By TYLER HENRY Salina Post contributor

The Southeast of Saline girl’s basketball team battled valiantly but ultimately came up short in this year’s Sterling Invitational semifinals, falling to Hugoton 50-39.

The Lady Trojans, now 8-2 on the season, will face Lyons in the third-place game on Friday while the Lady Eagles advance to take on Scott City in the championship game.&nbsp;

Lexi Jacobson helped keep SES in the game early, scoring six of Southeast’s nine first-quarter points, but a second quarter that saw the Lady Trojans outscored by nine allowed Hugoton to pull away, mitigating an eventual fourth-quarter comeback effort.

A furious full-court press helped SES cut the deficit from 15 to 5 in the final frame, but the push expended the Lady Trojans’ tank as Hugoton pulled away late.

Three different Lady Eagles notched double-digits in the win, led by Summya Adigun (19), Mikyn Hamlin (13), and Emily Tinoco (10).

Lexi Jacobson and Brielle Ptacek provided most of the Lady Trojan offense on the day, with Jacobson leading all scorers with 20, and Ptacek not far behind with 16.

The third-place game with Lyons will be held at Sterling College on Friday at 3:00 and will once again be streamed on the Salina Post, and heard on KINA.

For continuing coverage of both SES basketball teams on the final day in Sterling, stay tuned to the Salina Post.

By TYLER HENRY Salina Post contributor<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599179528888.png" alt="Coverage of Lady Trojan hoops is presented by Salina Ortho: Quality orthopedic care when you need it!" />
 <figcaption>Coverage of Lady Trojan hoops is presented by Salina Ortho: Quality orthopedic care when you need it!</figcaption>
 </figure>The Southeast of Saline girl’s basketball team battled valiantly but ultimately came up short in this year’s Sterling Invitational semifinals, falling to Hugoton 50-39.The Lady Trojans, now 8-2 on the season, will face Lyons in the third-place game on Friday while the Lady Eagles advance to take on Scott City in the championship game.&nbsp;Lexi Jacobson helped keep SES in the game early, scoring six of Southeast’s nine first-quarter points, but a second quarter that saw the Lady Trojans outscored by nine allowed Hugoton to pull away, mitigating an eventual fourth-quarter comeback effort.A furious full-court press helped SES cut the deficit from 15 to 5 in the final frame, but the push expended the Lady Trojans’ tank as Hugoton pulled away late.Three different Lady Eagles notched double-digits in the win, led by Summya Adigun (19), Mikyn Hamlin (13), and Emily Tinoco (10).Lexi Jacobson and Brielle Ptacek provided most of the Lady Trojan offense on the day, with Jacobson leading all scorers with 20, and Ptacek not far behind with 16.The third-place game with Lyons will be held at Sterling College on Friday at 3:00 and will once again be streamed on the Salina Post, and heard on KINA.For continuing coverage of both SES basketball teams on the final day in Sterling, stay tuned to the Salina Post.

Late comeback effort comes up short as Lady Trojans fall to Hugoton

The Southeast of Saline Trojans take on the Scott City Beavers Thursday in the Sterling Invitational Tournament. If you can't make it to the game, you can watch it here on Salina Post.

Use the QR code or click on the link below to watch the game live.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674144956642.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Southeast of Saline Trojans take on the Scott City Beavers Thursday in the Sterling Invitational Tournament. If you can't make it to the game, you can watch it here on Salina Post.The game begins at 5:30 p.m.Use the QR code or click on the link below to watch the game live.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674145175625.png" alt="" />
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 </figure><figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/n3JpgcYfu5Q"></iframe>
 <figcaption>Video by Bryan Dennett</figcaption>
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🎥Watch live as Southeast of Saline takes on Scott City

After sending Smoky Valley packing on Monday with a convincing 63-38 victory, the Southeast of Saline boys’ basketball team will resume Sterling Tournament play tonight with a semifinal matchup against Scott City.

The Trojans enter this contest still ranked as the #1 team in Class 3A at 9-0 while the Beavers come in at 5-4 after eliminating Lyons on Monday.

In their opening-round matchup, Southeast dominated on the glass, with Nakari Morrical-Palmer in particular putting on a show and stealing several bonus possessions for the Trojans.

“I thought we rebounded at a really high level against Smoky Valley, ”SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “We really got after it on the offensive glass and took advantage of second-chance opportunities.”

With two days to rest in-between games, the Trojan coaching staff has been hard at work preparing for their contest with Scott City, and what might lie beyond regardless of what happens tonight.

“It’s nice to have a day off to rest up and prepare,” Flax said. “What’s difficult in these tournaments is preparing for four teams as you move forward and for three teams after the first round. It’s more film and notes for our coaching staff to work through but that’s what we’re here for as a staff, to put these kids in a position to succeed.”

On the other side of the bracket, Hugoton and Sterling will battle it out for the first spot in the final, with the two losers of these matchups meeting in the third-place game on Friday.

“This tournament especially this year is top-heavy,” he said. “There are some really good teams in the final four here, and year in and year out your going to see 3-5 really strong teams at Sterling. They do a great job with this tournament and it’s in a really healthy place.”

Against the Beavers, Southeast will once again need to control the game on the glass, especially with sophomore Jackson Rumford patrolling the paint.

“Scott City is big and physical, they have [Rumford] inside who does a good job around the rim but he’s also an underrated passer. He can hit shots and the Bailey kid can knock down perimeter jumpers as well so they have players that can play. They’re good in help and they’ll try to make you take uncomfortable shots.”

On the Trojan’s side of the matchup floor awareness and matchup recognition defensively will be more critical than ever if Southeast is to give themselves a shot to win a first-ever Sterling Tournament.

“We have to understand the personnel and how we want to guard everybody,” Flax said. “We switch with everyone and we’re not overly concerned with a height mismatch but we need to understand where we’re at off the ball and with our secondary help.”

Tip-off between the Trojans and Beavers is set for 5:30 pm at Sterling College and can be streamed exclusively on the Salina Post with Devin Hanney on the call.

For continuing coverage of Trojan hoops at Sterling stay tuned to the Salina Post.

