By ADAM COULTER
Salina Post Contributor
The Sacred Heart boys and girls welcomed Clifton-Clyde to Salina Friday night to begin the new basketball season. With several new faces, the Lady Knights fell by a score of 51-38 while the boys won their game 60-49.
In the opener, the Knights and Eagles were tied three times in the opening quarter with neither team getting a significant lead. Although, with the score 9-9, Clifton-Clyde scored the next four points and would remain ahead from that point forward.
With the Lady Knights down 13-10 to start the second quarter, they were held to only five additional points before halftime as the Lady Eagles led 28-15 at the intermission.
Sacred Heart (0-1, 0-0) was looking up at a 40-24 deficit after three quarters, but after being down by as many as 18 points, they were able to close the gap to as few as eight early in the final period.
Clifton-Clyde (1-0, 0-0) answered that run and went on for a 13-point win on the road. Skylar Douglas led the Lady Knights with 21 points.
The boys game followed with Sacred Heart having lost all five starters from one season ago. Despite that, the Knights and Eagles had a back-and-forth first quarter with Clifton-Clyde on top 10-8.
The second quarter was also close as the Knights scored the final four points before halftime to take a 20-17 lead. To that point, neither team led by more than two possessions.
Sacred Heart (1-0, 0-0) extended its advantage to start the third quarter and would be on top for the remainder of the game. The Knights exploded for 23 points in the period and built a 43-26 cushion heading into the final frame.
Clifton-Clyde (0-1, 0-0) matched that run with one of its own in the final quarter. Trailing by as many as 20 points, it was the Eagles' Jack Skocny trying to claw his team back into the game by scoring every one of their 23 fourth-quarter points.
The Eagles were within eight, but that was as close as they got as the Knights held on for an 11-point opening-night win. Will Tuttle led Sacred Heart with 16 points.
The Sacred Heart boys and girls will now turn their attention to Chapman and the Irish Classic next week. The Knights face the Irish Tuesday night to begin the round-robin tournament.
Tipoff for the girls game is set for 6pm with the boys to follow. Audio and video of the games will be streamed online at salinapost.com.