Streaks End in Splitting Conference Openers For Demons

Dodge City, KS (westernkansasnews.com) It had been three years and eighteen straight since the Dodge City girls lost a conference game coming into the WAC opener Tuesday night with Great Bend.  For the boys at 0-4 they were off to their worst start since the 1983-84 season. 

Both streaks ended on Tuesday night.

Girls Highlights

The Lady Panthers (4-2, 1-0 WAC) used a 8-0 run to begin the second half and held off the Red Demons the remainder of the game to score a 52-37 win.  Carley Brack scored a career high 27 points in the win hitting 8 of 12 shots and going 10 of 12 from the free throw line. 

Tia Bradshaw had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds for Dodge City (2-3, 0-1 WAC).  Fellow senior Ashley Nelson added 10 on 5-12 shooting.

The Demons who coughed up the ball 12 times in the first half, had only five second half turnovers, but shot only 26 percent for the game while Great Bend went 17-36 for 47%.

Post-game DCHS Girls Basketball Coach Kelley Snodgrass

It was a sluggish first half in the boys game as Dodge City held a 16-14 lead in seeking their first win of the season.  The third quarter sparked a Demon 20-8 run in grabbing a 36-22 lead. 

Boys Highlights

Dodge needed everyone of those points at the end as Great Bend rattled off an 18-6 run to pull to within 42-40 during the games final minutes.  The Red Demons scored the games last seven points in nailing the contest from the line to capture their first win of the season 49-40 and are now 1-4 overall, 1-0 WAC.  Great Bend fell to 1-5, 0-1 in conference play.

Hunter Heath scored his first career double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds.  Luke Gleason had 13 in the win and Chris Baker finished with a dozen. 

Kody Crosby led the Panthers with 14 on 4-10 shooting from 3 under Great Bend first year head coach and former Demon assistant Tim Brooks.

For the game Dodge City hit their season best 56 percent from the field, but only on 13-23 shooting.  Great Bend had many more shot attempts, but went only 27 percent at 14-51.

DCHS Post-game Dennis Hamilton

The Demons play their next game down the street at United Wireless Arena when they battle Cimarron on Friday night.  Pre-game is at 6:15 with a 6:30 tip for the girls on Z98 and westernkansasnews.com.  The guys game is scheduled to begin at 8pm.