By JAYCEE DALE
A rivalry game to end the regular season proved to be no problem for the Hays High School boys’ basketball team.
The Indians improved to 20-0 with a 50-32 victory over Western Athletic Conference rival Great Bend at the HHS gym.
Hays High started slowly offensively, allowing Great Bend to take an eight-point lead early.
Coming off the bench to help out the Indians was Noah Weimer, who was able to hit a pair of 3-pointers to get the Indians within two of the Panthers.
That would be as close as HHS would come in the opening period, eventually trailing 14-11 entering the second quarter.
Hays High took its first lead of the game in the second quarter, 17-16, with three minutes remaining in the half.
The Indians pulled ahead by five, only to see Great Bend bounce back.
But TJ Nunnery was fouled late in the half, sending him to the line before the break. Hays High took a four-point lead at the half, 25-21.
Hays High controlled things in the third quarter, only allowing Great Bend to get within two points. But HHS increased its advantage to 32-23 entering the final eight minutes.
The Indians remained in control in the final period, pulling away for the 18-point victory.
The win wrapped up the undefeated regular season for the Indians, and another WAC title.
Hays High will host Great Bend once again at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the HHS gym in the first round of the Class 5A sub-state championships. A win would put the Indians in Saturday’s 3 p.m. sub-state title game at Salina South against either the Cougars or Salina Central.
