By TYLER HENRY
Salina Post contributor
After delivering a knockout blow to the #1 team in Class 3A on Thursday, the Southeast of Saline Lady Trojans will step back in the ring for another heavyweight bought with the #1 Sterling Black Bears.
SES squandered a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter to Hugoton and lost two of their veteran leaders to fouls, but buckled down and finished off the Eagles in overtime.
“I felt like we never panicked and that was so good to see especially with only one senior on the floor,” Trojan head coach Shauna Smith said. “We handled their pressure and we understood what we needed to do defensively.”
Southeast continues to build an impressive resume and with those key wins comes more and more offensive composure on the floor.
“I think getting a win like that definitely boosts our confidence,” Smith said. “Getting 61 points up helps us there as well. Everybody found a way to get involved and going in tonight and our girls really believe that we can win.”
At 11-0, Sterling presents their own set of challenges, pairing a deep roster of veterans with some of the most dynamic young playmakers in Class 2A off the bench.
“Everyone on this team can score so we’re going to have to guard hard tonight,” she said. “We have to limit their second-chance points, especially with their bigs inside.”
Sterling has outscored their 11 opponents so far by an average of 25 points per game, making them on paper, the best team the Lady Trojans have faced this season.
In addition to an offense that averages 60 points per contest, the Black Bears have held their opponents to around 35 a night, and like Hugoton work well in transition when they force turnovers.
“Sterling is super aggressive defensively,” Smith said. “They’ll jump passing lanes and they’re very quick and big inside. We have to take it to them and find ways to expose their posts with our faster lineup.”
In their 40-point opening round blowout of Hutch Trinity, the Black Bears had ten different players in the scoring column and just one in double figures with 11.
In the semi-final win over Scott City, Sterling was led by 22 points from Kali Briar, who was joined in double digits by Makenna Linden and Bennie Horsch.
To knock off their second #1 team in as many days, the SES defense will have to put together the best 40-minute effort of their entire season, but the team is aiming to stay loose heading into tip-off.
“We don’t have anything to lose out of this,” Smith said. “We’re going to relax, go out there and play our game and we’ll see what happens.”
Tip-off for the tournament championship between SES and Sterling is set for 6:00 on Friday following the Trojan boy’s third-place game at 4:30.