GIRLS FINAL:
EISENHOWER 36
SALINA SOUTH 32
Having last played on Monday in the final round of the Salina Invitational Tournament, the Lady Cougars were eager to get back on the court against an opponent that put them to the test. Execution on both sides of the ball was paramount against a Tigers squad that boasted scoring tandem that has given teams problems all season.
Eisenhower’s best shooter made her presence known early. Sophomore Mallori Rose scored an early eight points and helped the Tigers gain a 12-7 advantage after the first quarter.
South stepped up on both ends in the second quarter to close the gap and only trail 18-15 at halftime.
Throughout the night, defensive intensity never wavered for the Lady Cougars. The starting backcourt embodied the physicality of the game, as Brooklyn Jordan and Kyla Hamel dove for numerous loose balls and took fouls after steals which halted a lot of Eisenhower’s momentum.
While that defensive intensity never wavered, South struggled to score consistently in the half court. Eisenhower switched between man and zone defensive looks throughout the game, the zone was especially tricky.
South was hesitant to shoot too many 3-pointers against the Tigers zone and continued to force the ball inside, but to no avail. Paityn Fritz was able to establish herself inside, but mostly on follow shots and trips to the free throw line.
Late in the fourth, South trailed by nine, needing to go on a run. An 8-0 scoring burst ensued. The Lady Cougars had multiple looks from beyond the arch that would’ve tied or taken the lead but they missed and Eisenhower made enough free throws late to secure the victory.
The Lady Cougars will look to snap their 3-game losing streak on Tuesday at Campus.
BOYS FINAL:
SALINA SOUTH 55
EISENHOWER 50
Riding high off an SIT championship, the South Cougars were determined to extend their win streak to four games. From the jump, Eisenhower showed that South would have to earn their twelfth win of the season.
In fact, the Cougars trailed after the first quarter, 17-15. In the second, the Cougars discovered their best matchup of the night, Gavin DeVoe against whoever the Tigers decided to throw at him.
Fresh off being named tournament MVP, DeVoe showed no signs of slowing down. With his confidence at an all-time high, DeVoe made the most of his looks inside. Jump hooks off the right shoulder and the left, while collecting rebound after rebound. Once the first half was concluded, he helped South lead 30-26.
From there, the Cougars kept Eisenhower at bay. South steadily grew the lead until it reached as many as 12 in the fourth quarter.
At times, the Cougars have been plagued by free throw struggles this season, but Friday night saw Jaxon Myers hit 6-8 including several in the clutch to keep South ahead by two possessions.
South was led by DeVoe with 23 points, Sawyer Walker with nine, Jaxon Myers and Kobie Henley with eight and Easton Wilcox with seven.
The Cougars improved to 12-4 and will look to keep it rolling against Campus on Tuesday.
