By TYLER HENRY
Salina Post contributor
The Southeast of Saline boys basketball team will play for the third-place trophy at noon in Hutch on Saturday against another tough opponent in Hays TMP.
The Trojans fell to the top-seed in the bracket in Royal Valley 60-52 yesterday while the Monarchs dropped their semifinal game to #2 Hesston 45-36.
At 21 wins, this year’s Southeast squad has an opportunity to surpass or equal watermarks set by some of the best teams in school history with a win this afternoon.
“Yesterday didn’t go the way that we wanted but I thought our guys battled and never gave up,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “We want to end our year on a high note and be a part of history at Southeast with one of the highest finishes and most wins in a season and those are things we’re still locked in for.”
The Trojans will have to lock in mentally for one of the toughest games to play in each year after having their state title hopes spoiled less than 24 hours ago.
“These games usually go one of two ways if one of the teams is flat and feeling sorry for themselves,” Flax said. “The tougher team typically sets the tone and we need to be locked in and make sure that that’s us.”
The Monarchs have been a tough beat this season, utilizing a deep, talented roster to outscore their opponents at all three levels amidst a loaded schedule.
“They get the ball up the floor quickly,” he said. “They have guards that can shoot it and they have a physical big who can get up and down the floor. They guard well and they’re a complete team.”
SES will have to be wary of a team that in many ways mirrors the Trojans in terms of their depth, size, and athleticism.
“They move the ball really well and at any time somebody new can hurt you,” Flax said. “There are some similarities to our team with that and we’ll have to make sure we respect everyone on the floor. We have to know their personnel which can be tough on a quick turnaround like this.”
For Southeast, this game represents an opportunity to finish the work that the Trojans started back in November, to break the all-time record for wins in a season, and to equal the best finish by an SES team at state.
“I want to see us come out and compete,” Flax said. “Every night I want people who don’t know our guys who come to see us to say ‘man those kids get after it,’ and I think for the most part this season that’s what we’ve done. Our guys have been selling out for each other and I want to see that for one more night here.”
Tip-off between the Trojans and Monarchs is set for noon on Saturday at the Sports Arena and as always, the game can be heard on KINA (910 AM or 107.5 FM) courtesy of Eagle Radio and Bennington State Bank.