It was a state ranked showdown Saturday afternoon in Hays for a spot in the 5A State Basketball Tournament. #1 undefeated Hays High and #5 Salina South seemed to be on a collision course since the Sub-State groupings were released.
#1 Hays 61 - #5 Salina South 48
Big first and fourth quarters hoisted Hays to the 5A State Tournament for a 21st time in program history, winning 61-48 over Salina South. The Indians made eight of ten shots in the first quarter and six of nine shots in the fourth. The South Cougars made two of twelve shots in the first and four of twenty in the fourth quarter.
Hays jumped out to an 8-1 lead and led 16-7 with fifteen seconds remaining in the first quarter. South made two free throws with two second left in the first which ignited a 10-0 for the Cougars first lead at 17-16.
Highlights
The score would be tied seven times and change hands on twelve occasions over the next sixteen and a half minutes. During that stretch the Cougars could never grow their lead higher than two points which they held four times in the second quarter.
The Indians lead most of the third quarter which started with eight straight Dalyn Schwarz points. Hays though didn't take advantage of a four point lead on six trips up the floor. South managed the final five points of the third for a 39-38 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Coach Alex Hutchins
Hays and South changed ownership of the lead five times in the fourth quarter. The final exchanged occurred on a pair of TJ Nunnery free throws with 5:14 left, giving Hays a 44-43 edge. The balance of the time belonged to the Indians on a 19-5 run. A decisive 10-0 spurt put the Hays up by double figures for the first time on the afternoon 54-43 with two minutes remaining.
The Indians made 11 of 14 free throws in the fourth quarter for a 61-48 victory.
Jace Linenberger scored 20 while battling foul trouble to lead all scoring. Three more Indians scored in double figures. Dalyn Schwarz scored 15, Carson Kieffer added 12 and TJ Nunnery put in 10 points. Salina South was led by the 17 of Devon Junghans and 13 from AJ Johnson.
Hays improves to 22-0 on the season and will host Topeka West in the first round of the 5A State Tournament on Tuesday. The #6 ranked Chargers beat Topeka Seaman 55-52 and improved to 19-2 on the year. Salina South ends the year at 16-5. Their losses came to Derby, Maize twice, Campus and the Indians.
