The Buhler High School boys basketball team lost to Great Bend 58-49 in the semifinals of the Salina Invitational Tournament Friday afternoon at Kansas Wesleyan University’s Muir Gymnasium.
The Buhler Crusader boys trailed the Great Bend Panthers 14-11 at the end of the first quarter, 31-21 at halftime and 42-31 at the end of the third quarter. Buhler outscored the Panthers 18-16 in the fourth quarter.
Tavon Stroup led Great Bend with a career-high 17 points and 18 rebounds. Stroup made 7 of his 8 field goal attempts Great Bend’s Jacob Hall scored 15 points. Cooper Ohmacht added 11 points, Alec Premer 8 and Jaxon Wondra 7.
Buhler’s Luke Holmberg scored 17 points, grabbed 5 rebounds, dished off 4 assists, had 1 steal and 2 blocked shots. Jacob Miller scored 16 points, grabbed 3 rebounds and had 3 assists.
On Monday, the Great Bend boys will play Salina South for first place and Buhler will play Salina South for third place. Salina South defeated Salina Central 58-53 in the other semifinal game Friday.
The Buhler girls (6-7) defeated Junction City 46-39 in the consolation round Friday afternoon. The Buhler girls will play Great Bend (3-9) in the fifth-place game on Monday.
The Crusaders led the Blue Jays 18-12 at the end of the first quarter, 29-24 at halftime and 38-33 at there end of the third quarter. Buhler outscored Junction City 8-6 in the fourth quarter.
Kaia Edmond led the Buhler girls with 12 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals. Tori Tustian scored 10 points, grabbed 5 rebounds, dished off 2 assists and had 5 steals. Maddie Stallman had 8 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal. Ella Voss had 5 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 1 blocked shot.
The Great Bend girls posted a 60-36 victory over Abilene (3-9) Friday morning in the other consolation game.
Alyssa McCauley led the Panthers with 14 points (including two 3-pointers) and 5 assists. Chayla Prendergast added 11 points, Alex Mayers 9, Meredith Mazouch 8 and Stevie Mayers 8. Abilene’s Tessa Herman scored 20 points.
In the girls semifinals Friday, Wamego defeated Salina Central 43-34 and Wichita East defeated Salina South 59-22.
On Monday, the Wamego girls will play Wichita East for the girls championship, Salina Central will play Salina South for third place and Junction City will play Abilene for seventh place.
In the boys consolation games Friday, De Soto defeated Wichita South 59-57 and Wamego defeated Abilene 57-43. On Monday, DeSoto will play Wamego for fifth place and Wichita South will play Abilene for seventh place.
