DODGE CITY – The Otis-Bison Cougars enjoyed a perfect start for the second consecutive postseason basketball game with a 12-0 lead. The rest of the game didn’t go so well for the Cougars.
Kiowa South Barber outscored the Cougars by 21 points for a 51-42 victory Wednesday after a sluggish start in the 1A-Division 2 state basketball tournament.
Cole Coggins led South Barber (17-5) with 20 points and Gugelmeier added 14 points. Otis-Bison (12-11) was paced by Anton Foust (15) and Maitland Wiltse (12).
“It was a game of runs. When we were moving the basketball, things were going great,” said Otis-Bison coach Curtis Little. “We had some really good stretches.”
The Chieftains converted perimeter shots and slowed the Cougars’ offense.
“The key was they made mid-range shots, which we want the other team to shoot,” Little said. “We had some offensive lapses we were unable to overcome. We made a nice rally at the end.”
The Cougars started on fire as Wiltse, Clade Anderson, Blake Bahr and Foust scored for a shocking 12-0 lead behind perfect defense. The Cougars led their substate championship 14-0 Saturday night.
The Chieftains delivered a turnaround with a stunning 28-5 scoring run for a 28-17 lead. Cole Coggins sparked a 9-0 run to start the second half with two baskets followed by baskets by Gugelmeier and Cantrell.
South Barber outscored the Cougars 33-11 in the second and third quarters as Otis-Bison converted 5 of 18 shots with six turnovers.
South Barber continued to build their lead until the Chieftains led 49-34. Foust scored and Seth Hoopingarner delivered dazzling back-to-back to slice the lead to 49-40. Assist leader Wiltse fed Anderson for a 49-42 margin. But the Cougars’ rally sputtered with back-to-back turnovers.

Otis-Bison 12 5 6 19 – 42
So. Barber 4 15 18 14 – 51
OTIS-BISON (12-11)—Foust 7-10 0-1 15, Wiltse 6-15 0-0 12, Anderson 4-9 1-2 9, Bahr 1-7 0-0 2, Higgason 0-1 0-0 0, Hoopingarner 2-4 0-0 4, Totals 20-46 1-3 42.
SO. BARBER (17-5)—Cole Coggins 8-14 4-4 20, Gugelmeier 4-7 5-7 14, Cantrell 3-5 2-2 9, Rathgeber 2-2 0-0 4, Carey 2-9 0-0 4, Totals 19-41 11-13 51.

1A DIV. 2—DODGE CITY BOYS
FRIDAY’S SEMIFINALS

4:45 p.m.—Northern Valley 22-1 vs. So. Barber 17-5 
8:15 p.m.—McPherson Elyria 20-2 vs. Wallace Co. 12-11

WEDNESDAY
Northern Valley 63, Waverly 22
South Barber 51, Otis-Bison 42 
McPherson Elyria 53, Axtell 42
Wallace Co. 58, Moscow 54