GIRLS FINAL:
SALINA SOUTH 54
GREAT BEND 48
The Salina South Lady Cougars were in action Thursday night in round one of the Salina Invitational Tournament as they took on the Great Bend Lady Panthers. The two teams saw each other just a few weeks ago when Salina South dominated Great Bend 47-18.
The first half was much closer than some might have expected, as Great Bend got off to a hot start, staying shot for shot with the Cougars. A 9-0 run to end the first quarter helped Salina South gain a 19-12 lead heading into the 2nd quarter. The second 8 minutes were very similar, with Great Bend doing just enough to keep themselves within striking distance. At the end of the first half, Salina South led, 29-19. Kyla Hamel led the way offensively with 12 first half points for the Lady Cougars, and Paityn Fritz had 8 points.
The Lady Cougars got off to a hot start in the 3rd quarter, scoring the quarters first 4 points and forcing back-to-back turnovers to get the second half started, but once again Great Bend responded quickly. At the end of 3rd it was Salina South still holding onto a 10-point lead. The final 8 minutes of the ballgame were impacted by Paityn Fritz and her ability to dominate the paint both offensively and defensively. Despite a late effort from Great Bend, Salina South was able to hold on to win by a final score of 54-48. Paityn Fritz finished with a team-high 23 points, followed by Kyla Hamel with 15.
The Lady Cougars will be in action Friday morning at 11am at Kansas Wesleyan University to face off against Wichita East in the semifinal of the championship bracket.
BOYS FINAL:
SALINA SOUTH 64
WICHITA SOUTH 53
The Salina South boys entered Thursday night as the #1 seed of the SIT but looked to get back on track after dropping 2 straight games. The Cougars finally had some of their key players back healthy, including senior Gavin Devoe. Wichita South entered as the #8 seed and looked to prove themselves early against Salina South.
The Wichita South Titans got off to a hot start, scoring the game’s first 8 points. The Cougars struggled to get going offensively in the first quarter, and the defense was slow to defend to start off the game. At the end of the 1st quarter, Wichita South led 19-9. Jamison Howard finished with 11 first quarter points for the Titans.
The 2nd quarter was a different story for Salina South as they flipped the switch on both sides of the ball. The Cougar offense settled in nicely with the help of Gavin Devoe and Easton Wilcox, both having success offensively. On the defensive side, it was on-ball pressure and physical rebounds that helped the Cougars get stops. Sawyer Walker hit from downtown at the buzzer to end the 1st half and tie the game at 30-30.
The 3rd quarter was one of the most exciting 3rd quarters you could hope for, as each team continued the back-and-forth affair. Neither team could miss a shot in the first four minutes of the quarter, and then both defenses were relentless in the final four minutes. At the end of the 3rd quarter, Salina South led 46-45. The one-point difference at the end of the quarter was due to technical free throws that the Cougars were able to knock down.
The 4th quarter was a similar result for both teams, as each squad continued to fight hard. Late in the 4th quarter with the game still tight, it was Jaxon Meyers and Easton Wilcox who came in clutch for Salina South, knocking down big time shots in crunch time. Despite trailing by as many as 14, the #1 seeded Salina South Cougars came out victorious 64-53.
The Cougars had four different players who scored in double figures, including Easton Wilcox (19), Gavin Devoe (15), Jaxon Meyers (14), and Sawyer Walker (11).
Salina South will be in action Friday at 3:30pm for a rematch with Salina Central at Kansas Wesleyan University in the semifinal of the championship bracket.
