HAYS — It was a rematch of the Class 1A Division-II state semifinal game from last year that left the Otis-Bison High School boys’ basketball team in the third-place game.
Otis-Bison overcame Hope on Friday night, winning 54-47 to advance to today’s championship game against Frankfort (21-5) at 6:15 p.m.
This is the best run in the postseason for the Cougars in school history, one-upping last year’s third-place finish.
Otis-Bison, the No. 5 seed, had arguably the toughest route to the state championship, defeating the defending state champions, Tribune-Greeley County, in the first round 63-51.
Hope was the No. 1 seed in the tournament.
Neither team led by more than four points until 3:30 remained in the fourth quarter. Otis-Bison got a lead with an 8-1 run and put the game away with free-throw shooting from senior guard Trevor Keller.
Keller led the Cougars with a game-high 18 points.
The Lions were led by Shilo Goracke, who finished with 17 points.
Check out Sunday’s Tribune for a complete game report, along with state championship coverage from Hays.

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
Class 1A Division-II
State tournament

At Hays
Gross Memorial Coliseum

BOYS

Semifinal

Friday

Otis-Bison 54, Hope 47
HOPE (21-4)
     Nathan Lorson 1-6 0-0 2, Landon Cook 2-12 0-0 6, Phillip Haslouer 5-6 3-5 13, Shilo Goracke 7-11 3-3 17, Dwight Davidson 3-9 1-3 7, Glenn Morgan 0-1 0-0 0, Trevor Hostetter 1-1 0-0 2, Jacob Boeschiling 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 19-47 7-11 47.
OTIS-BISON (18-7)
     Trevor Keller 5-11 6-9 18, Dylan Wissman 6-12 0-0 12, Zach Stejskal 2-4 0-0 5, Patrick Piper 2-4 2-3 6, Brandon Pechanec 4-7 1-2 9, Tyler Maier 2-3 0-0 4. Totals 21-41 9-14 54.
Hope          18  11   6  12  —  47
Otis-Bison 18   9  12  15  —  54
     Three-point goals — Hope 2-16 (Cook 2-11, Lorson 0-2, Goracke 0-2, Davidson 0-1); Otis-Bison 3-6 (Keller 2-4, Stejskal 1-1, Wissman 0-1). Rebounds — Hope 24 (Hasiouer 10); Otis-Bison 28 (Pechanec 8). Assists — Hope 9 (Lorson 6); Otis-Bison 7 (Wissman 4). Turnovers — Hope 7; Otis-Bison 7. Total fouls — Hope 13; Otis-Bison 11.