By DUSTIN ARMBRUSTER
Hays Post
Hays played the first of two consecutive nights basketball on the road in Salina Thursday. Both the girls and boys teams for Salina Central came into the game ranked fifth in class 5A. The Hays boys were ranked 8th in 4A-I.
Girls
Hays 36 – #5-5A Salina Central 60
A pair of 8-0 runs by Salina Central put the Mustangs up by 11 after one quarter 21-10. Hays trailed by ten when they scored seven points in a row cutting the Mustangs lead down to 13-10. Hays had the ball down by three but couldn’t score and Central finished the quarter scoring eight straight points.
The Mustangs turned that 8-0 run into a 15-2 streak that saw Hays fall behind 28-12. Hays pulled it back to a 13 point game before Central scored the last five points of half to lead 33-15.
Highlights
Hays scored the first eight points of the third quarter to get with ten at 33-23 two minutes into the half. Central took a time out and responded with a 17-3 run to take control of the game for good. The Mustangs pushed their lead to 50-30 at the end of three quarters and pulled away for a win at 60-36.
Coach Kirk Maska
Brooke Denning led the Indians with eight points. Central put three in double figures. Hays falls to 9-6 and have lost back to back games for just the second time this season. Salina Central improves to 13-3.
Boys
Hays 33 – Salina Central 59
Hays scored just two points in the first six and half minutes of the game but trailed just 9-2. The Indians made their last three shots of the quarter to get back within one at 9-8. Hays started the second quarter with the basketball but missed a three pointer. From there the second quarter belonged to the Mustangs as they outscored Hays 23-5, taking a 32-13 lead at half time.
Highlights
Central hit seven of their eleven third quarter shots, including five three pointers during a 22-12 third quarter. The last seven minutes of the game was continuous clock after the Mustangs took a thirty point lead. Hays outscored the Mustangs 8-5 in the final quarter, falling 59-33.
Coach Rick Keltner
Claiborne Kyles led Hays with 13. Central put two in double figures. The Indians fall to 10-4 on the season, while Central moves to 14-2.
Hays will return to action Friday night as they host Liberal.