By TYLER HENRY
Salina Post contributor
Following a first-round bye, the Solomon boys basketball team will begin their sub-state run with a home semifinal against Washington County.
The Gorillas enter this contest at 13-6 while the Tigers come in at 3-17 after pulling out a shock upset of the three-seed in Randolph-Blue Valley last week.
Solomon will need all hands on deck to ensure that they don’t become a victim of an upset themselves after falling to Bennington and Inman to close out their regular season.
“We played two very good teams and we felt as if we should've won those games but we didn't play 32 minutes of complete basketball,” Gorillas head coach Kyler Stein said. “Rebounding was our big concern in those games. We've made tweaks and minor adjustments to what we do offensively and I think we'll be ready to roll on Thursday night.”
Prior to the roadblock at the end of the season, the Solomon offense had been rolling, averaging over 60 points per night.
On the other side of the ball, the Gorillas will need to work well in transition against a Tigers team that runs its point guard position by committee.
“I think pressure defense is going to be key,” Stein said. “They lack a true PG and with our length and athleticism, I believe we have an advantage there.”
While Washington County lost 13 of their last 14 games, they won when it mattered most, and Solomon is not overlooking a potentially dangerous Tiger team on Thursday.
“They are a very scrappy team,” he said. “They played in a very competitive league that never gives them an off night. They are very well-coached on defense and they have a couple of shooters who can get hot at any moment.”
With ten long days in-between games, the start will be critical for the Gorillas as they look to shake off any rust and regain their rhythm following those two losses.
“I think the most important thing is to play with confidence,” Stein said. “We've put a lot more work in on the offensive side lately and have gotten a lot more movement and created better opportunities for our main guys to get looks and facilitate.”
For Solomon, the mission remains to reach the state tournament, something the battle-tested Gorillas have prepared for since day one of this season.
“We are still very determined and set on making an appearance at state,” he said. “We added tougher competition to our schedule to prepare for this and it's finally here. I'm excited and the guys are as well, I know that they don't want basketball to end this week.”
Tip-off between the Gorillas and Tigers is set for 6 pm with the winner advancing to the sub-state final to take on either 15-5 Clifton-Clyde or 6-15 Lincoln for a trip to state.
For continuing coverage of Solomon at sub-state, stay tuned to the Salina Post.