By John Mesh
The Hutchinson High School Salthawk boys battled it out with the Great Bend Panthers during the first half Friday night at the Salthawk Activity Center, but the Panthers pulled away in the second half for a 67-37 victory.
Great Bend led 17-11 at the end of the first quarter, 32-25 at halftime and 48-29 after three quarters. The Panthers outscored the Salthawks 19-8 in the fourth quarter.
Hutchinson entered the fourth quarter with three players in foul trouble with four fouls.
The Great Bend High School Panther boys basketball team features three-sport standout Ian Premer, a 6-foot-6, 225-pound junior.
Premer is being recruited as a NCAA Division I football and basketball player and also plays baseball at GBHS.
University of Oregon football coach Dan Lanning was in attendance at the SAC to watch Premer play.
Premer, who plays tight end, is being recruited by Oregon, Kansas State University and numerous other college football programs. Kansas State also is interested in Premer as a basketball player.
Premer, who averages 23 points a game, led the Panthers’ attack against the Salthawks with 22 points.
Jacob Hall scored 16 points for the Panthers and Ben Nicholson 13. Isaiah Reed contributed 7.
Terrell King led the Salthawks with 10 points. Taushaun Govain scored 8, senior Levi Kepler 6 and Lamar Govain 6.
Great Bend made 22-of-30 field goal attempts and 21-of-36 free throw attempts. The Panthers took 23 free throws in the first half.
“They’re a really good team (Great Bend)” said Hutchinson coach Bryan Miller. “They’re physical and tough. Premer is one of the best athletes in the country.”
The Hutchinson boys dropped to 4-2. Great Bend improved to 8-1.
The Salthawk boys will compete in the McPherson Tournament next Thursday through Saturday (Jan. 23-25). Hutchinson plays Blue Valley West at 4:35 p.m. Thursday.
“We’ll have to re-focus,” Miller said. “I don’t know much about Blue Valley West. They’re big and physical — kind of like Great Bend.”
It was Homecoming Night at the SAC. USD 308 students in grades K-8 were admitted free.
Kepler was crowned Homecoming King and senior Willow Johnson was crowned Homecoming Queen.
Hutchinson girls 53, Great Bend 22
The Hutchinson High School girls basketball team went on a 32-5 run in the third quarter to blow past the Great Bend Panthers 53-22 Friday night at the Salthawk Activity Center.
Hutchinson scored just 3 points (on 1-of-14 shooting) in the first quarter but led at halftime 17-12. Hutchinson led 49-17 at the end of the third quarter. With a running clock in the fourth quarter, the Salthawks were outscored 5-4.
“We overcame a really slow first half and scored 32 points in the third quarter to pull away in the second half,” said Hutchinson High School girls basketball coach Kalen Hilst.
Kaia Smith, a 6-foot-1 senior, led the Salthawks with 22 points, including four 3-pointers. She banked in a 3-pointer for Hutchinson’s only points of the first quarter.
Grace Posch scored 13 points, including 11 in the third quarter. Sophomore Tenley Keeton scored 7 points and freshman Renee Alvarez hit a pair of 3-pointers for 6 points.
Hutchinson’s Clara Ontjes scored 3 points on a 3-pointer. Kohlbie Craft scored 2 points.
Hutchinson fired in 10 3-pointers in the game.
Great Bend was paced by Alyssa McCaulley with 7 points. Cassie Ellegood scored 6.
The Hutchinson (5-1) girls host Derby at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the SAC.
“We have a loaded Derby team coming to town on Tuesday night,” Hilst said. “We’ll have our hands full but hopefully we’re ready for the challenge.”
Buhler boys, girls sweep Clearwater
The Buhler High School boys basketball team defeated Clearwater 62-27 Friday night at Clearwater and the Crusader girls basketball team edged Clearwater 40-39.
The Buhler boys led 19-9 at the end of the first quarter, 39-11 at halftime and 52-22 after three quarters. Buhler outscored Clearwater 10-5 in the fourth quarter.
The Buhler boys improved to 3-5.
The visiting Crusader girls trailed at halftime 11-7, but went on a 12-6 run in the second quarter to take a 19-17 lead at halftime.
Both teams scored 11 points in the third quarter and Buhler led 30-28. Clearwater outscored Buhler 11-10 in the fourth quarter.
Haven boys lose first game, Wildcat girls beat Andale
The Haven High School boys basketball lost to Andale at home Friday night 57-53 and the Haven girls basketball team defeated Andale 53-49.
Both Haven teams are 8-1.
The Haven boys are the No. 1 seed at the 55th annual Adolph Rupp Invitational in Halstead next week.
The Class 3A Wildcat boys will play Class 6A Liberal (2-8) at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the first round. Haven is the only team to beat Class 5A Great Bend this year.
Liberal lost to Dodge City 81-53 Friday night.
Inman varsity teams split with Marion
The Inman High School girls basketball tam defeated Marion Friday night 69-23 and the Iman varsity boys lost 58-43.
Inman won the junior varsity boys game 45-20, the JV girls game 48-20, the C team boys game 40-15 and the C team girls game 21-19.
Other area scores
In other area girls scores, Hutchinson Trinity lost to Remington 56-31, Nickerson lost to Smoky Valley 46-29 and Fairfield lost to Pratt-Skyline 55-48.
In area boys games, Nickerson lost to Smoky Valley 58-51, Lyons defeated Republic County 53-32, Cunningham lost to South Barber 42-31 and Little River defeated Rural Vista 53-32.
Kaleb Hammeke named to Bevo Francis Top 100 Watch List for second straight season
Kaleb Hammeke of Fort Hays State University, a Hutchinson Trinity Catholic High School alumnus, was named to the Bevo Francis Award Top 100 Watch List for the second straight season.
With an offensive rebound tip-in basket late in the 61-50 win over Missouri Western Thursday night, Hammeke became the first player in Fort Hays State men’s basketball history to have both 500 assists and 500 rebounds in a career.
Hammeke already is the program’s all-time leading scorer with 1,786 points, which includes the 19 points he scored against Missouri Western.
Hammeke was 8-for-12 from the field, pulled down 5 rebounds and dished off 4 assists.
Kyle Grill scored 18 points for the Tigers, who improved to 11-6 overall.
Fort Hays State hosts Northwest Missouri State at 4 p.m. Saturday at Gross Memorial Coliseum.