SALINA SOUTH 57, PANTHERS 20 — A young and inexperienced Great Bend girls basketball team faced a steep learning curve against Salina South's powerful Cougars. 

The Cougars outscored the Panthers 24-0 from 3-point range to dominate the Panthers 57-20 in Friday's home basketball opener. The Cougars (1-0) feature a talented shooting team and a dominant inside player in 6-foot-3 Paitlyn Fritz.

Great Bend was outmatched shooting wise and talent wise against the Cougars. The Cougars converted seven 3-pointers and nine second-chance points in the first half.

The Panthers performed much better after trailing 39-14 at halftime. The Cougars converted 1 of 9 3-pointers and the Panthers competed better on the defensive boards.

Meredith Mazouch and DeShawnna Bryant each scored five points to pace the Panthers, who converted 8 of 45 field goals with 15 turnovers. The 5-7 Bryant did a commendable job against the 6-3 Fritz. 

The Panthers hung within 14-8 as Meredith Mazouch, Bryant, Katherine Mazouch and Cassie Ellegood scored. But the Cougars outscored the Panthers 25-6 for a 39-14 halftime lead sparked by 7-of-17 first-half shooting from 3-point range.

South's Jordan and Fritz each scored 15 points. Elle Barth scored 11 points. Four Cougars converted 3-point goals.

SALINA SOUTH (1-0)—(FG 3 FT TP) Jordan 6-16 (3-9) 0-0 15, Fritz 7-15 (1-4) 0-2 15, Barth 3-6 (4-9) 0-0 11, Moss 3-5 (1-2) 0-0 7, Crow 0-2 (0-1) 0-0 0, Cheeks 4-9 (0-2) 0-0 8, Haas 0-2 (0-1) 1-2 1, 0-1 (0-1) 0-0 0, Totals 24-59 (8-26) 1-4 57.

GREAT BEND (0-1)—(FG 3 FT TP) Meredith Mazouch 1-4 (0-1) 3-4 5, Bryant 2-8 (0-1) 1-4 5, Siefkes 2-3 0-0 4, Katherine Mazouch  2-7 (0-2) 0-0 4, Cassie Ellegood 1-7 (0-1) 0-0 2, McCauley 0-5 (0-4) 0-0 0, Reimer 0-3 (0-1) 0-0 0, Mayers 0-3 (0-2) 0-0 0, Harbaugh 0-3 0-0 0; Prendergast 0-2 0-0 0, Totals 8-45 (0-12) 4-8 20