DERBY, Kan. (AP) — Derby turned a competitive opening into a runaway victory, defeating Hutchinson 76-47 on Tuesday night at Derby High School.
The Panthers’ latest win over the Salthawks looked much different than last Friday’s early blitz in the McPherson Invitational Tournament semifinals. Hutchinson came out sharp, jumping to a 14-6 lead in the opening minutes. Derby answered with a 6-0 run to close the gap, trailing just 14-12 after the first quarter.
From there, the Panthers took control. Derby used balanced scoring and steady defensive pressure to stretch the margin to 38-23 by halftime and continued to pull away in the second half.
Greg Stiger led Derby with 20 points, pacing an offense that consistently found quality looks. Hutchinson was led by Lamar Govain with 14 points.
Both teams will return to McPherson on Saturday to wrap up the McPherson Invitational Tournament. Derby is set to face Wichita Bishop Carroll in the championship game, while Hutchinson will meet Overland Park Blue Valley in the third-place game at 1 p.m. at the McPherson Roundhouse.