By TYLER HENRY Salina Post contributor<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599179528888.png" alt="Coverage of Trojan hoops is presented by Salina Ortho: Quality orthopedic care when you need it!" />
 <figcaption>Coverage of Trojan hoops is presented by Salina Ortho: Quality orthopedic care when you need it!</figcaption>
 </figure>After sending Smoky Valley packing on Monday with a convincing 63-38 victory, the Southeast of Saline boys’ basketball team will resume Sterling Tournament play tonight with a semifinal matchup against Scott City.The Trojans enter this contest still ranked as the #1 team in Class 3A at 9-0 while the Beavers come in at 5-4 after eliminating Lyons on Monday.In their opening-round matchup, Southeast dominated on the glass, with Nakari Morrical-Palmer in particular putting on a show and stealing several bonus possessions for the Trojans.“I thought we rebounded at a really high level against Smoky Valley, ”SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “We really got after it on the offensive glass and took advantage of second-chance opportunities.”With two days to rest in-between games, the Trojan coaching staff has been hard at work preparing for their contest with Scott City, and what might lie beyond regardless of what happens tonight.“It’s nice to have a day off to rest up and prepare,” Flax said. “What’s difficult in these tournaments is preparing for four teams as you move forward and for three teams after the first round. It’s more film and notes for our coaching staff to work through but that’s what we’re here for as a staff, to put these kids in a position to succeed.”On the other side of the bracket, Hugoton and Sterling will battle it out for the first spot in the final, with the two losers of these matchups meeting in the third-place game on Friday.“This tournament especially this year is top-heavy,” he said. “There are some really good teams in the final four here, and year in and year out your going to see 3-5 really strong teams at Sterling. They do a great job with this tournament and it’s in a really healthy place.”Against the Beavers, Southeast will once again need to control the game on the glass, especially with sophomore Jackson Rumford patrolling the paint.“Scott City is big and physical, they have [Rumford] inside who does a good job around the rim but he’s also an underrated passer. He can hit shots and the Bailey kid can knock down perimeter jumpers as well so they have players that can play. They’re good in help and they’ll try to make you take uncomfortable shots.”On the Trojan’s side of the matchup floor awareness and matchup recognition defensively will be more critical than ever if Southeast is to give themselves a shot to win a first-ever Sterling Tournament.“We have to understand the personnel and how we want to guard everybody,” Flax said. “We switch with everyone and we’re not overly concerned with a height mismatch but we need to understand where we’re at off the ball and with our secondary help.”Tip-off between the Trojans and Beavers is set for 5:30 pm at Sterling College and can be streamed exclusively on the Salina Post with Devin Hanney on the call.For continuing coverage of Trojan hoops at Sterling stay tuned to the Salina Post.

Trojans battle Beavers for ticket to Sterling Tourney final

After dispatching the hosts 58-21 in the opening round of the Sterling Tournament, the Southeast of Saline girl’s basketball team is moving on to the semifinals, where SES will meet Hugoton for a trip to the championship game. The Lady Trojans will come into this contest at 8-1, ranked as the #9 team in Class 3A, while the Lady Eagles enter at 5-4 but with a brutal schedule loaded with ranked and larger opponents.

On the other side of the bracket, Lyons and Scott City will also do battle for a trip to the final, with the losers of these two games meeting in the third-place game on Friday.

Southeast has had a day to rest after a decimation of Sterling on Tuesday, in which the Lady Trojans held the Black Bears under five points in three of the four quarters.

“I thought we did a good job of executing our gameplan defensively and offensively we really kept everyone involved,” SES head coach Shauna Smith said. “We didn’t just go down and make one pass and shoot the ball, we moved it around and got some really good looks.”

Now, Southeast turns their attention to one of the most dangerous teams in the tournament in a multi-faceted Hugoton team whose losses have mostly come at the hands of ranked opponents, and who boasts wins over 5 and 6A programs.

“Tournament seedings can be strange and I do feel like these are probably the best two teams here but that’s how these things go,” Smith said. “On the other side, Scott City has a lot of talent though, and people match up with other teams differently.”

To punch their ticket to another Sterling Tournament final, SES will need to eliminate the Eagles for a second consecutive season, after squeaking past Hugoton in overtime last year. To do this, the Lady Trojans know they will have to be on their A-game to avoid playing in the third-place matchup.

“If you have an off night in a tournament like this you’re not going to survive and win,” she said. “Thursday night we’re going to have to play extremely hard and it was good that we had an opportunity to rest our kids in that Sterling game.”

Rest or no rest, the Lady Trojans will need to keep up with a potent Eagles scoring attack led by Gianna Vos, Summaya Adigun, and Mikyn Hamlin, who has been slowly working her way back from an injury.

“We know that we’re probably going to have to score in the 50s to be able to beat them,” Smith said. “They’re a good team and they’re going to make their runs but we have to stay disciplined on defense and we have to score because we’re not going to be able to hold all of their scorers down.”

Tip-off of this semifinal matchup is set for 6 pm at Sterling High School, and can be heard exclusively on KINA courtesy of Eagle Radio.

For continuing coverage of both SES basketball teams through the final two days of the Sterling Tournament, stay tuned to the Salina Post.

By TYLER HENRY Salina Post contributor<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599179528888.png" alt="Coverage of Lady Trojan hoops is presented by Salina Ortho: Quality orthopedic care when you need it!" />
 <figcaption>Coverage of Lady Trojan hoops is presented by Salina Ortho: Quality orthopedic care when you need it!</figcaption>
 </figure>After dispatching the hosts 58-21 in the opening round of the Sterling Tournament, the Southeast of Saline girl’s basketball team is moving on to the semifinals, where SES will meet Hugoton for a trip to the championship game. The Lady Trojans will come into this contest at 8-1, ranked as the #9 team in Class 3A, while the Lady Eagles enter at 5-4 but with a brutal schedule loaded with ranked and larger opponents.On the other side of the bracket, Lyons and Scott City will also do battle for a trip to the final, with the losers of these two games meeting in the third-place game on Friday.Southeast has had a day to rest after a decimation of Sterling on Tuesday, in which the Lady Trojans held the Black Bears under five points in three of the four quarters.“I thought we did a good job of executing our gameplan defensively and offensively we really kept everyone involved,” SES head coach Shauna Smith said. “We didn’t just go down and make one pass and shoot the ball, we moved it around and got some really good looks.”Now, Southeast turns their attention to one of the most dangerous teams in the tournament in a multi-faceted Hugoton team whose losses have mostly come at the hands of ranked opponents, and who boasts wins over 5 and 6A programs.“Tournament seedings can be strange and I do feel like these are probably the best two teams here but that’s how these things go,” Smith said. “On the other side, Scott City has a lot of talent though, and people match up with other teams differently.”To punch their ticket to another Sterling Tournament final, SES will need to eliminate the Eagles for a second consecutive season, after squeaking past Hugoton in overtime last year. To do this, the Lady Trojans know they will have to be on their A-game to avoid playing in the third-place matchup.“If you have an off night in a tournament like this you’re not going to survive and win,” she said. “Thursday night we’re going to have to play extremely hard and it was good that we had an opportunity to rest our kids in that Sterling game.”Rest or no rest, the Lady Trojans will need to keep up with a potent Eagles scoring attack led by Gianna Vos, Summaya Adigun, and Mikyn Hamlin, who has been slowly working her way back from an injury.“We know that we’re probably going to have to score in the 50s to be able to beat them,” Smith said. “They’re a good team and they’re going to make their runs but we have to stay disciplined on defense and we have to score because we’re not going to be able to hold all of their scorers down.”Tip-off of this semifinal matchup is set for 6 pm at Sterling High School, and can be heard exclusively on KINA courtesy of Eagle Radio.For continuing coverage of both SES basketball teams through the final two days of the Sterling Tournament, stay tuned to the Salina Post.

Lady Trojans take on Hugoton in Sterling semifinals

The USD 306 and 307 schools now have investigative therapy dogs, thanks to the Saline County Sheriff's Office. 

In December, two Saline County Sheriff’s deputies traveled to the Brevard County Florida Sheriff’s Office Paws and Stripes College to attend a week of training in the handling of a Law Enforcement Investigative Therapy Dog. They trained with their new K-9 partners who had just completed 14 weeks of training to become nationally registered therapy dog teams.

The unique program offered by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office uses rescued dogs that are trained by inmates under the supervision of professional trainers to provide trained therapy dogs at no cost.

