By TYLER HENRY
Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post
One of the best rivalries in the state of Kansas takes center stage on the hardwood tonight Salina South and Salina Central meet for a Mayor’s Cup showdown.
While another meeting in the Salina Invitational Tournament could take place later this winter, this is the only meeting on the books between the two, and will be held at a neutral site at Mabee Arena (Kansas Wesleyan University).
Girls Game: Salina South (2-0) vs. Salina Central (1-1)
While Salina Central has dominated this rivalry as of late, winning each of the last five contests, Salina South has looked good off the line, and will enter tonight without a blemish on their resume.
“They’re off to a good start and that win at Eisenhower was a good one for them,” Central head coach Chris Fear said. “They want to get into you with some pressure and they have some athletic guards but Fritz is really the difference maker for them in the post. We’ll have to find a way to defend her and it’s a challenge we’ll have to overcome.”
While Paityn Fritz can wreak havoc underneath in the paint, she will be challenged in her own way to handle the speed and chaos created by Salina Central’s press, and speedy guards.
“This year’s Central team plays five out and they cut to the rim well so we’ll really have to do a good job with our fundamental defense and our positioning off the ball,” South head coach Justin Ebert said. “Defensively they really pressure the ball in the full court and it forces our girls to take care of the ball for 94 feet. We have players we think are up for the challenge and hopefully, we’re ready to handle that stress.”
Tip-off between the Lady Cougars and Mustangs is set for 6:00 at Mabee Arena tonight.
Boys Game: Salina South (0-2) vs. Salina Central (0-2)
On the boy’s side, much like last year, this matchup will feature two teams eager to find their footing early in the season.
While the Cougars have won four of the last five meetings, the most recent victory belongs to the Mustangs, who took home a convincing 57-36 win in this matchup a year ago.
While many of the names involved in this matchup will remain the same, this will be the introduction to the rivalry for first-year Central head coach Billy Graf, who will have an excellent opportunity to test his new system on Friday night.
“Offensively they seem to be settling into more of a flex identity and they do a little more read and react offensively creating some dribble drive looks,” Cougar head coach Jason Hooper said. “They also have a lot of new faces and guys getting opportunities to play.”
In order to pull out their first win tonight, Central will need to find ways to plug the lane and prevent the Cougars from getting out on the run.
“Salina South gets after it and they play hard, we’re going to have our hands full,” Graf said. “We’re going to have to cut down on their penetration and keep the ball out of the lane. We’ve struggled a bit with our transition defense, that will be a big key for us as well.”
To do the same on their side and reclaim the momentum in the rivalry, Salina South will need to find an answer for Kaden Snyder, and force the Mustangs to do their damage from the perimeter.
“The Snyder kid poses a mismatch in the paint and we can’t let him catch in positions where he can bully his way to the basket,” Hooper said. “The environment will also play a role in this game and we have to keep our kids focused on what’s important and not let the emotion of the atmosphere get in the way of what we’re trying to do.”
The second matchup of our doubleheader will begin 15 minutes after the conclusion of the girl's game at Mabee.
Broadcast Information
- Location: Mabee Arena (Kansas Wesleyan University)
- Live Stream: Salina Post (Link Below)
- Pregame: 5:40 PM