HOISINGTON — The Otis-Bison High School boys' basketball team is making its second trip to the Class 1A Division-II state tournament in two years.

The Cougars beat Central Plains League foe Victoria 51-49 on Saturday to claim a sub-state championship.

Otis-Bison head coach Alan Clark said that it felt a little like last year's run that ended with the Cougars taking third place.

"It is, but mainly, I think it is we play a tough schedule," Clark said. "We are in a very tough league with St. John and Macksville and others. Once we start playing teams our own size, it seems like we're playing better. I think it's that the match ups are better."

Victoria's Corey Dinkel knotted the game at 39 with 10 seconds remaining.

"We called a timeout and drew up a play," Clark said. "Dylan Wissman had hyper-extended his knee earlier (in the game), so we put him in the wing and made it look like the play was going to him. He had been attacking the baseline all game.

"Instead, we had Trevor (Keller) attack the middle. They collapsed on him and left Patrick Piper open under the basket. Trevor did a great job dishing it out to him. Piper got the basket, but Keller made the play."

Piper scored the go-ahead bucket with a little more than a second remaining.

Keller led Otis-Bison with 11 points.

Piper, Wissman and Brandon Pechanec each added 10 points.

The Cougars face Greeley County on Wednesday at 8:15 p.m. at Fort Hays State University.