By TYLER HENRY
Salina Post contributor
The Southeast of Saline boys basketball team will return home on the hunt for a fifth straight win as they prepare to host the 0-15 Chapman Fighting Irish.
The Trojans are fresh off their first sweep of rival Sacred Heart since 2007, but remain focused on their ultimate goal.
“We want to win a sub-state championship and give ourselves a chance in Hutch,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “It’s nice to beat rivals and to have a good record but our goals are bigger than that and once you get there anything can happen.”
Southeast’s next task will be to take down a Chapman squad that much like last season, has fallen victim to the Covid-19 pandemic, losing a number of key players to quarantine throughout the season.
While the Irish only suited up nine players during their midseason tournament, Chapman is finally back at full strength and has kept things interesting recently.
“We’re a young team and we’re taking our lumps right now,” Irish head coach Drew Gruver said. “We’re finally fully healthy and we’ve had our chances in the last few games.”
At this point in the season, many teams would be frustrated with not seeing the results, but the Irish remain willing to continue to grow, trusting that the wins will follow.
“They come to work every day and they have a good attitude,” Gruver said. “We’re improving and they keep fighting. When you’re 0-14 sometimes the attitude can go south but that hasn’t happened here.”
Despite the struggles of Chapman this season, the Trojans will need to remain vigilant in order to capture the first five-game winning streak of their 11-3 season.
“We can’t come in thinking they’re going to hand it to us because teams don’t do that,” Flax said. “They’re going to compete and we have to stay locked into what we’re trying to accomplish.”
SES has done an excellent job of turning opponents over and finishing in transition and that will remain a key tonight against a Fighting Irish team that still struggles at times under pressure.
“Offensively we have to take care of the basketball and make our easy shots inside,” Gruver said. “We can’t let their pressure get to us and we have to shoot it with confidence from deep.”
Tip-off between the Trojans and Irish is set for 7 pm following the girl’s game at 6.
As always, both games can be heard on KINA (910 AM or 107.5 FM) courtesy of Eagle Radio.