BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
Great Bend basketball coach Kyle Kriegh knows there’s only one direction to progress after hitting rock bottom.
The Manhattan Indians routed Great Bend 78-48 Tuesday, triggering a rare running clock against the Panthers in a home game. The Indians (12-3) showed why they’re the finest unranked 6A basketball team in Kansas.
The focused Indians dictated the tempo from the outset, outplaying the Panthers in every phase of the game. Manhattan’s aggressive defense disrupted the Panthers’ offense. Manhattan outscored the Panthers 15-0 on 3-pointers. The Indians shot 56% and scored 14 second-chance points.
Manhattan’s lightning quick Will Carpenter ignited a first-half 37-24 lead with 14 of his game high 18 points. Sawyer Newton scored 13 points and Tim Washington added 12 points. Sparkplug 5-foot-8 Graham Braxmayer delivered a trio of back-breaking 3-pointers and netted 10 points.
The Panthers were within 28-22 after Cooper Ohnmacht fed Jaxon Wondra for a basket. But the Indians closed with a 9-2 scoring burst for a 37-24 halftime lead.
Manhattan’s 27-point third quarter started with a 18-4 scoring streak for a 55-27 lead. The Panthers were unable to stage aany semblance of a second-half rally.
The Indians attacked the basket with aggressive drives, controlled the offensive boards and kicked out for five 3-pointers. The Panthers had no defensive answers for slowing down the Indians.
“It started when Manhattan drove the ball to the basket whenever they wanted,” Kriegh said. “Manhattan definitely got ‘after it’ defensively.”
Great Bend’s Cooper Ohnmacht showed flashes of brilliance with a 12-point night. Jacob Hall worked hard for 11 points, but shot 2 of 11. Jaxon Wondra hustled for a 10-point night.
Great Bend fired blanks from 3-point range (zero for 12) and finished 17 of 46 from the field (37%). The Panthers’ highlight was 15 of 17 free throw accuracy (82%).
Gavin Wondra provided a spark off the bench with a nifty 3-point play.
“Our second five played with some intensity,” Kriegh said.
Great Bend (8-8, 1-1 WAC) journey to Liberal Friday for a showdown with the league’s fifth-place team.
Manhattan 21 16 27 14 — 78
Great Bend 15 9 18 6 — 48
MANHATTAN (12-3)—Carpenter 7-13 (1-4) 3-4 18; Sawyer Newton 5-9 3-5 13; Braxmeyer (3-3) 1-2 10; Washington 3-4 (1-1) 5-5 12; Hattrup 4-6 0-0 8; Witt 2-8 (0-3) 0-0 4; Asher Newton 1-2 2-4 4; Coonrod 2-2 1-1 5; Pfeifley 1-1 1-1 3; Meusborn 0-0 1-2 1, Totals 28-49 (5-12) 17-24 78
GREAT BEND (8-8)—Ohnmacht 5-10 (0-2) 2-2 12; Hall 2-11 (0-5) 7-8 11; Jaxon Wondra 4-7 (0-1) 2-2 10; Minton 3-4 0-0 6; Stroup 2-5 (0-1) 1-2 5; Gavin Wondra (1-1) 0-0 3; Alec Premer 0-4 (0-1) 1-2 1; Price 0-3 (0-1) 0; Fanshier 0-1 0-0 0; Totals 17-46 (0-12) 14-17 48
