By TYLER HENRY
Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post
On Friday night, the Salina South boys basketball team secured a three-game season sweep over their cross-town rivals, defeating Central 60-56 to punch their ticket to the sub-state championship game.
This was the epitome of a back-and-forth matchup, with double-digit lead changes, including seven lead shifts in the fourth quarter alone.
Things got off to an electric start, with all five members of both starting lineups scoring at least one field goal in a first quarter that saw Central grab the early 19-14 advantage.
In the second quarter, the Cougars turned up the heat defensively, opening the frame on a 13-4 run, and holding the Mustangs to just four field goals to reclaim a 31-28 advantage.
Out of the locker room, South looked poised to pull away, but Kaeden Nienke willed Central back in the game, scoring eight of the team's eleven third-quarter points to trim the lead to five.
A quick burst of Mustang offense tied the game at 48, setting off a run of lead changes, but as the final buzzer neared, South was able to put the game away on the glass and at the line.
Gavin DeVoe led the way for South, scoring 18 points, with support from Kobie Henley (14), Easton Wilcox (10), Jaxon Myers (8), and Sawyer Walker (8).
Nienke had another monster night but his 24 points weren’t enough despite solid efforts from Gannon Cole (11) and Grant Ostmeyer (8).
Central snaps their seven-game winning streak as the Mustang season comes to a close at 15-9.
For South, now 16-8, a tall task lies ahead as the Cougars travel to Wichita to battle the 1-seed in Kapaun Mt. Carmel on Friday night.
You can watch this game on-demand any time below.