By Moses Leos III
A raucous crowd Tuesday helped the Hays Rebels and the Lehman Lobos usher in the start of the 14-6A season as they battled at Bales Gym.
But Hays’ ability to overcome an early deficit, along with staving off a late Lehman rally, gave the Rebels a 57-48 win in the district opener.
Hays High junior Charles Bohannon scored a team high 14 points, while Dawson Moreland tallied 11. Lehman High senior Aaron Rodriguez led all scorers with 19 points in the game.
Lehman’s offense hit the ground running Tuesday as they leapt out to a quick 12-0 lead over Hays. While Hays battled back, Lehman exited the first frame with a 17-9 lead.
Guiding the Lobos’ rally was Rodriguez, who buried 11 points in the quarter. Nine of Rodriguez’s 11 first quarter points were three-pointers.
Lobo head coach Michael Whitten said the Lobos were “rotating how we’re supposed to.” Whitten said the Lobos’ ability to consistently hit shots, which the team has struggled with, played a role in their success.
“That’s been our achilles heel. We execute stuff well, we just don’t make shots,” Whitten said. “That’s when we struggle.”
On the other side, Hays High head coach Sam Lunz said his team had faced similar situations during tournament games earlier this season. He said youth and inexperience played a role in some of thier struggles. Hays was also without senior Jake Krafka, who missed the game due to injury.
“It takes us a little time [to get going]. Some of that contributes to youth and a lack of experience,” Lunz said. “In a game like this, it can get a little overwhelming.”
Hays rebounded in the second quarter by outscoring Lehman 17-13 in the quarter. Lehman maintained a 30-26 lead at halftime.
But the Lobo offense hit a wall in the third quarter. Bohannon and the Rebels took advantage as they mounted their rally.
Bohannon began the rally by scoring the first six points of the second half, giving the Rebels a 32-30 lead. Hays maintained its output on offense, outscoring Lehman 14-5 in the third quarter to take a 40-35 lead.
For Bohannon, rectifying a first half which he said he “played too soft” was the key.
“I felt I let the team down in the first half. I had too many turnovers,” Bohannon said. “I had to do what I had to do (in the second half) to give the team a little boost.”
With momentum in hand, Hays continued to pour on the points early in the fourth quarter. The Rebels built a 47-38 lead midway through the fourth frame.
Lunz said the basis of the rally was the Rebels figuring out the tempo of the game. An improved defensive effort was a factor.
The play of Bohannon also helped the Rebels, especially the younger players, gain confidence. Lunz said they were able to “step it up a little bit.”
But the Lobos didn’t back down in the waning moments. Aided by the rebounding efforts of Tracey Malrey and Kameron Edwards, Lehman battled back to pull within three points at 47-44.
Whitten said some of Lehman’s struggles in the second half stemmed from a plethora of turnovers, which he said were caused by decision making issues. Limiting turnovers and snagging rebounds helped, but the Lobos couldn’t hit critical shots. In addition, the Lobos were unable to knock down free throws. Lehman went 9 of 20 as a team from the free throw line.
“They played hard, but it comes down to hitting shots,” Whitten said. “Unfortunately, every team goes through that I guess.”
Hays closed the game by turning to its younger players. Moreland led the way by scoring 11 points in the fourth quarter, which included a pair of critical three pointers.
It was all done without Bohannon, who fouled out of the game with less than three minutes left in the game.
But for Bohannon, seeing the younger players step up late was a pivotal moment.
“It was big. It was amazing,” Bohannon said. “That’s experience for them. It makes me feel better moving on for this season. That we have guys we can rely on and trust.”
