By JAYCEE DALE
COLBY — Normally a championship game of a tournament is a close battle.
But the Hays High School boys’ basketball team made sure that wasn’t the case by bolting out of the gates early en route to a 56-47 victory Saturday night over Colby in the title game of the Orange and Black Classic.
With lockdown defense the entire first quarter, the Indians held the host Eagles to only eight points, allowing HHS to pull out to an 18-8 advantage.
The undefeated Indians, ranked No. 1 in Class 5A in the latest KBCA poll, were able to push the lead to 16 before halftime. That helped HHS build a comfortable 35-19 lead at the break.
Colby was hot from the 3-point line the third quarter, getting within 13. Never losing the lead, the Indians went into the fourth ahead 47-34.
The Eagles got within 10 of the Indians in the final quarter, but it would be as close as the host team would truly get until a last-second shot set the final margin.
Carson Kieffer, Jace Linenberger, Dalyn Schwarz and Jordan Dale were named to the all-tournament team, along with Schwarz being a part of the all-academic team.
Kieffer claimed the MVP award, and Dale claimed the Off the Bench award.
Friday
Indians run by Buffs in semifinals
Coming off a big win from the first round, Hays High found itself against a familiar opponent — Garden City.
It ended in a familiar result, with the Indians claiming a 64-42 victory to reach Saturday night’s title game.
Hays High led the entire first quarter, holding the Buffaloes to single digits — 14-6.
With solid defense in the next eight minutes, the Indians only allowed Garden City to score seven points while exploding for 20 of their own, making the halftime margin 34-13.
Garden City was stifled offensively again in the third quarter, eventually trailing 56-28 entering the final period.
Jace Linenberger led the Indians with 13 points, and Carson Kieffer and Jordan Dale added 11 each. Dalyn Schwarz finished with 10.