The dog teams can provide assistance in a number of ways, for example: calming people in crisis, interviews with children and adults, critical incident debriefings, and other public events. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674061866887.jpeg" alt="Deputy Braden Long and his K-9, Piper, are assigned to USD 306 working at Southeast of Saline. Piper is a Basenji/Border Collie mix. Photos courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office" />
 <figcaption>Deputy Braden Long and his K-9, Piper, are assigned to USD 306 working at Southeast of Saline. Piper is a Basenji/Border Collie mix. Photos courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office</figcaption>
 </figure>Saline County Sheriff's OfficeThe USD 306 and 307 schools now have investigative therapy dogs, thanks to the Saline County Sheriff's Office. In December, two Saline County Sheriff’s deputies traveled to the Brevard County Florida Sheriff’s Office Paws and Stripes College to attend a week of training in the handling of a Law Enforcement Investigative Therapy Dog. They trained with their new K-9 partners who had just completed 14 weeks of training to become nationally registered therapy dog teams.The unique program offered by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office uses rescued dogs that are trained by inmates under the supervision of professional trainers to provide trained therapy dogs at no cost.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674062048896.jpeg" alt="Deputy Tyler Casteel and his K-9, Jax, are assigned to USD 307 working at the Ell-Saline schools. Jax is a Alaskan Malamute mix." />
 <figcaption>Deputy Tyler Casteel and his K-9, Jax, are assigned to USD 307 working at the Ell-Saline schools. Jax is a Alaskan Malamute mix.</figcaption>
 </figure>The dog teams can provide assistance in a number of ways, for example: calming people in crisis, interviews with children and adults, critical incident debriefings, and other public events.

Saline Co. Sheriff’s school resource officers get new K-9 partners

On Tuesday, the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association released their week five rankings for all seven classes of boys' basketball across the state of Kansas.

6A Boys 1. Olathe West 2. Blue Valley North 3. Wichita Heights 4. Derby 5. Blue Valley Northwest 6. Olathe North 7. Garden City 8. Lawrence 9. Lawrence Free State 10. Topeka - Washburn Rural

5A Boys 1. Highland Park 2. Kapaun Mt. Carmel 3. Hutchinson 4. St. James Academy 5. Maize South 6. Topeka West 7. De Soto 8. Andover Central 9. Andover 10. KC Piper

4A Boys 1. McPherson 2. Bishop Miege 3. Eudora 4. Towanda-Circle 5. Atchison 6. Baldwin 7. Wellington 8. Hugoton 9. Abilene 10. Topeka Hayden

3A Boys 1. Southeast of Saline 2. Sabetha 3. Hesston 4. Wichita Collegiate 5. Haven 6. Galena 7. Colby 8. Marysville 9. Humboldt 10. Heritage Christian Academy

2A Boys 1. Wichita Independent 2. Hays-Thomas More Prep 3. Ellinwood 4. Inman 5. Lyndon 6. Bennington 7. Sterling 8. Chase County 9. Remington 10. Moundridge

1A-Div 1-Boys 1. Olpe 2. Centralia 3. Macksville 4. Clifton-Clyde 5. Wichita Classical School 6. Burlingame 7. Randolph-Blue Valley 8. Osborne 9. Norwich 10. McPherson - Elyria Christian

1A-Div 2-Boys 1. Greeley County 2. Northern Valley 3. Axtell 4. Hanover 5. Pawnee Heights 6. Lebo 7. Cunningham 8. Logan-Palco 9. Cheylin 10. Stafford

On Tuesday, the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association released their week five rankings for all seven classes of boys' basketball across the state of Kansas.You can find the full rankings below6A Boys 1. Olathe West 2. Blue Valley North 3. Wichita Heights 4. Derby 5. Blue Valley Northwest 6. Olathe North 7. Garden City 8. Lawrence 9. Lawrence Free State 10. Topeka - Washburn Rural 5A Boys 1. Highland Park 2. Kapaun Mt. Carmel 3. Hutchinson 4. St. James Academy 5. Maize South 6. Topeka West 7. De Soto 8. Andover Central 9. Andover 10. KC Piper4A Boys 1. McPherson 2. Bishop Miege 3. Eudora 4. Towanda-Circle 5. Atchison 6. Baldwin 7. Wellington 8. Hugoton 9. Abilene 10. Topeka Hayden3A Boys 1. Southeast of Saline 2. Sabetha 3. Hesston 4. Wichita Collegiate 5. Haven 6. Galena 7. Colby 8. Marysville 9. Humboldt 10. Heritage Christian Academy2A Boys 1. Wichita Independent 2. Hays-Thomas More Prep 3. Ellinwood 4. Inman 5. Lyndon 6. Bennington 7. Sterling 8. Chase County 9. Remington 10. Moundridge 1A-Div 1-Boys 1. Olpe 2. Centralia 3. Macksville 4. Clifton-Clyde 5. Wichita Classical School 6. Burlingame 7. Randolph-Blue Valley 8. Osborne 9. Norwich 10. McPherson - Elyria Christian 1A-Div 2-Boys 1. Greeley County 2. Northern Valley 3. Axtell 4. Hanover 5. Pawnee Heights 6. Lebo 7. Cunningham 8. Logan-Palco 9. Cheylin 10. Stafford

KBCA boy's basketball rankings: Week five

On Tuesday, the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association released their week five rankings for all seven classes of girls' basketball across the state of Kansas.

6A Girls 1. Blue Valley North 2. Shawnee Mission South 3. Washburn Rural 4. Derby 5. Lawrence 6. Liberal 7. Blue Valley 8. Topeka High 9. Olathe Northwest 10. Wichita South

5A Girls 1. Emporia 2. St. Thomas Aquinas 3. Topeka Seaman 4. Bishop Carroll 5. Hutchinson 6. Andover 7. Tecumseh - Shawnee Heights 8. Bonner Springs 9. De Soto 10. Andover Central

4A Girls 1. Bishop Miege 2. McPherson 3. Wamego 4. Wellington 5. Ft. Scott 6. Andale 7. Rock Creek 8. Independence 9. Ottawa 10. Louisburg

3A Girls 1. Goodland 2. Phillipsburg 3. Nemaha Central 4. Cheney 5. Haven 6. Effingham - Atchison County 7. Silver Lake 8. Eureka 9. Southeast of Saline 10. Minneapolis

2A Girls 1. Elbing- Berean Academy 2. St. Mary's Colgan 3. Smith Center 4. Jackson Heights 5. Riverside 6. Hillsboro 7. Remington 8. Hoxie 9. Mission Valley 10. Bluestem

1A-Div 1-Girls 1 Little River 2 Osborne 3 Pretty Prairie 4 Clifton-Clyde 5 Hodgeman County 6 Central Plains 7 Frankfort 8 Norwich 9 Doniphan West 10 Madison-Hamilton

1A-Div 2-Girls 1 Hanover 2 Lebo 3 Hutchinson - Central Christian 4 Bucklin 5 Wilson 6 Rexford - Golden Plains 7 Linn 8 Attica 9 Kensington-Thunder Ridge 10 Wallace County

