set good picks and Cooper knocked it down."
Premer led the Panthers with 15 points and 15 rebounds. Reed scored 13 points and Ohnmacht nine. Kobe Franklin scored 18 points and Crowell 17 for Emporia (3-2).
The Panthers (4-1) travel to Pratt Friday.
Emporia 14 17 8 10 — 49
Great Bend 13 9 14 20 — 56
EMPORIA (3-2) (FG 3 FT TP)—Franklin 8-15 (1-3) 4-4 18; Crowell 8-15 0-0 17; Seidl 3-4 (1-2) 0-0 7; Treic 2-6 (1-4) 0-0 3; Jacob 1-1 0-0 2; Harrington 0-2 0-0 0; Shivley 0-1 0-0 0; Rios 0-0 0-2 0; Totals 21-38 (3-9) 4-6 49
GREAT BEND (4-1) (FG 3 FT TP)—Ian Premer 7-14 (0-2) 1-3 15; Reed 3-8 (2-4) 5-6 13; Ohnmacht 4-10 (1-3) 0-0 9; Nicholson 1-7 (1-4) 5-6 8; Minton 1-6 4-6 6; Somers 1-2 (1-2) 0-0 3; Wondra 0-0 2-2 2; Totals 17-47 (5-14) 17-23 56
