By TYLER HENRY
Salina Post contributor
The Southeast of Saline boys basketball team won an instant classic with third-ranked Abilene tonight, defeating the Cowboys in the closing minute by a final score of 53-51.
SES stunned their 4A opponent out of the gate and took a 27-22 lead into halftime, but the Cowboys regrouped, caught up, and proceeded to build a 10-point lead to take with them into the final quarter.
On several occasions, the Trojans cut the lead to four but could come no closer until a dramatic finish in the final minute.
With just 30 seconds left to play, Luke Gebhardt knocked down a huge three to cut the lead to one for the first time in the fourth quarter.
Gebhardt proceeded to shift back into free safety mode and on the following Abilene possession, picked off the inbound pass and pushed the ball up the floor to Eli Sawyers, who layed it in to give the Trojans the lead.
“The fourth quarter was showtime for Luke,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “You rely on guys like him to make plays and he delivered. We didn’t call anything special he just started making some big plays.”
An offensive foul sent Luke the other way and the junior knocked down one of his two free throws before an Abilene airball on the potential game-winner sealed the deal for the Trojans.
“We started giving up offensive rebounds in the third quarter but we battled all night and in the fourth quarter we tightened up and did some really good things.” Flax said.
While Luke Gebhardt was the hero of the fourth quarter, scoring nine of his 15 points, he was joined in double digits by a deadly duo in the paint.
For the first time this season Nakari Morrical-Palmer led the way in scoring with a phenomenal 17-points while Eli Sawyers added 15 more in a physical contest.
“Nakari didn’t feed into the chirpiness but it definitely motivated him a little bit and he was good all night,” Flax said. “We didn’t play very many guys but the guys we did play were really gritty and this was a good team win.”
The Trojans, already ranked #10 in Class 3A have won their third straight game and advance to 3-1 while #3 Abilene of Class 4A falls to that same mark.
SES will be back in action on Friday when the team returns home to take on the #2 team in Class 3A in the 5-0 Hillsboro Trojans.
To watch the full stream of tonight's game, provided by Eagle Radio and the Salina Post, check out the link here.