By TYLER HENRY
Salina Post contributor
The Salina Central girls basketball team will have a lot to look forward to in 2021-22, entering the season as the third-ranked team in Class 5A.
The Lady Mustangs are led by head coach Chris Fear who enters his sixth season at the helm, fresh off a very successful 19-5 campaign.
Central will return almost everyone from last years team, including a starting five anchored by two NCAA DI signees.
When the Mustangs take the floor on Friday, fans can expect to see a familiar lineup that should look something like this.
PG- MyKayla Cunningham (Jr)
SG- Aubrie Kierscht- (Sr)
SF- Landry Stewart- (Sr)
PF- Hampton Williams (Sr)
C- Chaliscia Samilton- (Sr)
Central will also get big minutes off the bench from a trio of sophomores in Callan Hall, Tyler Vidricksen, and Azbey Peckham.
Ahead of the season opener, we had a chance to speak with Coach Fear and get his thoughts on his team heading into the new year.
Q: Overall, what was your takeaway from a good 2020-21 campaign
A: “I really thought that we matured as the year went along. We were always a talented group but at times we were really young with just one senior so it was a team that needed to take that next step and I think we did that as the season went along.”
Q: How good does it feel to be back to a relatively normal season?
A: “When you get back into it you almost forget about some of what happened at the beginning of last year when you couldn’t have any fans and weren’t even doing jump balls. We slowly eased our way back in last year but it’s great to truly be back to a regular season.”
Q: Overall what would you say is this team’s biggest strength
A: “I think our experience is one of our biggest strengths but at the end of the day you have to have talent. We have a very talented team and they’re a group that’s played together quite a bit. I think those are great things to have as we continue to grow and get better every day.”
Q: Any question marks to iron out as we approach the new season?
A: “We certainly have some questions to sort out for ourselves. We’re not a big physical basketball team but I think we’re a pretty skilled group and we’ve got some length and athleticism. We also don’t have a lot of depth at the post so those are some things we’ll have to work through.”
Q: What are the goals that this team has set for themselves this season?
A: “We got to the state semifinal last year and ended up not being able to finish a game where we had a big lead. We would like to take another step forward this year but I think for us the key thing is to enjoy the process of the season. We don’t want to fast forward to any big moments and we have to continue to get better each and every day.”
The Mustangs will tip off their season at Salina South on December third with a chance to make an early statement against their cross-town rival.
For more on Salina Central hoops in 2021-22 stay tuned to the Salina Post.