By TYLER HENRY
Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post
Despite facing a 2-4 start and long odds both at sub-state and state, the Southeast of Saline boy’s basketball team has reached the final four of this year’s 3A state tournament and will look to reach untread ground in tonight’s semifinal.
The Trojans held on for dear life to eliminate #2 Cheney 54-51 on Wednesday, solidifying to the few remaining doubters that Southeast belongs in the upper echelon of Class 3A.
“Defensively I thought we were really good,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “Cheney is a great offensive team and they finish tough shots downhill and can shoot from the perimeter. We wanted to make sure they didn’t get any threes in rhythm and I thought we did a good job of limiting those kinds of shots and competing on the glass.”
Now, the Trojans will turn their attention to 3rd-ranked Goodland, looking to hunt down their third top-five foe in the span of a week.
“Goodland is exceptionally good,” Flax said. “They beat a good Hays High team, they fell by just ten to Olathe North, they played Hugoton to overtime and they are as advertised. They can really shoot the basketball and they’ve got a kid who’s a power five type in football and showcases that athleticism on the court. They’re really well coached, they get out and defend and this should be a good matchup.”
While Southeast will once again find themselves playing the role of underdogs, this Trojan outfit looks more like that of an esteemed hunter, than that of Cinderella.
None of this success happened overnight, but the Trojans have been playing their best basketball down the stretch as several individuals have found the best versions of themselves on the floor.
“There have been a handful of guys that have really stepped up for us,” Flax said. “It all starts with Gannon Jacobson who’s been very aggressive offensively and he’s knocking down shots from all three levels. Danny Kejrs numbers don’t wow you but he’s been the leader of our defense and he’s running the show and getting others involved and picking his spots to go and get his.”
He continued.
“Brenton Leeds has really been on a different level in the postseason, he’s been dominating the boards averaging over 10 rebounds a game. He’s contesting a lot of shots and he plays with such a high motor that he gives himself opportunities around the rim. Omar Calzada has also provided us with really good minutes off the bench, he was phenomenal in that Hesston game and he did some really great things in the Cheney game as well.
It’s taken everyone on Southeast’s roster playing at their best to get this far, and it will take everyone doing the same to take down Goodland tonight, but the Trojans are a team with no fear, no quit, and no expectations heaped upon them, which in March, can be a dangerous thing.
“We can’t let them get comfortable on the perimeter,” he said. “We have to make them do things offensively that they’re not comfortable doing and we have to take away their catch and shoot threes. This time of year you can’t turn the ball over and you can’t give teams extra opportunities on the offensive glass.”
Tip-off between the Trojans and Cowboys is scheduled for 6:00 at the Hutchinson Sports Arena and as always, coverage of SES hoops can be heard on KINA locally on 910 AM/107.5 FM or online at 910KINA.com.