BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtrribune.com
KINGMAN — After Great Bend's girls led Haven 9-4, the Wildcats turned up the defensive pressure and offensive rebounding, and the Panthers never recovered.
Haven erased the 9-4 deficit with a 26-2 run for a 30-11 lead behind aggressive defense and offensive rebounding.
Haven's All-Tournament Sienna DeFrain scored 19 points with double digit boards and all-tournament Avery Brawner added 14 points in a 61-27 victory over the Panthers to capture the Eagle Classic basketball championship. Zaprina Percy led Haven's outside game with 14 points and four 3-pointers.
It marked the third consecutive year the Panther girls lost in the Eagle Classic championship game.
Crafty Haven coach Dwight Roper used pressure defense and an attacking offensive style to beat the Panthers. The Wildcats qualified for the 3A state tournament last season.
"It was a good start, but it didn't last," said Great Bend coach Jade Winter. "We've got to get back to work. Once they figured out defense out, they picked up apart inside."
The Panthers had no defensive answer for Haven's inside tandem of DeFrain and Brawner, who attacked inside for 20 first-half points. The Wildcats converted 10 second-chance points and outscored the Panthers 15-6 from the perimeter. After trailing 9-4, Haven outscored the Panthers 31-4 for a 35-13 halftime lead.
After a 3-turnover first period, the Panthers committed 23 turnovers, which provided extra offensive opportunities for the Wildcats.
"Haven gets after it defensively," Winter said. "They put pressure on your ballhandlers."
Great Bend's All-Tournament DeShawnna Bryant earned all-tournament honors for the second consecutive year with a 9-point effort and strong defense and rebounding. Cassie Ellegood and Alyssa McCauley each added five points.
Great Bend converted 8 of 40 field goals (20%) and 2 of 8 from long range (25%). The Panthers made 9 of 22 free throws.
The Panthers (2-2) play Emporia Tuesday and travel to Pratt Friday.
Haven 14 20 13 14 —61
Great Bend 11 2 9 5 — 27
HAVEN (4-0) (FG 3 FT TP)—Percy 5-7 (4-5) 0-0 14; Isacavage 1-1 0-0 2; Brawner 6-15 (0-2) 2-3 14; Sienna DeFrain (0-2) 7-16 5-9 19; Sorrel DeFrain 2-3 (1-1) 1-2 6; Cooprider 2-2 0-0 2; Holzrichter 0-5 (0-4) 0-0 0; Patry 0-0 0-4 0; 0-1 0-0 0; Totals 24-51 (5-14) 8-16 61
GREAT BEND (2-2) (FG 3 FT TP)—Meredith Mazouch 1-5 (1-2) 1-2 4; Ellegood 1-5 3-4 5; McCauley 1-8 (1-4) 2-4 5; Reimer 0-0 0-2 0; Harbaugh 0-1 0-0 0; Prendergast 1-2 0-4 2; Mayers 0-2 0-2 0; Bryant 3-11 (0-1) 3-4 9; Katherine Mazouch 0-5 0-0 0; 1-1 Leu 1-1 0-0 2; Totals 8-40 (2-8) 9-22 27
ALL-TOURNAMENT—Haven (Avery Brawner, Sienna DeFrain); Great Vend (DeShawnna Bryant); Clearwater (Makena Hampton, Justine Berlin); Meade (Taylor Stapleton); Kingman (Morgan Freund)
KINGMAN GIRLS—1ST—Haven 61, Great Bend 27; 3RD—Clearwater 47, Meade 34; 5TH—Kingman 58, Sterling 42; POOL A—Great Bend 54, Sterling 36; Great Bend 35, Clearwater 30; Clearwater 53, Sterling 29; POOL B—Meade 53, Kingman 46; Haven 64, Meade 31; Haven 52, Kingman 31
