By JAYCEE DALE
The Hays High School girls’ basketball team was back at home Friday night, but it wasn’t quite a home-sweet-home feeling.
WAC rival Great Bend tripped up the Indians with a 46-40 victory.
HHS started slowly against the Panthers, scoring only two points until the last minute of the quarter. The Indians started to flow offensively and pulled within 9-7 after the quarter.
Carly Lang scored within seconds of the second quarter, tying the game. Great Bend pulled ahead by three, but that didn’t last long — with Hays High tying it at 12 apiece.
Hays High wasn’t able to take the lead before the break but only trailed by one, 21-20.
The Indians trailed nearly the entire third quarter. With a last-second 3-pointer by Morgan Engel, Hays High tied the game at 28 entering the final quarter.
The Indians snagged their first lead of the half off a free throw by Lang. But Great Bend tied it up shortly after.
With some miscommunication, Great Bend was able to take the lead by hitting a 3-pointer midway through the fourth quarter. The Panthers took their biggest lead of seven in the fourth.
Hays High answered by hitting two 3’s to get within one, 39-38, but the Indians were unable to pull ahead.
The Indians will play at Salina Central at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the first round of a Class 5A sub-state. The Mustangs are the top seed in the sub-state, while HHS is the fourth seed.
