By Dustin Armbruster
Hays Post Sports
Colby - The Hays High basketball teams each walked off the floor at the Colby Event Center as champions on Saturday evening.
Girls
#3-5A Hays 56 - #3-5A Standley Lake (Colorado) 53
Hays High scored the last give points of the game and survived a last second shot by Standley Lake in a 56-53 victory over the Gators. The victory marks back-to-back Orange & Black titles for the Indians.
Through the first five minutes of the game the two teams split the first 20 points. Trailing by three, the Indians score the final four points of the quarter for a 14-13 lead.
Standley Lake (11-2) opened the second quarter with a traditional three point play for a lead of 16-14. The Gators wouldn't lead again until there was less than three minutes left in the game. Hays (13-1) went on a 10-4 run that pushed their advantage to a first half high six at 26-20.
The Gators made two of four three throws over the final two minutes to cut the lead down to 26-22 heading into the locker rooms.
Highlights
Leading by two in the third quarter, Hays High used a 12-4 run to take their biggest lead of the game at 40-30. The Indians managed just one point over the last 3:15 of the quarter. Standley Lake drew within one point early in the fourth thanks to a 9-1 run.
Hays grew the lead to five points twice and eventually six points at 51-45 with five minutes left in the game. The Gators best run of the night allowed them to take the lead. Standley Lake made back to back three pointers and then a two point basket for a 53-51 advantage with 2:30 remaining.
It was the last time the Gators added to their score. Hays made one of two free throws with ninety seconds remaining. The Indians secured a rebound on the missed second free throw then hit a three pointer out of the ensuing timeout for a 55-53 lead.
A final free throw with :16 left gave the Indians the 56-53 lead which proved to be the winning margin. The Gators called timeout with 11.2 second remaining but failed to hit a deep three pointer to tie.
Coach Len Melvin
Zoe Winter tied a career high with 23 points and added a career high 12 rebounds. She recorded a double-double in each of the last two games. Jenna Schmeidler scored 20 and was name tournament MVP for a second consecutive year. Winter and Schmeidler were also named to the All-Tournament team.
Schmeidler 20, Humphrey 7, LaBarge 1, Cunningham 0, Armbruster 0, Turner 3, Newell 2, Winter 23.
Boys
#8-5A Hays 52 - #5-3A Beloit 29
Hays never trailed Beloit in a dominate 52-29 showing in the title game to claim their fifth Orange & Black Classic championship.
The Indians opened the game with a three pointer which was followed closely by a two point field goal from Beloit. The 3-2 score was the closest the Trojans would be all night.
A 10-2 first quarter run put Hays (11-3) up by nine at 13-4 and then shortly after, the Indians took their first double digit lead at 17-7. Beloit (11-2) cut the edge down to six before Hays beat the first quarter buzzer for a 19-11 advantage.
Neither team did much scoring in the second quarter. Hays tripled up the Trojans 9-3 during those eight minutes. Beloit pulled within seven at 21-14 with 4:30 remaining in the half. They didn't score again. The Indians scored seven points in the next three minutes to lead 28-14 at half.
Highlights
Leading by 11 early in the third quarter, Hays took what little doubt was left out of the Colby Event Center. The Indians went on a 15-0 run that took less than three minutes and resulted in a 43-19 lead.
Hays led by 23 going to the fourth quarter and quickly produced two baskets in the first minute of the final frame 50-23 lead. Despite scoring just two points over the final seven minutes, Hays never let Beloit go on a run. The Trojans went 0-9 from the floor in the fourth quarter and made six of ten free throws in the 52-29 victory.
Coach Sean Dreiling
Hays High allowed an average of just 33 points per game in the three game tournament. The victory for Hays snapped an 11 game winning streak for Beloit.
Dawson Ruder scored a game high 15 and Izaac Fox added 14. They along with Trey Oakley were named to the All-Tournament team.
Hays is off until Friday when they host Great Bend.
Pfeifer 0, Zimmerman 0, Burkholder 3, Homeier 2, Oakley 9, Hardman 0, Harmoney 5, Schmidtberger 2, Fox 14, Smalley 0, Day 2, Prediger 0, Otte 0, Ruder 15, Reid 0.