On Tuesday, the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association released their week five rankings for all seven classes of girls' basketball across the state of Kansas.You can find the full rankings below6A Girls 1. Blue Valley North 2. Shawnee Mission South 3. Washburn Rural 4. Derby 5. Lawrence 6. Liberal 7. Blue Valley 8. Topeka High 9. Olathe Northwest 10. Wichita South5A Girls 1. Emporia 2. St. Thomas Aquinas 3. Topeka Seaman 4. Bishop Carroll 5. Hutchinson 6. Andover 7. Tecumseh - Shawnee Heights 8. Bonner Springs 9. De Soto 10. Andover Central4A Girls 1. Bishop Miege 2. McPherson 3. Wamego 4. Wellington 5. Ft. Scott 6. Andale 7. Rock Creek 8. Independence 9. Ottawa 10. Louisburg3A Girls 1. Goodland 2. Phillipsburg 3. Nemaha Central 4. Cheney 5. Haven 6. Effingham - Atchison County 7. Silver Lake 8. Eureka 9. Southeast of Saline 10. Minneapolis2A Girls 1. Elbing- Berean Academy 2. St. Mary's Colgan 3. Smith Center 4. Jackson Heights 5. Riverside 6. Hillsboro 7. Remington 8. Hoxie 9. Mission Valley 10. Bluestem1A-Div 1-Girls 1 Little River 2 Osborne 3 Pretty Prairie 4 Clifton-Clyde 5 Hodgeman County 6 Central Plains 7 Frankfort 8 Norwich 9 Doniphan West 10 Madison-Hamilton1A-Div 2-Girls 1 Hanover 2 Lebo 3 Hutchinson - Central Christian 4 Bucklin 5 Wilson 6 Rexford - Golden Plains 7 Linn 8 Attica 9 Kensington-Thunder Ridge 10 Wallace County

KBCA girl's basketball rankings: Week five

The Southeast of Saline girls’ basketball team put the rest of the Sterling Tournament on notice in their first matchup of bracket play, demolishing the hosts 58-21 on their own home floor.

With this win, Southeast moves to the winner's bracket semifinals to take on Hugoton this Thursday, while Sterling will match up with Smoky Valley in the consolation bracket on Wednesday.

The Lady Trojans put on a defensive clinic, allowing four or fewer points in three of the four quarters, and holding one of the best posts in Class 2A to just two total points.

“We didn’t know how the matchup with Gray was going to go but I thought Lexi Jacobson did a great job defensively,” SES head coach Shauna Smith said. “Eventually they stopped throwing it in there.”

In addition to limiting Sterling in the half-court, the Lady Trojans also wreaked havoc in transition, turning the Lady Bears over 24 times, including 17 in the first half alone.

“We knew that their guard play wasn’t as good as it has been in the past so we wanted to pressure there,” Smith said. "Once we got those turnovers and run-outs going we really broke the game open.”

Offensively it was a stellar night for both Reagan Goetz and Lexi Jacobson, who posted career highs of 18 and 17 respectively.

Next up is a trip to the tournament semifinals to take on another team more talented than their seeding would have you believe in Hugoton, who will challenge the Lady Trojans for a spot in the final on Thursday.

“We’re going to have to score in the 50s with Hugoton because they have some really talented players but we have girls who can get us points too,” Smith said. “We have to talk, we have to guard and we can’t have miscommunications on switches but sometimes that just happens with the flow of the game.”

On the other side of the bracket, Scott City will face Lyons with the winner earning a trip to the final while the losers will meet in the 3rd place game on Friday.

For continuing coverage of both SES basketball teams all week long in Sterling keep it locked to the Salina Post.

By TYLER HENRY Salina Post contributor<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599179528888.png" alt="Coverage of Lady Trojan hoops is presented by Salina Ortho: Quality orthopedic care when you need it!" />
 <figcaption>Coverage of Lady Trojan hoops is presented by Salina Ortho: Quality orthopedic care when you need it!</figcaption>
 </figure>The Southeast of Saline girls’ basketball team put the rest of the Sterling Tournament on notice in their first matchup of bracket play, demolishing the hosts 58-21 on their own home floor.With this win, Southeast moves to the winner's bracket semifinals to take on Hugoton this Thursday, while Sterling will match up with Smoky Valley in the consolation bracket on Wednesday.The Lady Trojans put on a defensive clinic, allowing four or fewer points in three of the four quarters, and holding one of the best posts in Class 2A to just two total points.“We didn’t know how the matchup with Gray was going to go but I thought Lexi Jacobson did a great job defensively,” SES head coach Shauna Smith said. “Eventually they stopped throwing it in there.”In addition to limiting Sterling in the half-court, the Lady Trojans also wreaked havoc in transition, turning the Lady Bears over 24 times, including 17 in the first half alone.“We knew that their guard play wasn’t as good as it has been in the past so we wanted to pressure there,” Smith said. "Once we got those turnovers and run-outs going we really broke the game open.”Offensively it was a stellar night for both Reagan Goetz and Lexi Jacobson, who posted career highs of 18 and 17 respectively.Next up is a trip to the tournament semifinals to take on another team more talented than their seeding would have you believe in Hugoton, who will challenge the Lady Trojans for a spot in the final on Thursday.“We’re going to have to score in the 50s with Hugoton because they have some really talented players but we have girls who can get us points too,” Smith said. “We have to talk, we have to guard and we can’t have miscommunications on switches but sometimes that just happens with the flow of the game.”On the other side of the bracket, Scott City will face Lyons with the winner earning a trip to the final while the losers will meet in the 3rd place game on Friday.For continuing coverage of both SES basketball teams all week long in Sterling keep it locked to the Salina Post.

