Girls
Like the first game between Hays and Abilene the outcome was decided late. Like the first meeting Hays won by three but this time on the road in Abilene.
Hays led by six early and Abilene led by five in the third quarter. The Indians scored the last six points of the third quarter to take a 29-27 lead. The Indians scored just two points in the first 6:15 of the final quarter. During that time Abilene took a 34-31 lead.
Hays would hold Abilene scoreless 5:30 of the game and take the victory. Tasiah Nunnery scored with 1:45 remaining to get Hays within point and Isabel Robben scored just over thirty seconds later for a 35-34 advantage.
Highlights
Just like in the first game of the series nine days earlier Brooklyn Schaffer found herself at the free throw line and a one point lead. Just like the first time she made both free throws. Abilene got two three point shots away in the final twenty seconds but missed both avoiding overtime.
Coach Kyle Porter
Tasiah Nunnery led the Indians with 12 points, her third game in double figures. Aleyia Ruder collected her first double-double at ten points and twelve rebounds.
Hays improves to 6-13 on the year. Abilene falls to 5-15. The Indians close out the regular season and conference play against Dodge City on Friday on senior night.
Boys
It took every last second for Hays High to knock off #7-4A Abilene on Thursday night thanks to a TJ Nunnery buzzer beater. Hays led just four times in the game. Twice by one point and twice by two points. The two point leads came with 35 seconds remaining and when the final buzzer sounded at 49-47.
Abilene scored the first eight points of the game and led the Indians 15-3 through the first five and a half minutes. Carson Kieffer mounted the comeback with seven straight points to end the first quarter and close the gap down to 15-10. The Indians turned that into a 13-2 run to get within a single point.
Each time Hays pulled close, Abilene pushed their advantage. The Cowboys led 22-18 at halftime.
Highlights
The Indians led for just seven seconds of the third quarter and trailed 33-31 heading into the fourth. Hays regained the lead on a Dalyn Schwarz basket at 41-40 but led for just twenty seconds before Abilene led again.
Nunnery grabbed the Hays lead back at 45-44 and Schwarz scored with 35 seconds left for a 47-45 advantage. The Cowboys tied the game with 5.5 seconds on the clock. Following a pair of Hays timeouts the Indians found Schwarz in the middle of the court and as he went up for a driving shot the ball was tipped away from him. The ball landed at the finger tips of Nunnery who floated the ball in from ten feet as time expired.
Coach Alex Hutchins
Carson Kieffer scored a game high 14. TJ Nunnery added 11.
Hays improves to 13-6 while Abilene ends the year at 13-7. Hays will host Dodge City for senior night on Friday.