MANHATTAN GIRLS 71, GREAT BEND 32 — Emma Fanshier provided a glance at the future with five points and 2-of-2
Manhattan 17 20 26 8 — 71
Great Bend 10 8 6 8 — 32
MANHATTAN (12-3)—Kat Ball 5-11 (2-7) 5-5 17; Jorryn Hall 5-9 4-5 14; Depusoir 4-6 1-2 9; Banks 4-10 (3-8) 1-4 12; Larson 2-9 (1-6) 0-0 5; Becket 1-5 (0-2) 2-2 4; Busch 1-3 (0-1) 2-2 4; Salmans 2-2 (1-1) 0-0 5; Henry 0-4 (0-2) 0-0 0; Totals 24-61 (7-27) 16-24 71
GREAT BEND (3-13)—Alex Mayers 3-11 (2-7) 0-0 8; Stevie Mayers 1-2 5-6 7; Ringo 3-4 0-0 6; Fanshier 2-2 (1-1) 0-0 5; Meredith Mazouch 0-2 2-2 2; Hogan 0-3 (0-2) 0-0 0; McCauley 1-3 (1-2) 0-0 3; Katherine Mazouch 0-10 (0-4) 1-2 1; Totals 10-41 (4-16) 8-10 32
HILLSBORO GIRLS (11-3, 3-0) at LARNED (12-4, 1-1) —
Hillsboro 1 1 1 1 —
Larned 1 1 1 1 —
HILLSBORO (11-3, 3-0)—
LARNED (12-4, 1-1) —
HOISINGTON GIRLS (9-4, 2-1) at SMOKY VALLEY (6-8, 1-1) —
Hoisington 14 5 13 13 — 45
Smoky Valley 5 8 8 9 — 30
HOISINGTON (9-4, 2-1)—Hanzlick 6 (1) 1-2 14; Bittel 5 (1) 0-0 11; Lutters 4 (3) 0-0 11; Maier 2 2-4 6; Beck 1 0-0 2; Alyward 0 1-2 1; Totals 18 (5) 4-8 45
SMOKY VALLEY (6-8, 1-1)—Ryan 2 (1) 1-2 6; Brown 3 0-0 6; Dabaere (2) 0-0 6; Dudley 3 0-0 6; Haxton 1 0-0 2; Whittaker 1 0-0 2; Schrag 1 0-0 2; Totals 13 (3) 1-2 30
CENTRAL PLAINS GIRLS (10-5, 4-1) at OTIS-BISON (5-9, 1-4) —
Central Plains 1 1 1 1 —
Otis-Bison 1 1 1 1 —
CENTRAL PLAINS (10-6, 4-1)—
OTIS-BSON (5-9, 1-4) —
ST. JOHN GIRLS (9-7, 4-1) vs. CHASE (0-15, 0-6) —
Chase 1 1 1 1 —
St. John 2 2 1 1 —
CHASE (0-15, 0-6)—
ST. JOHN (9-7, 4-1)—
LA CROSSE GIRLS (8-8, 4-3) at MACKSVILLE (5-11, 3-2) —
La Crosse 1 1 1 1 —
Macksville 1 1 1 1 —
LA CROSSE (8-8, 4-3)—
MACKSVILLE (5-11, 3-2)—
STAFFORD GIRLS (5-10) vs. SKYLINE (0-15) —
Skyline 1 1 1 1 —
Stafford 1 1 1 1 —
SKYLINE (0-15)—
STAFFORD (5-10)—
BUCKLIN GIRLS (13-2) at PAWNEE HEIGHTS GIRLS (1-13) —
Bucklin 2 1 1 1 —
Pawnee Heights 1 1 1 1 —
BUCKLIN (13-2)—
PAWNEE HEIGHTS (1-13)—
HILLSBORO (0-14, 0-3) at LARNED (6-8, 1-1) —
Hillsboro 1 1 1 1 —
Larned 1 1 1 1 —
HILLSBORO (0-14, 0-3)—
LARNED (6-8, 1-1) —
HOISINGTON (8-7, 0-2) at SMOKY VALLEY (9-4, 1-0) —
Hoisington 1 1 1 1 —
Smoky Valley 1 1 1 1 —
HOISINGTON (8-4, 1-1)—
SMOKY VALLEY (6-7, 1-0)—
CENTRAL PLAINS (13-2, 5-0) at OTIS-BISON (6-7, 0-5) —
Central Plains 1 1 1 1 —
Otis-Bison 1 1 1 1 —
CENTRAL PLAINS (13-2, 5-0)—
OTIS-BSON (6-7, 0-5) —
ST. JOHN (12-4, 5-0) vs. CHASE (1-14, 0-6) —
Chase 1 1 1 1 —
St. John 2 2 1 1 —
CHASE (1-14, 0-6)—
ST. JOHN (12-4, 5-0)—
LA CROSSE (9-6, 4-3) at MACKSVILLE (2-14, 1-4) —
La Crosse 1 1 1 1 —
Macksville 1 1 1 1 —
LA CROSSE (9-6, 4-3)—
MACKSVILLE (2-14, 1-4)—
STAFFORD (3-12) vs. SKYLINE (3-13) —
Skyline 1 1 1 1 —
Stafford 1 1 1 1 —
SKYLINE (3-13)—
STAFFORD (3-12)—
BUCKLIN (4-11) vs. PAWNEE HEIGHTS (1-13) —
Bucklin 2 1 1 1 —
Pawnee Heights 1 1 1 1 —
BUCKLIN (4-11)—
PAWNEE HEIGHTS (1-13)—