'Stangs come up short against powerful Buffs

By Neil H. Devlin, Mullen Sports Information Director
Diasselliss, J. Leslie help keep Mullen within range; team is 5-6 overall, 1-2 in the Centennial League; Overland is next, on Saturday.
 
AURORA – Mullen turned in a big effort on Thursday night, but it wasn’t quite enough.

The Mustangs were on the short end of a 63-58 Centennial League matchup against the Buffaloes, ranked No. 6 in Class 5A.

Mullen dropped to 5-6 overall, 1-2 in league. Smoky Hill is 8-4, 3-0.

Mustangs head coach Bo Caton called the Buffs “a good team,” and said he was thrilled “that our kids battled back.”

Even with senior Micah Leslie sidelined after being in an automobile accident, Caton said “the kids followed the game plan and just kept it close … a couple of shots didn’t go in, we made a couple of misplays, but we kept battling.

“It was a great effort, a great effort. They executed the game plan and that’s all you can ask.”

Jack Diasselliss led Mullen with 15 points, all on 3-pointers. Sophomore Jordan Leslie added 14, and Josh Lopez and Callen Smith each added a dozen.

“We’re right there,” Caton said. “We can play with anybody, but we have to play really good to be able to do that. It was a good game.”

Next for Mullen is a home game at Hutchison Fieldhouse against Overland in league on Saturday, Jan. 15, tip-off at 4 p.m.
 
SMOKY HILL 63, MULLEN 58

Mullen  12  9  15  22  --  58

Smoky Hill 15  7  19  22 --  63

Mullen  --  J. Leslie 7 0-1 14, Lopez 5 1-3 12, Heffern 1 0-0 2, Smith 5 2-3 12, Diasselliss 5 0-0 15, Lay 1 1-2 3, Roth 0 0-0 0, Jerez 0 0-0 0. Totals 24 4-9 58.

Smoky Hill – Mitchell 6 3-4 17, Maldonado 6 1-2 14, Potts 4 1-2 10, Gasaway 4 5-5 13, Harris 3 3-6 9, Sylla 0 0-0 0, Contreras 0 0-0 0, Bower 0 0-0 0, Lewis 0 0-0 0. Totals 23 13-19 63.

3-pt. goals – Diasselliss 5, Lopez; Mitchell 2, Maldonado, Potts.
 
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