The Hays High Indians opened the 2016-2017 basketball season with the Gerald Mitchell Hays City Shootout on Thursday night. This year’s tournament featured six teams with Manhattan and Great Bend facing off in the first games of the day. Hays High played Garden City at Hays High School and Thomas More Prep took on Olathe North at Hays Middle School.
Girls
Hays 52 – Garden City 34
Hays High endured one long scoring drought in the first half of 3:50 by forcing Garden City to go scoreless for 5:20 to grab a 10-7 first quarter lead. The Hays drought extended to just two points over 6:15 but trailed by just one at 13-12. The Indians then erupted for 19 points over the next 2:57 to take a lead they would never give up. The Indians outscored Garden City 23-11 in the second quarter taking a 33-18 lead at half.
Highlights
Hays held multiple 18 point leads in the second half before Garden City trimmed the lead down to ten in the fourth quarter. The Lady Indians though responded with a 10-2 run to end the game and took the win 52-34. Savannah Schneider led all scorers with a career high 19 before fouling out. Mattie Hutchison scored 13 and Talyn Kleweno added 10. Garden City was led by Abbie Dart with 11 and all of her points came in the first half.
Coach Kirk Maska
Hays moves to 1-0 on the season and will play at 5:15 at Hays High School in the championship semi-finals against TMP. Garden City drops to 0-1 and will also play in the championship semi-finals as part of the six team bracket. Their game will be at Hays Middle School.
Boys
Hays 66 – Garden City 58
Neither Hays or Garden City could gain separation from each other in the first half. Hays led by three on a few occasions and Garden City led by as many as four in the half. The two swapped the lead nine times and were tied three times with Garden City getting a free throw with 0.18 seconds left in the second quarter to take a 28-27 lead into the locker room.
Highlights
The lead changed one more time in the second half with Hays starting the third quarter on a 9-1 run capped off with a Shane Berens three point play at 36-29. The Indians outscored Garden City 19-8 in the third quarter which proved to play a large difference in the game. Hays pushed their lead up to fifteen at 58-43 with 3:50 remaining in the game. Garden City though had one last push as they rattle off a 15-4 run over the next 3:15 to cut the Hays lead down to 62-58 with 35 seconds left. Claiborne Kyles and Ethan Nunnery each hit a pair of free throws to put the game away 66-68.
Coach Rick Keltner
Kyles scored a game high 16. Shane Berens and Ethan Nunnery each added 12 in the victory. Garden City was led by the 15 of Zac Karlin, all on three pointers. Garrett Doll scored 13, freshman Carlos Acosta added 11 and Tye Davis chipped in 10.
Hays High moves to 1-0 and will play TMP in the semi-final at 7:00. Garden City drops to 0-1 and will play Manhattan in the other semi-final at 3:30.
Tournament Day 1 Results
Girls
Manhattan 62 – Great Bend 38
Hays 52 – Garden City 34
TMP 56 – Olathe North 43
Boys
Manhattan 65 – Great Bend 50
TMP 61 – Olathe North 54
Hays 66 – Garden City 58
Day 2 Schedule
Hays Middle School
3:30 – Girls – Great Bend v Olathe North
5:15 – Boys – Great Bend v Olathe North
7:00 – Girls – Manhattan v Garden City
Hays High School
3:30 – Boys – Manhattan v Garden City
5:15 – Girls – Hays v TMP
7:00 – Boys Hays v TMP