By DUSTIN ARMBRUSTER
Hays Post
Girls: Pratt 57, Hays 42
The Hays High Lady Indians hung with Tuesday night at home. But missed opportunities kept Hays from being close at the end. Pratt traveled to Hays with a number four ranking in class 4A-2. The two teams tied at two, four, and seven before Pratt took the lead for good at 9-7. Hays trailed by just four at the end of the first quarter 16-12, but scored just one field goal in each the second and third quarters. The Lady Indians though kept giving themselves chances by getting to the free throw line in the second quarter, but made just 8 of 16 chances by half time.
Game Highlights
Down 28-21, Hays opened the second half with a field goal to get within five. They would get four chances to score and get within a single possession but couldn’t convert. Pratt opened up a ten point lead and Hays fought back to within six and then had the ball four more times down 35-27 but couldn’t score.
Pratt used a 7-1 run at the end of the third quarter to go up 40-28 and Hays never did threaten again.
Kirk Maska Postgame Interview
The Indians shot 32% from the field on 13 of 40 shooting. Hays though made just 14 of 26 free throws. Pratt shot 18 of 49 for 37% but made 5 of 14 threes and 11 of 13 free throws.
Hays falls to 1-3 on the year and was led in scoring by a career high 10 from Ashlyn Parrish. Pratt was led by Paige Bailey with 16 and Destani Garten with 15 as the Greenbacks move to 2-0.
Boys: Hays 71, Pratt 42
Both Hays and Pratt came into Tuesday night’s game ranked in their respective classes. Hays third in 4A-.1 and Pratt eighth in 4A-2. Each team hit their first three shots of the game giving Pratt an 8-6 lead. Hays though used a 17-3 run grabbing an 11 point lead at 22-11. Pratt battled back to get within six to close the first quarter at 24-18.
That is where the Indian defense tightened up and allowed just 11 points over the next two quarters. For the Hays offense, they kept going hitting 9 of their first 11 shots and 15 of 26 by halftime including five three pointers. Isaiah Nunnery set a new career high in scoring during the first half with 18, he would finish with 23.
Game Highlights
The Indians scored 12 points of the fourth quarter to put any thoughts of a comeback away. Nunnery wasn’t the only Indian with a hot shooting hand. Keith Dryden set a new career high 20 as well. The two combined for seven of the teams eight made three point field goals. Brady Werth finished in double figures for the 43 time in his career, adding 12 points. Samson Kohman scored 18 to lead the way for Pratt.
Hays shot 50% from the field 23 of 46 and 8 of 18 on threes. Hays also hit 15 of 18 free throws. Pratt shot just 32% in the loss going 14 of 44 and 5 of 18 behind the arc. Pratt made 9 of 10 free throws.
Rick Keltner Postgame Interview
The Indians move to 3-1 on the year, Pratt is now 0-2.
Hays will be on the road for the first time this season as they travel to Colby on Thursday. That game will put the Indians a quarter of the way through their regular season schedule, with Junction City still coming up before the Christmas break. The games in Colby have a later start time. The girls tip-off is set for approximately 6:30.