Friends Outlasts Broncos in Double-Overtime Battle

(Wichita, KS) - Looking to bounce back from yesterday's loss to Sterling, Hastings and Friends went this distance and then some, ending in a 104-102 Friends double-overtime win on Wednesday night. With Hastings down two in the final seconds of the game, junior Bailey Kissinger made a great move to get a good look on a step-through layup, but it rolled off the rim as time expired.

In the first quarter, Friends held an early 7-5 lead, then Hastings responded with three-pointers from sophomore McKenna Yates and Ann Bose. A steal by junior Mariyah Avila on the next defensive trip triggered a pass to Yates for another three, going up seven at 14-7 in about 45 seconds. Friends would tie the game at 16 midway through the quarter, but a late three from Avila and a basket from Yates put Hastings up 25-23 after one.

The Broncos outscored the Falcons 20-10 in the second quarter, beginning with a 9-0 run in the first two minutes and change. Senior Macy Bryant began with a bucket inside and a steal by Bose set up Avila for transition points. Bryant drilled a three and sophomore Jentri Marx finished the run on a bucket from Yates to go up 34-23. 

Friends was able to cut the lead to eight in the quarter at the 3:53 mark, but Hastings quickly pushed the lead back to 15, capped by a three-point play from Bose. Friends scored the last three points of the half to make the score 45-33.

Hastings' double-digit lead was held through the first two minutes of the second half, but Friends quickly cut into the lead after that, including a three-point play to make it 49-45 with 6:29 left in the third. Avila hit two free throws and after a Falcon basket, drilled a three to go up seven. Friends, who would outscore Hastings 28-13 in the period, scored the next six points as part of a 14-4 run to end the quarter, making it a 61-58 Falcon lead going to the fourth quarter.

Bryant scored to open the fourth, but the Falcons scored four straight to go up 65-60. Down 68-63, Hastings went on a 10-0 run to take a 73-68 lead. Kissinger had two and-ones and sophomore Josilyn Miller scored twice to put Hastings up five. A banked-in three from Friends halted the Bronco momentum and got the lead down to two halfway through the fourth.

Tied at 77 with three minutes left in the fourth, Miller splashed home a three. Two Friends free throws plus a stop and a two-pointer put the Falcons back up one. With Hastings down two, Kissinger drove and kicked it out to Avila in the corner for a three to go up one with 45 seconds left. After a Friends basket, Avila got to her spot in the midrange and knocked it down to go up 85-84. Friends split a pair of free throws with seven seconds remaining. The Broncos had a chance to win it on an Avila jumper, but it rattled out to send it to overtime at 85-apiece.

Bose hit a three to start the overtime, then Friends responded with a 6-0 run. Yates made one of two at the line and after an Avila steal, Yates scored to tie it at 91 with two minutes left. No scoring occurred again until 37 seconds when Friends scored to go up 93-91. Hastings turned it over on offense, but after a timeout, they forced a five-second inbounding violation. Kissinger worked her way off of the inbounds pass to the block and flipped in a tough leaner off the glass to tie it. Friends' last-second shot to break the tie was off the mark, sending the game to a second overtime tied at 93.

Friends answered Avila's two with a three to take a 96-96 lead early in the second overtime. Tied at 98, the Falcons scored to go up two with 2:45 remaining. At 102-98, Miller finished strong inside, then after a block by Marx, Miller got to the line and tied it at 102 with 40 seconds left. Friends went down and made two from the line and Avila missed a floater with six seconds, forcing Hastings to foul. 

Friends made one of two and the Broncos advanced the ball to halfcourt for their final possession. Kissinger caught the ball at the elbow and after a couple of dribbles, stepped through for the layup attempt. The ball hung around the rim for a second before rolling out, as Friends held on for the 104-102 win.

Both teams shot the ball well from the field, with Friends at 52 percent and Hastings at 47 percent. Friends had the edge on the boards, outrebounding the Broncos 47-40. Kissinger was the leading scorer and passer for Hastings with 22 points and eight assists to go along with four rebounds and four steals. Avila finished with 19 points, five rebounds, and four assists. Yates led the team with eight rebounds and had 17 points and three assists.

Miller contributed 16 points off the bench, 14 of those coming in the second half. Bryant ended with 12 points and four rebounds, while Bose was also in double-figures with 11 points and four assists.

Up next, Hastings will have 10 days off until their conference opener at home on Saturday, Nov. 15 against Dakota Wesleyan at 2pm.