Lady Buffs bounced by Hays’ 2nd half surge

Story Credit: GCHS Athletics

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What once looked like a promising opportunity for a major upset in the first half for the Garden City Lady Buffaloes’ basketball team turned into another lopsided loss to the Class 5A-ranked Hays Lady Indians (No. 4) on Thursday night.

After being tied with the Indians at 17 when halftime rolled around in a low-scoring, defensive-minded, cold-shooting first half, the Indians got their offense in high gear, outscoring the Buffs 39-13 in the final 16 minutes for a 56-30 Western Athletic Conference victory.

“I was very pleased at how we started the game,” said head Coach Kelley Snodgrass. “We were the aggressor and played some really good team defense to hold them to only 17 points in the first half.”

It was the 25th straight WAC triumph for the Indians, who improved their season record to 19-1 and their WAC-leading record to 6-0. The Lady Buffs, meanwhile, are now 13-8 and 4-3. They will close out their home regular season schedule on Tuesday, Feb. 24, against Liberal.

The first half was a battle of patience as both teams had trouble finding the basket, the Buffs just 7-of-20 but the Indians even colder at 7-of-30. But that was the last time the Indians were cold.

When the third quarter got underway, the Indians heated up, hitting 6-of-8 from behind the as four different players knocked down the 3-pointers.

“Unfortunately, they erupted from the 3-point line in the third,” Snodgrass said. “It’s tough when four different players knock down triples.”

Hays’ all-state and 2025 WAC Player of the Year Jenna Schmeidler was held to just two points in that low-scoring first half, but exploded for 16 in the second half, including four treys.

Zoe Winter, the Hays’ 5-11 senior post, kept the Indians in the game early, scoring all 7 points for her team while the Lady Buffs’ Myah Korf scored 8 of her team-high 12 points in the opening half.

Twice in the first half the Lady Buffs owned eight-point advantages, the first at 10-2 and the second early in the second period at 15-7. But Hays would score 10 straight points to go up 17-15 before Natalie Brown got a follow shot to go to knot the score at 17 at the break.

Annie Humphrey hit a quick 3 for Hays to begin the third and then Schmeidler warmed up with a pair of threes and a baseline jumper to go up 28-17.

The Buffs didn’t have any answers on the offensive end and then it was subs Morgan Armbruster with two 3’s and another by Brynlee Rupp to close out the third on a 25-9 run. Four different Hays players hit the deep shots and six overall in the game.

In the fourth, the struggle offensively continued as the Buffs managed just two free throws and a basket by Sophie Doll while Hays scored 14 consecutive points.

“Our guards rebounded the ball better defensively, so less of a deficit there, but too many offensive rebound/putbacks by their bigs hurt,” Snodgrass said. “Hays is a tough team to stop because they have 3-point shooters, guards that can drive and finish, and bigs that can score.”

Winter finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds. The teams had met in Garden City in early January and the Indians won that game, 69-41.

The result was another indicator of Hays’ recent domination in the WAC as well as being a contender for post-season 5A honors.

“Give them credit at how they responded in the third quarter,” Snodgrass said. “We have to do a better job of withstanding their run and get tougher.”

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Western Athletic Conference
WAC Game #7
Thursday, Feb. 19
At Hays High School

HAYS 56, GARDEN CITY 30
Garden City (30) — Powers 1 0-0 3, Hannagan 1 0-0 3, G. Doll 0 1-2 1, Brown 1 0-0 2, Meng 1 0-0 2, Korf 5 0-0 12, S. Doll 2 1-3 5, Snodgrass 2 0-2 4. Totals 13 2-7 30.
Hays (56) — Rupp 3 1-1 8, Schmeidler 7 0-0 18, Humphrey 1 0-0 3, LaBarge 1 0-0 3, Armbruster 2 0-0 6, Newell 1 0-0 3, Buckles 1 0-1 2, Winter 6 1-1 13. Totals 22 2-3 56.

Garden City (13-8/4-3)…10…7…9…4…–…30
Hays (18-1/5-0)…7…10…25…14…–…56

3-point goals—Garden City 4 (Korf 2, Hannagan 1, Powers 1); Hays 10 (Newell 1, LaBarge 1, Humphrey 1, Schmeidler 4, Armbruster 2, Rupp 1). Fouls—Garden City 11; Hays 14. Fouled out–None.