Lady Trojans suffocate Sterling to earn trip to bracket semifinal

Christ Preparatory Academy 59, KC Wyandotte 39

Kapaun Mount Carmel 60, Wichita Heights 50

Northern Valley 59, Triplains-Brewster 23

Wichita Bishop Carroll 53, Wichita South 38

Wichita Defenders Homeschool 50, Wichita Classical 35

Blue Valley North Tournament First Round

St. James Academy 68, Lee's Summit North, Mo. 41

Burlington Tournament First Round

Centre Tournament First Round

Hillsboro Tournament First Round

Hoisington Tournament First Round

Northern Plains Tournament Consolation Semifinal

NW Kansas League Tournament First Round

Southeast Tournament First Round

College Heights Christian, Mo. 41, Southeast 29

Sterling Tournament First Round

Tonganoxie Tournament First Round

Bishop Miege 73, Central Academy(Kansas City), Mo. 44

Northern Valley 67, Triplains-Brewster 32

St. Xavier 61, Topeka Heritage Christian 47

Wichita Heights 51, Kapaun Mount Carmel 36

Wichita South 57, Wichita Bishop Carroll 52

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS<h2>GIRLS PREP BASKETBALL</h2>Baldwin 69, Pleasant Hill, Mo. 34Basehor-Linwood 54, Topeka West 34Bennington 58, Solomon 16Christ Preparatory Academy 59, KC Wyandotte 39Clearwater 31, Mulvane 28Derby 57, Hutchinson 23El Dorado 32, Augusta 28Goddard-Eisenhower 62, Wichita Campus 18Great Bend 57, Dodge City 50Heritage Christian 43, Osawatomie 19Hodgeman County 68, Minneola 43Kapaun Mount Carmel 60, Wichita Heights 50Logan/Palco 31, Western Plains-Healy 29Maize South 62, Goddard 21Manhattan 58, Emporia 55, 2OTMcPherson 41, Andale 29Meade 40, Pawnee Heights 32Natoma 42, Lincoln 32Northern Valley 59, Triplains-Brewster 23Wichita Bishop Carroll 53, Wichita South 38Wichita Defenders Homeschool 50, Wichita Classical 35Wichita Southeast 63, Wichita East 38Wichita Sunrise 53, Macksville 47Blue Valley North Tournament First RoundSt. James Academy 68, Lee's Summit North, Mo. 41Burlington Tournament First RoundOttawa 55, Sabetha 46Silver Lake 52, Paola 25Centre Tournament First RoundDouglass 61, SVHE 42Elyria Christian 54, Centre 14Marion 41, Wakefield 29Hillsboro Tournament First RoundClay Center 41, Holcomb 36Eureka 52, Riley County 47Hesston 40, Remington 35Hillsboro 46, Republic County 15Hoisington Tournament First RoundEllsworth 44, Otis-Bison 13Hoisington 48, La Crosse 14Mid-Continent League TournamentEllis 43, Trego 39Hoxie 63, Norton 43Phillipsburg 71, Oakley 27Smith Center 60, Hays-TMP-Marian 51Northern Plains Tournament Consolation SemifinalRock Hills 45, Thunder Ridge 29Southern Cloud 36, Chase 34Sylvan-Lucas 51, Pike Valley 36SemifinalLakeside 56, Osborne 47St. John's Beloit-Tipton 62, Wilson 42NW Kansas League Tournament First RoundQuinter 61, Greeley County 32Sharon Springs 34, Oberlin-Decatur 22St. Francis 55, Dighton 26Southeast Tournament First RoundCollege Heights Christian, Mo. 41, Southeast 29Neodesha 58, Baxter Springs 15Riverton 39, Columbus 33Sterling Tournament First RoundHugoton 56, Smoky Valley 46Southeast Saline 58, Sterling 21Tonganoxie Tournament First RoundBonner Springs 54, Wamego 48Uniontown TournamentFredonia 60, Oswego 11<h2>BOYS PREP BASKETBALL</h2>Bishop Miege 73, Central Academy(Kansas City), Mo. 44Chase 69, Natoma 28DeSoto 43, Leavenworth 40Deerfield 45, Moscow 32Gardner-Edgerton 63, Savannah, Mo. 33Hodgeman County 72, Minneola 60KC Bishop Ward 78, McLouth 33Larned 58, St. John 45Lebo 77, Waverly 53Logan/Palco 44, Western Plains-Healy 23Northern Valley 67, Triplains-Brewster 32Osborne 56, Thunder Ridge 41Pawnee Heights 63, Meade 61Pike Valley 47, Southern Cloud 37Pleasant Ridge 44, Cair Paravel 43Rock Hills 41, Tescott 34Satanta 55, South Gray 0South Central 51, Bucklin 43Spearville 60, Ingalls 50St. John's Beloit-Tipton 65, Lakeside 54St. Mary's, Ore. 53, Nemaha Central 39St. Xavier 61, Topeka Heritage Christian 47Sylvan-Lucas 52, Wilson 31Weskan 73, Wheatland-Grinnell 49Wichita Heights 51, Kapaun Mount Carmel 36Wichita Independent 67, Nickerson 52Wichita South 57, Wichita Bishop Carroll 52Baldwin InvitationalAugusta 65, Heritage Christian 57Girard 64, Bishop Seabury Academy 36Burlington Tournament First RoundBurlington 67, Silver Lake 56Ottawa 46, Labette County 42Burrton Tournament First RoundGoessel 63, Fairfield 48Little River 64, Berean Academy 39Canton-Galva Tournament First RoundBennington 63, Solomon 18Moundridge 65, Canton-Galva 26Centre Tournament First RoundDouglass 60, Wakefield 16Elyria Christian 65, Marion 39Cunningham Tournament First RoundCunningham 60, South Barber 42Medicine Lodge 60, Pratt Skyline 45Norwich 66, Kinsley 41Stafford 59, Attica 46Flint Hills Tournament First RoundChase County 40, Council Grove 31Mission Valley 58, West Franklin 54Halstead Tournament First RoundConcordia 72, Halstead 46Haven 69, Winfield 28Hi-Plains League Tournament First RoundLakin 61, Elkhart 50Southwestern Hts. 48, Wichita County 40Syracuse 71, Stanton County 50Hoisington Tournament First RoundEllsworth 57, Cimarron 35Hoisington 57, La Crosse 47Holcomb Tournament First RoundClay Center 55, Holcomb 46Hesston 72, Republic County 25Hillsboro 63, Riley County 46Remington 59, Eureka 29Iola Tournament First RoundAnderson County 64, Marmaton Valley 34Humboldt 47, St. Paul 29NW Kansas League Tournament First RoundRawlins County 69, St. Francis 26Spring Hill Tournament First RoundGlendale, Mo. 76, Wichita North 52Goddard-Eisenhower 75, KC Harmon 27Mill Valley 76, Spring Hill 51Sterling Tournament Consolation SemifinalSmoky Valley 71, Lyons 33First RoundHugoton 68, Kingman 53Sterling 68, Hutchinson Trinity 51Tonganoxie Tournament First RoundEudora 46, Metro Academy 41KC Piper 91, Bonner Springs 76Uniontown TournamentFredonia 57, Oswego 31Jayhawk Linn 49, Prairie View 41Valley Falls TournamentPerry-Lecompton 63, Valley Falls 43Some high school basketball scores provided by <a href="http://Scorestream.com">Scorestream.com</a>.

Tuesday prep basketball scores

The Southeast of Saline boy’s basketball team bulldozed their way through the opening round of the Sterling Tournament, collecting their seventh straight win over Smoky Valley in four years with a 63-38 victory.

The Trojans, now 9-0, will advance to the bracket semifinals to take on Scott City on Thursday while the Vikings head to the consolation bracket to face Lyons.

Much like the first meeting between the two back in December Southeast was a little slow out of the gates, holding a 14-8 lead after the first quarter, but once they took control they never looked back, handing Smoky Valley their first loss in five games.

“Early on I thought our help defense was good but our secondary help was late and they hung around,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “When we were able to clean that up we got out on the run but we also left a lot out there around the rim early.”

A big third quarter helped to spur the Trojan’s efforts as Southeast outscored Smoky Valley 20-9, with five different players contributing three or more points.

SES also received a sizable boost from the efforts of Nakari Morrical-Palmer on the glass, who saved possession after possession for the Trojans, allowing them to dominate in second-chance points.

“Nakari gets up on the glass and intentionally tips the ball back out to a lot of teammates,” Flax said. “He’s been really good for us and once we settled in against their zone we really got things moving.”

The Trojans were led in scoring by Morrical-Palmer (16) and Eli Sawyers (14) who once again proved to be too much for Smoky Valley to handle.

Next up, the Trojans turn their attention to a matchup with Scott City on Thursday at 5:30, looking to beat the Beavers and punch their ticket to the tournament final on Friday.

“I had a chance to watch Scott City on film and they can shoot the basketball,” Flax said. “They have some size and I’ll be anxious to see how the matchups go and who they put on Eli and Nakari. On film they looked pretty good and in person they looked good, it’ll be a challenge for us.”

For continuing coverage of both SES basketball teams all week in Sterling stay tuned to the Salina Post.

