By TYLER HENRY
Salina Post contributor
The Cougars and Mustangs boys basketball teams met three times in 2020-21, with Salina South winning all three contests including a 64-33 victory at sub-state that ended Centrals season.
The Mustangs will have a chance to take revenge on day one of the new year when they travel across town for a rare rivalry opener.
“As a coach, you want your team to be the best it can be and that starts by trying to be the best team in town,” Mustang head coach Ryan Modin said. “The players on both teams have a lot invested because most of them have grown up in Salina, played together for years, and know each other so well.”
Both teams graduated a great deal of talent, but the Cougars will be working with just one returning starter while the rest of the lineup learns on the job.
“It’s a little different to have one of these games right out of the gate,” Cougar head coach Jason Hooper said. “It will be an opportunity for both programs to learn a lot about their teams and to see how they handle adversity because these games always have stretches where things aren’t going well.”
Both teams have focused on themselves in the build-up to the season opener, and on preparing players who saw less time last year for the big night under the lights.
“Typically in your first game there are going to be mistakes that are made but we talk a lot with our guys about what their response to that has to be,” Hooper said. “If you hang your head you’re going to give up two or make another turnover so we do everything we can to prepare our kids for those moments.”
While many of the names on both sides of the rivalry will be different, Central took a number of things away from their 0-3 run against the Cougars last year which should play into how they approach this one.
“South always gets into full-court transition well,” Modin said. “If you don’t get back on defense and communicate, they’ll attack and get to the rim. In the past couple of years, they’ve caused us to turn it over when they’ve brought full-court pressure and started trapping our guards. We’ll have to handle the pressure and not turn it over.”
As for the Cougars, they will be searching for more success against their cross-town rival with their revamped squad.
“The keys to a season opener are usually the same no matter who you’re playing,” he said. “We have to take care of the basketball, value our possessions, and take good shots on the offensive side. We can’t let them have anything easy and we have to limit their looks on offense.”
Tip-off between the Cougars and Mustangs is set for 7 pm at South High school after the girl's game at 6:00.
For more on both teams throughout the season, stay tuned to the Salina Post.