Indians sweep Dodge City on senior night
By: John Zetmeir
HAYS 42, DODGE CITY GIRLS 38
Tuesday night’s matchup between the Dodge City High School girls and the Hays Indians was decided in the final 4 minutes of the game.
Points were tough to come by for both teams on the night but going 3 minutes between scores down the stretch ultimately cost the Red Demons as Hays (11-8, 4-3) escaped with a 42-38 win.
“I felt good going into the fourth quarter,” Dodge City head coach Kelley Snodgrass said. “(Hays) had some players step up and hit some big shots. I think we missed some chippy ones that we usually make and it did not fuel our defense, we lost them in transition. Hays came out and they wanted it.”
Freshman Brooke Denning made two 3-pointers in the final 4 minutes and 10 seconds on Tuesday night which included one with 1:37 to play that gave the Indians a 38-35 lead. Kallie Leiker followed with a pair of free throws that grew the Indians’ lead to 40-35.
“That’s what (Denney) is in there for,” Hays head coach Kirk Maska said. “Her defense is getting better. I keep saying it but we’re learning our roles.”
A 3-pointer from senior Tia Bradshaw was the Red Demons only basket in the final 3:17 of the game.
Bradshaw helped the Red Demons get off to a quick start as she scored the team’s first five points of the game. Dodge City held a 10-3 lead before Hays answered with a 13-0 run of its own. The lead changed hands five times on Tuesday night to go along with four scoring ties.
Dodge City (6-13, 2-5) will finish its season at Liberal on Thursday.
HAYS 48, DODGE CITY BOYS 39
Dodge City stayed within striking distance for most of the night against Hays but the Indians pulled away in the final 2 minutes to escape with a 48-39 win.
After struggling for most of the night, Hays senior Shane Berens helped bring the game home for the Indians (13-6, 5-2) as he scored all of his game-high 12 points in the final eights minutes of the game. A 3-pointer by Berens extended Hays’ lead to 38-33 with 3:10 to play in the game. The senior forward scored four more points for Hays to push their lead to 42-35 with 2 minutes to play.
“Shane is a guy that’s been clutch for four years,” Hays head coach Rick Keltner said. “Nothing he does surprises me too much.”
Friday’s game in Dodge City was the sixth road game in a seven-game stretch for the Indians.
In the final 2 minutes of the third quarter, the Red Demons took their first lead since the first quarter when freshman Beau Foster and senior Chris Baker knocked down 3-pointers as part of a 7-0 Dodge City run. Berens answered the run with a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Indians a 29-28 lead going into the final quarter.
The Red Demons forced 10 turnovers in the first half but could only get Hays to turn the ball over four times after the halftime break. Dodge City finished with 23 turnovers.
‘They forced us into a lot of turnovers,’ Dodge City head coach Dennis Hamilton said. ‘Even in the first half. We didn’t get them to turn the ball over as much but when Berens hit the three and the 12-foot jump hook we had to start fouling.’
Dodge City (3-16, 1-6) will travel to Liberal on Thursday.
Hays girls – 8 11 8 15 – 42
Dodge City – 10 8 11 9 – 38
Hays – Schneider 11, Denning 10, Robben
7, Dale 4, Leiker 4, Keller 4, Hutchinson 1, Nunnery 1. 14/29, 6/11 3PT, 7/12 FT. 42
Dodge City – Bradshaw 20, E. Okoro 5, Maple
5, Morales 4, C. Okoro 2, Nelson 2. 14/48, 3/10 3PT, 7/12 FT. 38
Hays Boys – 12 7 10 19 – 48
Dodge City – 9 8 11 11 – 39
Hays – Berens 12, Kyles 11, Murphy 9, McCrae 6, Swayne 5, Kieffer 3, Hill 2. 17/51, 7/24 3PT, 7/10 FT. 48
Dodge City – Heath 9, Baker 8, Unruh 5, Gleason 5, Sowers 5, Foster 3, Sanchez 2, Johnson 2. 16/36, 3/12 3PT, 4/7 FT. 39