By TYLER HENRY Salina Post contributor<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599179528888.png" alt="Coverage of SES basketball is presented by Salina Ortho: Quality orthopedic care when you need it!" />
 <figcaption>Coverage of SES basketball is presented by Salina Ortho: Quality orthopedic care when you need it!</figcaption>
 </figure>The Southeast of Saline boy’s basketball team bulldozed their way through the opening round of the Sterling Tournament, collecting their seventh straight win over Smoky Valley in four years with a 63-38 victory.The Trojans, now 9-0, will advance to the bracket semifinals to take on Scott City on Thursday while the Vikings head to the consolation bracket to face Lyons.Much like the first meeting between the two back in December Southeast was a little slow out of the gates, holding a 14-8 lead after the first quarter, but once they took control they never looked back, handing Smoky Valley their first loss in five games.“Early on I thought our help defense was good but our secondary help was late and they hung around,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “When we were able to clean that up we got out on the run but we also left a lot out there around the rim early.”A big third quarter helped to spur the Trojan’s efforts as Southeast outscored Smoky Valley 20-9, with five different players contributing three or more points.SES also received a sizable boost from the efforts of Nakari Morrical-Palmer on the glass, who saved possession after possession for the Trojans, allowing them to dominate in second-chance points.“Nakari gets up on the glass and intentionally tips the ball back out to a lot of teammates,” Flax said. “He’s been really good for us and once we settled in against their zone we really got things moving.”The Trojans were led in scoring by Morrical-Palmer (16) and Eli Sawyers (14) who once again proved to be too much for Smoky Valley to handle.Next up, the Trojans turn their attention to a matchup with Scott City on Thursday at 5:30, looking to beat the Beavers and punch their ticket to the tournament final on Friday.“I had a chance to watch Scott City on film and they can shoot the basketball,” Flax said. “They have some size and I’ll be anxious to see how the matchups go and who they put on Eli and Nakari. On film they looked pretty good and in person they looked good, it’ll be a challenge for us.”For continuing coverage of both SES basketball teams all week in Sterling stay tuned to the Salina Post.

Trojans take down Vikings to advance to Sterling semifinal

The Southeast of Saline girls take on Sterling Tuesday evening in the Sterling Invitational Tournament. If you can't make it to the game, Salina Post has you covered.

The game is scheduled to begin&nbsp;at approximately 6 p.m. Tuesday.

You can listen to the basketball games on KINA (910 AM or 107.5 FM). Devin Hanney has the call. You also can watch a live stream of the games right here on Salina Post, thanks to Salina Medical Esthetics and Salina Pain Clinic!

Click the QR code or the link below to watch the game Monday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673923044119.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Southeast of Saline girls take on Sterling Tuesday evening in the Sterling Invitational Tournament. If you can't make it to the game, Salina Post has you covered.The game is scheduled to begin&nbsp;at approximately 6 p.m. Tuesday.You can listen to the basketball games on KINA (910 AM or 107.5 FM). Devin Hanney has the call. You also can watch a live stream of the games right here on Salina Post, thanks to Salina Medical Esthetics and Salina Pain Clinic!Click the QR code or the link below to watch the game Monday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673923249875.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c9jH5sBB8w0"></iframe>
 <figcaption>Video by Bryan Dennett</figcaption>
 </figure>

🎥Watch live as Southeast of Saline girls take on Sterling Tuesday!

After a triumphant return to the win column a week ago, the 5th-ranked Southeast of Saline girl’s basketball team will open their Sterling Tournament run on Tuesday, when the Lady Trojans (7-1) take on the hosts in Sterling (2-8) at 6 pm.

In addition to a big game in a high-profile tournament, this matchup also kicks off a bit of a revenge tour for Southeast, who were eliminated by Sterling in last year’s tournament final.

“We still feel like we have some unfinished business in this tournament,” SES head coach Shauna Smith said. “We were up throughout the game with Sterling and we let it slip away at the buzzer. This is a predominantly great tournament and we’re excited for another chance to compete.”

After falling to Minneapolis in just their first loss of the season a few weeks back, the Lady Trojans needed a big bounce back, and they got it last Tuesday, carving up Clay Center 45-28.

Almost immediately after that win, the focus shifted to a Sterling team that historically has been a problem for SES, and which will represent the first hurdle in the Lady Trojan's way at this year’s tournament.

“I think we did a really great job defensively against Clay Center and I think we’ll take that confidence into Tuesday night,” Smith said. “This does feel like a revenge game and we need to get out and beat them, we haven’t done that since 2010, and they’ve been so good in the past but we felt like we should have had that game last year.”

While this year’s Sterling team will enter this game at 1-8, the Lady Bears are due to wake up from hibernation any day now, with star forward Lily Gray returning to the lineup after sitting out the month of December with an injury.

“She’s their number one option and everything revolves around her,” she said. “She’s 6-4 so she’s going to get some buckets but we have to limit her second-chance opportunities and make it hard for them to get her the ball without fouling.”

On the offensive end, the Lady Trojans will put an emphasis on knocking down their triples to stretch the Black Bears thin and open up lanes to attack the basket.

“We have to hit some outside shots to get their defense extended and to get ourselves rolling,” Smith said. “We haven’t seen much zone this year and we’re not sure what kind of look we’ll get from them but we have to get into a flow and do the things we like to do.”

Tip-off between the Lady Trojans and Black Bears is set for 6 pm at Sterling High School, with the winner moving on to the semifinals to face either Smoky Valley or Hugoton at 6:00 on Thursday.

For continuing coverage of both Southeast of Saline basketball teams all week at Sterling, stay tuned to the Salina Post.

By TYLER HENRY Salina Post contributor<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599179528888.png" alt="Coverage of Lady Trojan hoops is presented by Salina Ortho: Quality orthopedic care when you need it!" />
 <figcaption>Coverage of Lady Trojan hoops is presented by Salina Ortho: Quality orthopedic care when you need it!</figcaption>
 </figure>After a triumphant return to the win column a week ago, the 5th-ranked Southeast of Saline girl’s basketball team will open their Sterling Tournament run on Tuesday, when the Lady Trojans (7-1) take on the hosts in Sterling (2-8) at 6 pm.In addition to a big game in a high-profile tournament, this matchup also kicks off a bit of a revenge tour for Southeast, who were eliminated by Sterling in last year’s tournament final.“We still feel like we have some unfinished business in this tournament,” SES head coach Shauna Smith said. “We were up throughout the game with Sterling and we let it slip away at the buzzer. This is a predominantly great tournament and we’re excited for another chance to compete.”After falling to Minneapolis in just their first loss of the season a few weeks back, the Lady Trojans needed a big bounce back, and they got it last Tuesday, carving up Clay Center 45-28.Almost immediately after that win, the focus shifted to a Sterling team that historically has been a problem for SES, and which will represent the first hurdle in the Lady Trojan's way at this year’s tournament.“I think we did a really great job defensively against Clay Center and I think we’ll take that confidence into Tuesday night,” Smith said. “This does feel like a revenge game and we need to get out and beat them, we haven’t done that since 2010, and they’ve been so good in the past but we felt like we should have had that game last year.”While this year’s Sterling team will enter this game at 1-8, the Lady Bears are due to wake up from hibernation any day now, with star forward Lily Gray returning to the lineup after sitting out the month of December with an injury.“She’s their number one option and everything revolves around her,” she said. “She’s 6-4 so she’s going to get some buckets but we have to limit her second-chance opportunities and make it hard for them to get her the ball without fouling.”On the offensive end, the Lady Trojans will put an emphasis on knocking down their triples to stretch the Black Bears thin and open up lanes to attack the basket.“We have to hit some outside shots to get their defense extended and to get ourselves rolling,” Smith said. “We haven’t seen much zone this year and we’re not sure what kind of look we’ll get from them but we have to get into a flow and do the things we like to do.”Tip-off between the Lady Trojans and Black Bears is set for 6 pm at Sterling High School, with the winner moving on to the semifinals to face either Smoky Valley or Hugoton at 6:00 on Thursday.For continuing coverage of both Southeast of Saline basketball teams all week at Sterling, stay tuned to the Salina Post.

