Hays High used an 18-0 run through the second and third quarter to punch their ticket to the 5A State Basketball Tournament with a 43-36 win in Great Bend Friday night.
The teams traded baskets for the first six minutes leaving Great Bend with a lead of 8-6. Hays scored the last six points of the first quarter to lead 12-8 before falling behind 14-12 on back to back Panther threes with 5:10 left in the second quarter. The Indians would not yield another point for eleven minutes. During that span Hays scored the final six points of the second quarter and first twelve of the third for a 30-14 lead.
Highlights
Great Bend broke the drought from the free throw line and didn't score their first field goal until 35 second showed on the third quarter clock. The Indians took a 32-19 lead to the fourth quarter and never led by less than nine until the final fifteen seconds.
Hays improves to 16-6 on the year and were led by the 13 points of Carson Kieffer. #6 Great Bend has their twelve game winning streak snapped and end the year at 17-5.
Coach Alex Hutchins
Hays will make their 20th appearance in the state tournament. The 5A tournament is held in Emporia. The quarterfinals for the boys side of the bracket begins on Wednesday.