HAYS —With three seconds remaining in the Class 1A state championship, the fate of the South Gray basketball team relied on the free throw abilities of a sophomore.
South Gray had three seniors in its lineup, but when the Rebels trailed by two in the final seconds of the Class 1A state championship game, it was Hannah Thomas that stood on the free-throw line.
“Hannah Thomas is a clutch player,” South Gray head coach Andy Gillen said. “I knew she would make the free throws. I would not want anybody else on the line.”
Thomas made both to go into overtime, where South Gray defeated Argonia 57-51.
“For some reason I knew they were going in,” Thomas said. “I just knew they were going in … I just wanted to win so bad.”
After losing in the state championship last season, the South Gray girls basketball team has not lost another game and took home its second state championship in three years.
Over a two-year span, South Gray is 55-1.
With South Gray trailing by three in overtime, Mikayla Skidmore sank a lay-up while being fouled. She made the free throws to tie the game at 51.
Kayla Thomas would give the Rebels the lead from the line and Brigit Hesser iced the game making two free throws to give South Gray a 55-51 lead late in the game.
If that was not enough, Skidmore stole the ball and went coast-to-coast in the game's final seconds.
“I was like ‘I got to seal the deal right here,' ” Skidmore said.
Skidmore left the contest with a game-high 18 points.
South Gray started the game, taking its first three shots from behind the arc on the right wing, all three shots fell as South Gray advanced to a 9-2 lead.
Baylei Zehr made two-of-three shots. She also stole ball on Argonia’s first possession.
Argonia’s Brooke Boatright nailed a 3-pointer to place the score at 9-5.
The Raiders would tie the game late in the second quarter at 16, after Alison Brewster made a basket.
Boatright would give Argonia a 20-18 lead early in the second quarter. South Gray responded with a basket from Brigit Hesser.
The Raiders went on a 5-0 run that ended with a lay-up by Hesser to place the score at 25-22.
In the first half’s final 30 seconds, South Gray's Kayla Thomas had two lay ups. South Gray went into halftime trailing 30-28.
Argonia’s Ashton Stansbury would score the Raiders first two baskets of the second half.
Skidmore nailed a 3-pointer and South Gray trailed 34-31.
The Rebels entered the fourth trailing 42-38, but it would not take long for them to tie it.
Thomas made 3-pointer to get South Gray within three.
Moments later, Hesser would tie the game at 44 with another long ball.
Allison Brewster gave the Raiders back the lead, making two free throws.
With two minutes remaining, Thomas hit two free throws to knot the score at 46.
With two undefeated teams playing, no team backed down when the pressure was on. It would take more than four quarters to decide the champion.
“I was pumped,” Boatright said. “I was ready to play overtime.”
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HAYS —With three seconds remaining in the Class 1A state championship, the fate of the South Gray basketball team relied on the free throw abilities of a sophomore.
South Gray had three seniors in its lineup, but when the Rebels trailed by two in the final seconds of the Class 1A state championship game, it was Hannah Thomas that stood on the free-throw line.
“Hannah Thomas is a clutch player,” South Gray head coach Andy Gillen said. “I knew she would make the free throws. I would not want anybody else on the line.”
Thomas made both to go into overtime, where South Gray defeated Argonia 57-51.
“For some reason I knew they were going in,” Thomas said. “I just knew they were going in … I just wanted to win so bad.”
After losing in the state championship last season, the South Gray girls basketball team has not lost another game and took home its second state championship in three years.
Over a two-year span, South Gray is 55-1.
With South Gray trailing by three in overtime, Mikayla Skidmore sank a lay-up while being fouled. She made the free throws to tie the game at 51.
Kayla Thomas would give the Rebels the lead from the line and Brigit Hesser iced the game making two free throws to give South Gray a 55-51 lead late in the game.
If that was not enough, Skidmore stole the ball and went coast-to-coast in the game's final seconds.
“I was like ‘I got to seal the deal right here,' ” Skidmore said.
Skidmore left the contest with a game-high 18 points.
South Gray started the game, taking its first three shots from behind the arc on the right wing, all three shots fell as South Gray advanced to a 9-2 lead.
Baylei Zehr made two-of-three shots. She also stole ball on Argonia’s first possession.
Argonia’s Brooke Boatright nailed a 3-pointer to place the score at 9-5.
The Raiders would tie the game late in the second quarter at 16, after Alison Brewster made a basket.
Boatright would give Argonia a 20-18 lead early in the second quarter. South Gray responded with a basket from Brigit Hesser.
The Raiders went on a 5-0 run that ended with a lay-up by Hesser to place the score at 25-22.
In the first half’s final 30 seconds, South Gray's Kayla Thomas had two lay ups. South Gray went into halftime trailing 30-28.
Argonia’s Ashton Stansbury would score the Raiders first two baskets of the second half.
Skidmore nailed a 3-pointer and South Gray trailed 34-31.
The Rebels entered the fourth trailing 42-38, but it would not take long for them to tie it.
Thomas made 3-pointer to get South Gray within three.
Moments later, Hesser would tie the game at 44 with another long ball.
Allison Brewster gave the Raiders back the lead, making two free throws.
With two minutes remaining, Thomas hit two free throws to knot the score at 46.
With two undefeated teams playing, no team backed down when the pressure was on. It would take more than four quarters to decide the champion.
“I was pumped,” Boatright said. “I was ready to play overtime.”
