Picture courtesy of Tanner Colvin
Salina South’s boys could have made it easier on themselves, but then that is seldom the case when the Cougars and Salina Central get together.
“Free throws, free throws, free throws,” South coach Jason Hooper said with a smile after free-throw woes nearly cost the Cougars a late lead Friday in their Salina Invitational Tournament semifinal against Central at Kansas Wesleyan’s Mabee Arena. “We’ve struggled for a few games now.”
Head coach Jason Hooper after SIT win over Central
Fortunately for South, which missed five of six its first six foul shots in the final two minutes, senior forward Sawyer Walker came to the rescue with four straight makes over the last 5.3 seconds to help the Cougars escape with a 58-53 victory.
In knocking off Central for the second time this season, South improved to 10-4 and advanced to Monday’s 7:30 p.m. championship against Great Bend (7-5) at Mabee Arena. Central, which fell to 7-7, plays Buhler (8-5) for third place at 4:30.
While the Cougars made just 9 of 20 free throws in the game, Walker was 5-for-6 from the line, all in the fourth quarter.
“I loved it,” Walker said of his clutch free throws. “I put in the work in the offseason and just every day in general, so it feels good.
“And I feel confident stepping to the line in those situations for sure. Put me there every time.”
South senior Sawyer Walker
South center Gavin DeVoe, who had an uncharacteristic tough day at the line, was glad to see Walker rise to the occasion.
“That was huge for us,” said DeVoe, who tied Walker for team scoring honors with 18 points but was 2 of 6 from the line. “I’m really grateful for Sawyer that he hit those shots when we needed them.”
South senior Gavin DeVoe
South never trailed in the second half but led just 41-39 after three quarters before seemingly taking control with a seven-point run to start the fourth. They still had a seven-point advantage when Easton Wilcox drained a 3-pointer with 2:35 left, only to see Central chip away down the stretch.
“We knew it was going to be a dogfight,” DeVoe said of facing a Central team that the Cougars edged, 59-55, on Dec. 12 in the same building, ending a five-game losing streak against the Mustangs. “It’s always a fun game, even if it’s at 3:30.”
Game times were moved up four hours Friday because of winter weather concerns, and Saturday’s final round was postponed until Monday.
That actually is good news for South, which was without starters DeVoe and Kobie Henley in a lopsided loss last Friday Maize South. DeVoe was back in the lineup Thursday for the top-seeded Cougars’ 64-53 first-round victory over Wichita South, and Henley returned for the first time against Central and contributed two points and three rebounds off the bench.
“It’s huge,” Hooper said of the two extra days of rest. “We’ve been battling sickness all week and last week, and so we’re finally getting our guys healthy.”
South, which came back from an early 14-point deficit against Wichita South, never trailed Central by more than two, but there were five lead changes in the first half.
In addition to Walker and DeVoe, the Cougars got 11 points from Wilcox, who like Walker made three 3-pointers. South shot 52.5% overall from the floor and was 7 of 14 from 3-point range.
For Central, which shot 47.8% and made 6 of 11 3-point attempts, Kaeden Nienke scored 15 points, Grant Ostmeyer 14, Greyson Jones 11, and Eli Kreighbaum 10. Noah Peck did not score but grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.
DeVoe had eight rebounds and Walker seven for South, which had a narrow 29-27 advantage on the boards.
The Central game was the first of two season rematches for South in the tournament. The Cougars edged Great Bend, 61-59, in overtime on Jan. 6.
“Great Bend is a good team, too,” DeVoe said of the Panthers, who beat Andover, 61-45, in last year’s SIT championship game. “We went into overtime with them, but honestly we didn’t play our strongest game.”
“But we’re going to be ready for them and we know it’s going to be a physical game, too.”
For the senior-dominated Cougars, it is their first time in the finals since they won the 2021 championship.
“We talk about that 2021 team a lot, because there’s a lot of similarities between them and these guys, the last time we won it,” Hooper said. “Unfortunately for that 2021 group, there weren’t many people there to witness that game because it was that COVID year, and it was just parents, I think, in the crowd and the two teams.”
“It’s exciting that we’ll have an opportunity to win one, and hopefully the gym is packed. It’s going to be a Monday night, and I’m looking forward to the atmosphere.”
SALINA INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT
Note: The final round, originally scheduled for Saturday, was moved back to Monday because of winter storm advisories.
BOYS SCHEDULE AND RESULTS
Thursday’s first round
At Salina Central
Buhler 63, Abilene 47
Salina Central 61, De Soto 57
At Salina South
Great Bend 54, Wamego 28
Salina South 64, Wichita South 53
Friday’s games
At Kansas Wesleyan
Semifinals
Great Bend 58, Buhler 49
Salina South 58, Salina Central 53
At Salina South
Consolation bracket
Wamego 57, Abilene 43
De Soto 59, Wichita South 57
Monday’s games
At Kansas Wesleyan
Third place
Salina Central (7-7) vs. Buhler (8-5), 4:30 a.m.
Championship
Salina South (10-4) vs. Great Bend (8-6), 7:30 p.m.
At Salina South
Seventh place
Wichita South (1-10) vs. Abilene (2-10), 4:30 a.m.
Fifth place
De Soto (5-6) vs. Wamego (4-10), 7:30 p.m.
GIRLS SCHEDULE AND RESULTS
Thursday’s first round
At Salina Central
Wamego 58, Junction City 20
Salina Central 56, Buhler 24
At Salina South
Wichita East 76, Abilene 23
Salina 54, Great Bend 48
Friday’s games
At Kansas Wesleyan
Semifinals
Wichita East 59, Salina South 22
Wamego 43, Salina Central 34
At Salina South
Consolation bracket
Great Bend 60, Abilene 36
Buhler 46, Junction City 39
Monday’s games
At Kansas Wesleyan
Third place
Salina Central (7-7) vs. Salina South (10-4), 3 p.m.
Championship
Wamego (13-1) vs. Wichita East (10-3), 6 p.m.
At Salina South
Seventh place
Junction City (1-10) vs. Abilene (3-9), 3 p.m.
Fifth place
Buhler (6-7) vs. Great Bend (3-9), 6 p.m.
