The Abilene High School basketball teams dropped a pair of close games Tuesday night at Hays.  The Cowgirls nearly pulled off a huge comeback effort in their 47-44 loss.  The Indians pulled away in the final quarter in their 56-46 victory over the Cowboys.

The girl’s match-up featured two teams that entered the night with five game losing streaks.  The Cowgirls and Lady Indians had also encountered a great deal of change from a season ago.  They both have first year head coaches and both graduated most of their offensive production last year.

In the game, Hays was able to build a 27-14 lead at halftime and they were also able to match that 13 point advantage two more times in the third quarter and took a 35-24 lead into the fourth.  The Cowgirls opened the final quarter on a 19-6 run to take a 44-40 lead with 1:36 to play in the game.  The 19 points were the most points in a quarter this year by Abilene.

The Lady Indians finished the game on a 7-0 run to get the victory.  They got a bucket from Tasiah Nunnery with 32.8 seconds left to cut the deficit to 44-42.  Nunnery had missed a pair of free-throws but Reanna Green grabbed the rebound and fed Nunnery for the bucket.  Abilene would then miss the front end of a one-in-one and Green came up big again.  She converted a three point play with just 10.9 seconds remaining to give her team a 45-44 lead.  The Cowgirls would turn it over and Brooklyn Schaffer would nail two-free throws for the game’s final points.  Abilene and Hays both have 5-12 records after Tuesday’s game.  The Cowgirls were led in scoring by Abi Lillard, who finished with 14 points.

In the boy’s game, the Cowboys played catch-up most of the night.  Abilene trailed by as many as 7 in the second quarter and trailed 25-20 at halftime.  The Cowboys once again trailed by 7 at 38-31 with 1:33 to play in the third quarter.  Abilene would counter with a 7-0 run, the run was capped by Josh Stuber, he tied the game at 38 with 6:28 left in the game. Hays answered with a 6-0 run to retake control of the game at 44-38.  Stuber hit a three with 4:38 to play to cut the deficit to 44-41.  That would be as close as the Cowboys would get the rest of the night.

Abilene and Hays both have 11-6 records after game.  The Cowboy’s were led by Avery Bryson, who finished with 15 points.  Abilene will wrap up their stretch of playing four of five games on the road Friday at Clay Center.  The Tigers were swept at Wamego on Tuesday night.