By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
The offense eventually slowed but a big first quarter was enough to push No. 10 Great Bend past Garden City Friday night. The Panthers entered the game shooting 51 percent from the floor and made 11 of their first 14 baskets against the Buffaloes to build a 25-11 lead. Garden City outscored Great Bend the rest of the way but still fell 71-60 in a packed GBHS gymnasium.
"It's awesome," said Panther senior Ben Nicholson, who scored 20 points in the win. "The community supports us a lot and I really appreciate them. It was a full gym tonight so it was fun."
Great Bend clung to a 56-46 lead with a quarter to play. Buffalo senior Dallas Rosales stayed hot with six points early in the frame to cut the gap to 60-55 with 4:37 to play. The Panthers answered with a putback from junior Jacob Hall. Then junior Ian Premer missed the second half of a trip to the line but tied up the rebound for a jump ball. That resulted in a Daxton Minton pass to Cooper Ohnmacht on the inbounds. Great Bend led 66-55 with 3:27 remaining and was able to skate to the finish.
Nicholson was a man on fire early on with five points in the first 54 seconds, including a three to put the Panthers ahead 6-2. He scored 11 points in the first quarter, highlighted by a jam for a 19-6 score. Premer picked up an assist on that dunk and added eight points in the period.
Hall hit a three in the first quarter in his return to the floor after missing with a broken nose. He and the sophomore Ohnmacht each scored five points in the second quarter to keep the gap at 43-33 heading into halftime. Garden City made it to the line nine times but made just four free throws in the period.
"We started to foul a little bit and got into a little bit of foul trouble," said Nicholson. "They started making a lot of free throws and that really helped them get back into the game. We started to pick up the pace defensively and that helped us pull it out in the end."
The Buffs made just five field goals in the third quarter but two of those shots happened to be threes from freshman MacKoy Hemmert. His effort was offset by eight points and four rebounds from Premer on the other end.
Rosales led all players with 22 points for Garden City. Senior Thomas Longa added 12 points, sophomore Drew Strecker scored 11 points, and Hemmert finished with 10 points. Garden City falls to 3-6 on the season.
Nicholson finished with his 20 points and Premer also scored 20 points to go with 11 rebounds. Ohnmacht scored 13 points, and Hall finished with 11 points and nine boards. The Panthers take a 7-1 record to Hutchinson next Friday.