LA CROSSE — With 4.6 seconds remaining in a girls’ basketball game tied at 37, Macksville High School head coach Nathaniel Norman had a choice to make — call a timeout or let his team run the floor.
He chose the latter, and Melissa Espino hit a half-court shot to secure a 40-37 win over La Crosse on Tuesday night, boosting the Lady Mustangs to a 2-6 record on the season.
“We decided not to call a timeout and let their defense get set to press us, and she hit the shot,” Norman said. “She picked the right time to hit that shot.”
Espino finished with a team-leading 17 points.
Tara Bunker joined her in double figures with 11 points, and seven rebounds.
The Lady Mustangs are off until they host Pratt on Friday, Jan. 18.

Kinsley 49, Otis-Bison 33
OTIS — Otis-Bison just couldn’t shut down Kinsley’s Brittany Gleason.
Gleason scored 21 points, including 15 in the first half, to lead Kinsley to a victory on Tuesday night.
The Lady Cougars (2-7) were led by Annie Kraisinger, who finished with 11 points as Otis-Bison fell behind 14-5 after eight minutes.
Otis-Bison challenges La Crosse on the road on Friday night.

Central Plains 55,
Kiowa County 37
CLAFLIN — While Kiowa County had 10 girls score in the game, Central Plains got double figures from Jennifer Hitschmann and Reagan Phelan to lead the Lady Oilers to a win.
Hitschmann finished with 19 points, scoring 11 in the first half.
Phelan scored all of her 12 points in the second and third quarters. She went 4-for-4 from the free-throw line.
Central Plains (9-1) travels to Victoria on Friday night.

Cimarron 77, Larned 34
CIMARRON — Cimarron led 22-4 after eight minutes, and continued to add to its lead in throughout the victory over Larned.
Larned had 29 turnovers in the first half alone as it struggled to get things going on offense.
Bailey Schartz and Reagan Quick led the Lady Indians (2-6) with six points apiece.
Larned hosts St. John on Friday night.

BOYS
Central Plains 55,
Kiowa County 47
CLAFLIN — Central Plains doubled up Kiowa County in the second quarter, and made 11 of 18 free throws in the fourth to hold on.
Braeden Crites led three Oilers players in double figures with 19 points.
Layne Bieberle added 15 points, and Michael Ryan finished with 14.
The Oilers improve to 6-4 on the season.

Kinsley 54, Otis-Bison 53
OTIS — Tied at 40 heading into the final eight minutes, Kinsley was able to edge Otis-Bison down the stretch for one-point win.
Nathan Frame led Kinsley with a game-high 20 points.
The Cougars (3-6) were led by Kole Urban, who scored 16 points.

Macksville 47, La Crosse 33
LA CROSSE — It didn’t start pretty.
La Crosse led 4-2 after the first eight minutes, but Macksville was able to take a 14-6 lead into halftime on its way to a victory.
Adolfo Ibarra led the Mustangs (5-3) with 15 points and nine rebounds.
Tanner Tranbarger added 10 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.

                          — Kevin Price