By TYLER HENRY
Salina Post contributor
With just two regular-season games to go before the sub-state tournament, the Southeast of Saline girl’s basketball team will look to finish their business in league, beginning with a Tuesday tilt in Ellsworth.
The Lady Trojans come into this contest at 16-2 and 7-1 in NCAA play while the Bearcats enter at 10-7 and 5-3, clinging to their last hope at securing a share of this year’s league title.
With a win today, Southeast can dash those hopes and earn themselves a piece of the pie, but in order to do that they must overcome tired legs after playing 32 minutes with Ellinwood on Monday night.
“Fatigue plays a big role in a late-season back-to-back like this but these kinds of games also prepare us for the postseason,” SES head coach Shauna Smith said. “We’ve played in these kinds of games before and playing through that is good for us.”
While the chase for a third-straight league title takes center stage in the community, the Lady Trojan focus remains on bigger goals ahead, and SES will approach this matchup just like any other.
“We’re really just looking to go take care of our business,” Smith said. “We talked about league before the Minneapolis game but we haven’t discussed it much since then.”
In their first battle with the Lady Bearcats, Southeast won in convincing 48-32 fashion as part of an eight-game winning streak that the Lady Trojans will carry into this game.
Much of that success recently has come as SES has found a new gear offensively, scoring 50 or more in each of their last three games after doing so in just three of the team's first 14 matchups.
“We’re finally back to making some threes and that’s a big part of our game,” she said. “We were only getting 3-4 after Christmas but we’re back up to six or so and we’re moving the ball a lot better. We’ve done a good job of being more patient and not just taking the first open shot we get.”
To sweep the season series with Ellsworth, the Lady Trojans will once again have to contend with the Bearcat's size, but after having opponent after opponent throw posts at them all year, that size disadvantage is no longer reflected in how SES plays.
“Our maturity stood out in the first game with Ellsworth,” Smith said. “They’re a very good team this year but they’re young at the guard spot so we have to force them to make plays and keep them uncomfortable. They outmatch us inside with size but we know how to defend that.”
Tip-off between the Lady Trojans and Bearcats is scheduled for 6:00 at Ellsworth High School, with the boys’ game to follow at 7:30.
Both games can be heard on KINA (910 AM or 107.5 FM) or streamed with live audio and video on the Salina Post.