The Smoky Hill Buffaloes didn’t have the size and, at times, even the speed of Mullen in Wednesday’s Class 5A Centennial League showdown.
Somehow that didn’t matter. What the Buffaloes did have were five guys playing on the same page.
The seventh-ranked Buffaloes drilled eight 3-pointers, had four players score in double figures and survived a wild fourth quarter for a 71-69 upset of the top-ranked Mustangs, snapping their 12-game winning streak.
The Buffaloes did a good job denying the ball to Mullen’s big men inside and forced the Mustangs into 16 turnovers for what coach Ken Shaw called his team’s most complete victory this season.
“We overcame a lot of adversity,” said Buffaloes guard Will Figures, who scored a team- high 19 points. “I think we just stuck together the whole game. I think everyone believed in everyone on the team.”
That belief came in handy for Sam Huebner, who was sent to the free-throw line with 9.1 seconds remaining with the score 69-69. Huebner, who finished with 13 points and eight rebounds, made both foul shots.
“I’ve been in that situation before,” he said. “You got to do them how you do them in practice. You can’t change your shot. You got to keep it the same, no matter what situation.”
Smoky Hill (14-2, 6-1 in league) won its fourth straight and forged a three-way tie atop the Centennial League with the Mustangs and Cherry Creek.
Kevin Daugherty and Scott May each scored 14 as the Buffaloes took the lead for good late in the second quarter.
Smoky Hill led 63-52 on Cel Perry’s basket early in the fourth quarter before the Mustangs rallied.
Mullen (14-2, 6-1), which lost for the first time to an in-state opponent, clawed back in the fourth quarter behind 11 points from Robby Hanzlik, who tied the game 69-69 with 51 seconds remaining.
After Huebner’s free throws, the Mustangs worked Hanzlik free for the potential game-winning 3-pointer but it fell short at the buzzer.
Hanzlik led the Mustangs with 18 points, guard Devin Aguilar had 17 and 7-foot center Ray Hall had 15 points and 10 rebounds despite not taking a shot in the fourth quarter.
“I thought we got kind out of our style of play and tried to play their game,” Mullen coach Porter Cutrell said. “We chose poorly. We do that sometimes.”
Smoky Hill 16 21 18 16 – 71
Mullen 21 13 14 21 – 69
Smoky Hill – Figures 6 5-8 19, May 6 0-1 14, Daugherty 5 1-2 14, Cassaday 1 2-5 5, Huebner 3 7-8 13, Perry 3 0-0 6, Natt 0 0-0 0. Totals 24 15-24 71.
Mullen – Aguilar 8 0-0 17, Allen 1 0-0 2, Ward 4 2-2 10, Theret 2 0-0 5, Shaw 0 0-0 0, Hanzlik 3 10-10 18, Elges 0 0-0 0, Gruber 0 0-0 0, Stathopulos 0 2-2 2, Hall 5 5-7 15. Totals 23 19-21 69.
3-pt. goals – Daugherty 3, Figures 2, May 2, Cassaday; Hanzlik 2, Aguilar, Theret. Total fouls – Smoky Hill 16, Mullen 22. Fouled out – Theret. Technicals – Ward; Smoky Hill bench.