#5 Lady Trojans open Sterling Tournament in search of revenge over Black Bears

Montverde Academy, Fla. 64, Wichita Sunrise 51

Pretty Prairie 50, Hutchinson Central Christian 46

College Heights Christian, Mo. 66, Erie 33

Some high school basketball scores provided by <a href="http://Scorestream.com">Scorestream.com</a>.

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS<h2>GIRLS PREP BASKETBALL</h2>Lakin 54, Southwestern Hts. 29Minneapolis 54, Macksville 40Wichita County 46, Syracuse 35Flint Hills TournamentFirst RoundMission Valley 50, Central Heights 21Osage City 67, West Franklin 20Hoisington TournamentFirst RoundCimarron 80, Victoria 23McLouth TournamentFirst RoundRiverside 55, McLouth 19Northern Plains TournamentFirst RoundRock Hills 63, Osborne 38Sterling TournamentFirst RoundScott City 65, Kingman 61Tonganoxie TournamentFirst RoundHolton 44, Tonganoxie 21Twin Valley League TournamentClifton-Clyde 48, Linn 38Doniphan West 50, Centralia 41Hanover 49, Valley Heights 32Washington County 50, Frankfort 41<h2>BOYS PREP BASKETBALL</h2>Macksville 55, Minneapolis 47Montverde Academy, Fla. 64, Wichita Sunrise 51Burrton TournamentFirst RoundInman 63, Burrton 27Pretty Prairie 50, Hutchinson Central Christian 46Canton-Galva TournamentFirst RoundEll-Saline 59, Wichita Home School 56Wichita Classical 66, Sedgwick 24Halstead TournamentFirst RoundAndale 45, Garden Plain 33Hoisington TournamentFirst RoundEllinwood 89, Otis-Bison 28Pratt 71, Victoria 38Mid-Continent League TournamentHill City 59, Oakley 44Phillipsburg 44, Trego 40Russell 39, Norton 33Nemaha Central TournamentSt. Mary's 72, Hiawatha 55Northern Plains League TournamentLakeside 58, Wilson 40Southeast TournamentFirst RoundCollege Heights Christian, Mo. 66, Erie 33Parsons 69, Southeast 34Riverton 53, Baxter Springs 41Sterling TournamentFirst RoundScott City 69, Lyons 31Tonganoxie TournamentFirst RoundTonganoxie 36, Holton 29Twin Valley League TournamentQuarterfinalHanover 43, Centralia 40Uniontown TournamentKC Christian 59, Jayhawk Linn 47Some high school basketball scores provided by <a href="http://Scorestream.com">Scorestream.com</a>.

Some Monday prep basketball scores

As we approach the halfway mark of the 2022-23 regular season, the Southeast of Saline boy’s basketball team, still undefeated and ranked as the #1 team in Class 3A, will travel to the Sterling Tournament looking to maintain momentum and collect some hardware this week.

First up for Southeast (8-0) will be a rematch of a 70-38 victory from week one of their season against the 8-seed in Smoky Valley (4-4) as the Trojans and Vikings meet for their seventh matchup in the last four years.

Despite the familiarity of a series that has seen SES dominate, winning each of those seven contests, the Trojans recognize that this game is unlikely to look like the first against a Viking team that has righted the ship, winning four straight to get back to .500.

“I don’t know that the familiarity favors anybody,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “They’re better than they were early in the year and I hope we’ve gotten better too but we can’t think that we can just walk on the floor and be given anything. They’ve been playing much better basketball after Christmas and they’ll be feeling good and playing confident tonight.”

Part of that shift for Smoky Valley has been on the defensive end, where the Vikings now operate in a 1-3-1 zone, which has helped them hold their last four opponents under 50 points per game after allowing over 60 in their first four matchups.

“Some of their kids are finally settling into roles,” Flax said. “They weren’t quite sure who they were in that second game of the season but they’ve matured and they’re passing up bad shots to look for good shots. They’ve stayed aggressive offensively and it’s a night and day difference from the first time we saw them.”

In addition to that patience on the offensive end, more and more playmakers have started to step up for Smoky Valley, with a three-headed monster of Ki Blanchatt, Karson Pihl and Vincent Pickering combining to average almost 30 points per game.

While an elusive Sterling Tournament title looms three games away, the Trojans remain laser focused on handling their business one day at a time amongst a field that at the top, should challenge SES with teams like Sterling and Hugoton across the bracket.

“Hardware is nice but our priority is continuing to get better day by day and play our best basketball,” Flax said. “If we can stay locked in the accolades will come but I think winning games against quality opponents holds more value to our guys than a trophy would.”

Tip-off between the Trojans and Vikings is set for 7:30 pm at Sterling College with the winner advancing to the semifinal round to face either Lyons (4-3) or Scott City (4-4) at 5:30 on Thursday.

For continuing coverage of the Trojans and Lady Trojans all week at the Sterling Tournament stay tuned to the Salina Post and follow us on Twitter @spostsports.

By TYLER HENRY Salina Post contributor<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599179528888.png" alt="Coverage of SES hoops is presented by Salina Ortho: Quality orthopedic care when you need it!" />
 <figcaption>Coverage of SES hoops is presented by Salina Ortho: Quality orthopedic care when you need it!</figcaption>
 </figure>As we approach the halfway mark of the 2022-23 regular season, the Southeast of Saline boy’s basketball team, still undefeated and ranked as the #1 team in Class 3A, will travel to the Sterling Tournament looking to maintain momentum and collect some hardware this week.First up for Southeast (8-0) will be a rematch of a 70-38 victory from week one of their season against the 8-seed in Smoky Valley (4-4) as the Trojans and Vikings meet for their seventh matchup in the last four years.Despite the familiarity of a series that has seen SES dominate, winning each of those seven contests, the Trojans recognize that this game is unlikely to look like the first against a Viking team that has righted the ship, winning four straight to get back to .500.“I don’t know that the familiarity favors anybody,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “They’re better than they were early in the year and I hope we’ve gotten better too but we can’t think that we can just walk on the floor and be given anything. They’ve been playing much better basketball after Christmas and they’ll be feeling good and playing confident tonight.”Part of that shift for Smoky Valley has been on the defensive end, where the Vikings now operate in a 1-3-1 zone, which has helped them hold their last four opponents under 50 points per game after allowing over 60 in their first four matchups.“Some of their kids are finally settling into roles,” Flax said. “They weren’t quite sure who they were in that second game of the season but they’ve matured and they’re passing up bad shots to look for good shots. They’ve stayed aggressive offensively and it’s a night and day difference from the first time we saw them.”In addition to that patience on the offensive end, more and more playmakers have started to step up for Smoky Valley, with a three-headed monster of Ki Blanchatt, Karson Pihl and Vincent Pickering combining to average almost 30 points per game.While an elusive Sterling Tournament title looms three games away, the Trojans remain laser focused on handling their business one day at a time amongst a field that at the top, should challenge SES with teams like Sterling and Hugoton across the bracket.“Hardware is nice but our priority is continuing to get better day by day and play our best basketball,” Flax said. “If we can stay locked in the accolades will come but I think winning games against quality opponents holds more value to our guys than a trophy would.”Tip-off between the Trojans and Vikings is set for 7:30 pm at Sterling College with the winner advancing to the semifinal round to face either Lyons (4-3) or Scott City (4-4) at 5:30 on Thursday.For continuing coverage of the Trojans and Lady Trojans all week at the Sterling Tournament stay tuned to the Salina Post and follow us on Twitter @spostsports.

