By TYLER HENRY
Salina Post contributor
The Salina South boys basketball team will begin their sub-state run looking to upset the #4 team in Class 5A as the team travels to take on Andover Central.
The Cougars come into this game at 7-13 while the Jaguars enter as the 4-seed at 17-3.
While the odds are stacked against South in this game, the team fully understands that anything is possible in a single-elimination bracket.
“Our kids have been battling and playing hard and there are a few games that we wish we could have back but there are also a few wins that we’re really proud of,” Cougar head coach Jason Hooper said. “We realize that everyone is 0-0 at this point in the season and we have to go out there and play our best.”
These two are not familiar foes as the last contest between the Cougars and Jaguars took place back in 2017, but the respect between the programs has remained throughout the years.
“They’re athletic and they like to push the tempo,” Hooper said. “They run multiple defenses so you have to prepare for a lot of different things and offensively they’ve got some nice shooters and a lot of length.”
While Andover Central has looked dominant at times this year, the team has struggled a bit in the closing weeks of the regular season, falling to Valley Center and defeating 4-16 Goddard by just two points on the road.
The Cougars have fallen victim of a much more severe late-season skid, dropping seven of their final eight games while working without either of the team’s top-two options at point guard.
One of those players is hopeful to return this week, and if Devin Myers does return to the floor South could get a big boost, but the team will need to start rolling early to pull the upset.
“Our confidence could be higher,” he said. “We haven’t played great down the stretch and we’ve struggled to shoot it from the perimeter lately. If we can get the first couple of shots to go in I think our confidence will skyrocket and we can surprise some people but it’s key to get that momentum early.”
This game will also feature a great individual matchup between Tejon McDaniel (16.1 PPG) and Kobe Smith (19.2 PPG) that could dictate the pace and feel of this game.
“We have to keep [Smith] out of the paint,” Hooper said. “He’s very good off the dribble, he has a really nice pull-up jumper and he can finish with both hands around the rim. He can shoot the three but he’s not a deadly three-point shooter but he can distribute well so it will be key to keep him in front of us and not allow him to make plays for himself or others.”
Tip-off between the Cougars and Jaguars is set for 7 pm at Andover Central High School, with the winner advancing to the sub-state final to play 16-4 Maize or 7-13 Great Bend.
For continuing coverage of both South basketball teams at sub-state, stay tuned to the Salina Post.