By TYLER HENRY
Salina Post contributor
Following a big win on Wednesday over Kingman, the Southeast of Saline girl’s basketball team will return to Sterling for the semi-final round of the invitational.
Waiting for the Lady Trojans will be another Eagle opponent in the form of Hugoton, who entered this week as the #1 team in Class 3A.
As the tenth-ranked team in the same class, this game presents an opportunity for SES to shake up the rankings and to prove that they can contend with the best in the state.
“We just can't say we played them close,” Trojan head coach Shauna Smith said. “These girls are hungry for something more than that. They know this is a big game not just to get us in the final but to beat a very good team.”
The Eagle's offense has been their focal point this season, averaging 56 points per game thanks to a versatile lineup laden with playmakers.
Like Southeast, Hugoton had three different players in double digits in their opening-round game as they manhandled Lyons 61-31.
SES will have to limit the looks of that trio tonight which consists of Summya Adigun, Mikyn Hamlin, and Gianna Vos.
We know that Hugoton wants to score and will run a lot of sets,” Smith said. “We have to be disciplined on defense and limit their second-chance points.”
Defensively, the Eagles have turned teams over at will this season, leading to big runs and transition buckets.
“They’re long and really like to step in passing lanes,” she said. “They have smart players that like to gamble so we have to keep attacking and see where the help defense comes from. We have to put the ball in the basket and score in the '50s tonight which we are very capable of doing.”
To get to that coveted 50-point mark, the Lady Trojans will have to make the most of every possession and limit the damage that Hugoton can deal in transition.
“We have to keep attacking the basket and get to the boards offensively,” Smith said. “We are fairly deep so we feel like keeping the game up-tempo, we just need to execute offensively and not have empty possessions.”
Tip-off between the Trojans and Eagles is set for 4:30 PM with a mirror matchup on the boy’s side to follow at 5:30.
The girl’s game can be heard on KINA (910 AM or 107.5 FM) courtesy of Eagle Radio while the boy’s game will be streamed on the Salina Post