Hinkle Breaks Hearts in Hays

The ball floated through the air as fans looking on breathlessly. Liberal built a 52-43 lead with 2:20 to play and 53-45 with 1:45 to go. They hadn’t won in Hays since 2008. So after Hays’ Keith Dryden nailed a three pointers to tie the game with 14 seconds left, overtime seemed probable. But when LHS sophomore Cade Hinkle launched a left wing guarded three pointer from 35 feet away, what would happen changed the course of a season for a high school basketball team and made LHS history in the process. The ball rolled around the rim and then danced up and in. The time on the clock expired. The shot gave the Liberal Redskins a 57-54 win over #10 4A Division 1 Hays on HHS homecoming.

The Indians made three of their first four threes and took a 17-16 lead at the end of the first quarter despite, ironically, a buzzer beating three pointer by Hinkle at the end of the quarter. LHS led 28-24 at the half and led 37-34 after three. LHS would built a nine point lead before they began missing free throws. LHS finished 13-24 at the foul line but made 10 of 17 three pointers. Hays was 10-11 at the foul line but 8-24 from three point range.

Liberal used a triangle in two defense to guard Hays post man Brady Werth and hold him to eight points and point guard Isiah Nunnery to hold him to 10 points.

Hinkle was hot scoring 19 on four of five shooting from three point range. Mershek Wiltshire had 13 and Kylan Thomas added nine.

The win snaps a five game losing skid against the Indians and is the first win at Hays since 2008. It also marks the third time in seven years that Liberal has defeated Hays at the buzzer. Marquez Patterson’s runner in 2008 and Jade Cathey’s 40 footer in 2011.

Liberal is 10-6 and 2-3 in the WAC while Hays is 10-6 and 3-2 in the WAC. Liberal hosts Cimarron Tuesday night at 7:45 on 1270 and kscbnews.net.