GIRLS’ FINAL:
SOUTH 38
VALLEY CENTER 31
The Lady Cougars entered Friday night 9-8 overall, coming off of two close losses. Salina South would be down one starter in Brylee Moss as she was unable to make the trip due to illness, as the Lady Cougars looked for the season sweep against Valley Center.
It was a slow start for both offenses in the first half with 13 total points scored in the first half between the two teams.
Salina South and Valley Center matched up similarly when it came to style of play on defense, two teams who pride themselves on exerting a relentless and suffocating defense for all four quarters.
The Lady Cougars struggled to get shots to fall in the first half and had some sloppy passing lead to more turnovers than we are used to seeing. But The defense for South kept them in it, as they trailed by just two at the half, 17-15.
The third quarter got off to a similar start for the South, the defense continued to play well but six minutes into the second half the offense had just 2 points to show for it.
The Lady Cougars offense started to find its footing towards the end of the third quarter and found themselves in a close contest heading into the fourth.
The fourth quarter was as exciting as it gets in high school basketball. Both teams went back and forth and Salina South managed to grab its first lead since early in the 1st with around three minutes to play.
A tough fought battle in the final minutes went the Cougars way, as senior guard Tamia Cheeks hit a go ahead three with 44 seconds left to put South up 34-31. After a big stop on defense junior Brooklyn Jordan would put the icing on the cake going 4 for 4 from the charity stripe in the final 20 seconds to secure the victory for Salina South, 38-31.
The Lady Cougars were led offensively by Tamia Cheeks with 12 points, followed by Paityn Fritz with 9 and Elle Barth with 8. Salina South improves to 10-8 on the season and have two games remaining in the regular season, both at home vs Derby and Hutchinson.
BOYS’ FINAL:
SOUTH 52
VALLEY CENTER 46
Salina South entered Friday night with some momentum as the team continued to get healthier coming off a big win against Andover Central. The Cougars entered 6-11 overall and looked to split the season series with Valley Center.
The Cougars got off to a perfect start with a 10-0 run right out of the gate before Valley Center burned a timeout to slow the momentum.
Sawyer Walker hit three times from behind the arc in the first quarter, as a team the Cougars went 4-5 from 3-point range helping take a 16-8 lead into the second.
The second quarter was loaded with more offense as the Cougars continued to shoot it well from behind the arc, led once again by Sawyer Walker.
Turnovers and second chance points let Valley Center back into the game and helped jumpstart their offense. Salina South led 30-24 heading into the break. Sawyer Walker led the Cougars with 18 first half points, going a staggering 6-6 from deep.
South remained with the lead for the entirety of the second half, but every time it looked like the Cougars were going to pull away, the Hornets would make a big play. After a big three in the final 30 seconds from Valley Center to cut the deficit down to three, it was time for the Cougars to protect the basketball and knock down their free throws. That is exactly what the Cougars did, Dakaree Small and Jaxon Myers both knocked down big free throws in crunch time and the South defense made a big stop in the final seconds to secure the win.
Salina South was led offensively by Sawyer Walker with 25 points and the Cougars as a team hit 10 times from behind the arc. The Cougars improved to 7-11 on the season and pick up their second straight win. Salina South will have two games remaining in the regular season as they head home to face Derby and Hutchinson.
