By TYLER HENRY
Salina Post contributor
The Salina Central boy’s basketball team will look to close out their regular season on a high note when they host Haysville Campus for senior night on Friday.
The Mustangs come into this contest at 5-14 looking to win two out of three to end the year while the Colts enter at 6-13 looking to snap a three-game skid.
While this year’s Central team has gone through its ups and downs, there’s little question that the team taking the floor here in game 20 is considerably improved from the one that began the year in early December.
“Our 8-9 man rotation is more consistent from night to night,” Mustang head coach Ryan Modin said. “We haven’t had to change the line-up as much as we did early in the season and that’s helped our on-court chemistry as we’ve played better basketball.”
Tonight’s regular-season finale at The Brickhouse will also be the final home curtain call for a trio of Mustang seniors, who have helped continue to build this program over their four years in the maroon and white.
“Kenyon McMillan, Dylan Drane, and Ethan Waters have been so easy to coach,” Modin said. “They’re great young men who lead by example, and we never have to coach effort with them. They are great teammates and it’s hard to overstate how much they mean to our program.”
In order to send these seniors out with a bang, Central will have to overcome a Colts squad that much like themselves, has proven to be dangerous in stretches when they’re on their game.
“Campus doesn’t really struggle in any one area,” he said. “They have two really good guards that shoot it well and have been hot lately. We need to make sure we know where they are and stay disciplined on defense.”
Those guards come in the form of Andrell Burton Jr. and Kaason Thomas, who combine to average 38 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 assists on any given night, and will be a thorn in the Mustang's side if they don’t contain them this evening.
For Central, this game is unlikely to have a major impact on playoff seeding, but the mission for the Mustangs is a simple one ahead of the opening tip tonight.
“The guys want to get a win and give our three seniors a W in their last game at home,” Modin said.
Tip-off between the Mustangs and Colts is set for 7:30 at The Brickhouse following the girl’s game at 6:00.
For continuing coverage of Central hoops throughout the regular and postseason stay tuned to the Salina Post.