(1) Trojans open Sterling Tournament with (8) Smoky Valley

The Southeast of Saline boys take on Smoky Valley Monday evening in the Sterling Invitational Tournament. If you can't make it to the game, Salina Post has you covered.

The game is scheduled to begin&nbsp;at approximately 7:30 p.m. Monday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673836721181.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Southeast of Saline boys take on Smoky Valley Monday evening in the Sterling Invitational Tournament. If you can't make it to the game, Salina Post has you covered.The game is scheduled to begin&nbsp;at approximately 7:30 p.m. Monday.You can listen to the basketball games on KINA (910 AM or 107.5 FM). Devin Hanney has the call. You also can watch a live stream of the games right here on Salina Post, thanks to Salina Medical Esthetics and Salina Pain Clinic!Click the QR code or the link below to watch the game Monday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673837097455.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JtDt0t2z_pI"></iframe>
 <figcaption>Video by Bryan Dennett</figcaption>
 </figure>

🎥Watch live as Southeast of Saline takes on Smoky Valley Monday!

After reclaiming their rightful place atop the Class 3A rankings on Tuesday, the undefeated Southeast of Saline basketball team cemented their status with another dominant victory, this time of the 66-49 variety over Clay Center.

With this win, the Trojans move to 8-0 on the season while the Tigers fall to 2-6.

“This wasn’t really a good shooting night for us,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “I thought we did some really good things late but we weren’t getting to very good spots. Clay Center played pretty consistent tonight, they’re a young team starting to figure things out, credit to them.”

Offensively, three different Trojans notched double digits in the win, led by Nakari Morrical-Palmer (19), Eli Sawyers (16), and Kayson Lilley (15).

“I thought it was a group effort on offense,” Flax said. “That’s been the case when we get zoned defensively. We had some opportunities to get on the run and we left some opportunities off offensive rebounds out there but any time you can go on the road and come away with a win you have to be happy.”

As they have for a majority of the season, Southeast won the pressure game, turning the Tigers over 16 times while surrendering possession just nine times themselves.

The Trojans also looked dominant on the glass, stealing away offensive boards in bunches.

Next up, SES will turn their attention to the Sterling Tournament next week where they will open bracket play with a familiar foe in Smoky Valley.

“Obviously we want to come away with a trophy in Sterling but we have to take things a game at a time,” Flax said. “I would have preferred anyone but Smoky in that first round just to see someone different but they’ve been playing better than they were and they can be a challenge.”

By TYLER HENRY Salina Post contributor<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599179528888.png" alt="Coverage of SES hoops is presented by Salina Ortho: Quality orthopedic care when you need it!" />
 <figcaption>Coverage of SES hoops is presented by Salina Ortho: Quality orthopedic care when you need it!</figcaption>
 </figure>After reclaiming their rightful place atop the Class 3A rankings on Tuesday, the undefeated Southeast of Saline basketball team cemented their status with another dominant victory, this time of the 66-49 variety over Clay Center.With this win, the Trojans move to 8-0 on the season while the Tigers fall to 2-6.“This wasn’t really a good shooting night for us,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “I thought we did some really good things late but we weren’t getting to very good spots. Clay Center played pretty consistent tonight, they’re a young team starting to figure things out, credit to them.”Offensively, three different Trojans notched double digits in the win, led by Nakari Morrical-Palmer (19), Eli Sawyers (16), and Kayson Lilley (15).“I thought it was a group effort on offense,” Flax said. “That’s been the case when we get zoned defensively. We had some opportunities to get on the run and we left some opportunities off offensive rebounds out there but any time you can go on the road and come away with a win you have to be happy.”As they have for a majority of the season, Southeast won the pressure game, turning the Tigers over 16 times while surrendering possession just nine times themselves.The Trojans also looked dominant on the glass, stealing away offensive boards in bunches.Next up, SES will turn their attention to the Sterling Tournament next week where they will open bracket play with a familiar foe in Smoky Valley.“Obviously we want to come away with a trophy in Sterling but we have to take things a game at a time,” Flax said. “I would have preferred anyone but Smoky in that first round just to see someone different but they’ve been playing better than they were and they can be a challenge.”

Trojans thrash Tigers, roll on to 8-0

After a brief stumble last week, the Southeast of Saline girl's basketball team, still ranked #5 in Class 3A, got back in the win column with a convincing 45-28 victory on the road in Clay Center.

With this win, the Lady Trojans advance to 7-1 on the season, while the Lady Tigers fall to 4-4.

Following a rough outing on the glass last Friday, Southeast looked much better this time around, despite facing more size in the Clay Center lineup.

“I thought we all did a good job of rebounding tonight,” SES head coach Shauna Smith said. “Overall we looked to box people out and we did a really good job of that.”

It was clear that the Lady Trojans wanted to make a statement early, as Southeast exploded out of the gates on an 8-0 run, holding a 20-point lead in the second quarter and never looking back.

In the second half, SES continued playing their unselfish brand of basketball en route to their seventh win of the season, further strengthening their position ahead of the Sterling Tournament next week.

“We’ve talked about sharing the ball,” Smith said. “That’s something we didn’t do last Friday. They pressed us but we took time to prepare for that and I thought we did a good job with it.”

Lexi Jacobson led the way for the Lady Trojans, tying her career-high with a 15-point performance, and joining Reagan Goetz, who scored 11, in double figures.

Hailee Bent was the only Tiger to crack double digits in the loss as Clay Center failed to bounce SES for a third straight season.

With the rest of the week to recover, Southeast will turn their attention to a trip to the Sterling Tournament next week, where the Lady Trojans will open bracket play with an abnormal 8-seed in the hosts.

“We’ll have to prepare for Sterling,” Smith said. “That 1-6 record is deceiving. They got one of their best players back. Every game at Sterling is going to be a fight and we’ll have to be prepared.” 

By TYLER HENRY Salina Post contributor<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599179528888.png" alt="Coverage of Lady Trojan basketball is presented by Salina Ortho: Quality orthopedic care when you need it!" />
 <figcaption>Coverage of Lady Trojan basketball is presented by Salina Ortho: Quality orthopedic care when you need it!</figcaption>
 </figure>After a brief stumble last week, the Southeast of Saline girl's basketball team, still ranked #5 in Class 3A, got back in the win column with a convincing 45-28 victory on the road in Clay Center.With this win, the Lady Trojans advance to 7-1 on the season, while the Lady Tigers fall to 4-4.Following a rough outing on the glass last Friday, Southeast looked much better this time around, despite facing more size in the Clay Center lineup.“I thought we all did a good job of rebounding tonight,” SES head coach Shauna Smith said. “Overall we looked to box people out and we did a really good job of that.” It was clear that the Lady Trojans wanted to make a statement early, as Southeast exploded out of the gates on an 8-0 run, holding a 20-point lead in the second quarter and never looking back.In the second half, SES continued playing their unselfish brand of basketball en route to their seventh win of the season, further strengthening their position ahead of the Sterling Tournament next week.“We’ve talked about sharing the ball,” Smith said. “That’s something we didn’t do last Friday. They pressed us but we took time to prepare for that and I thought we did a good job with it.”Lexi Jacobson led the way for the Lady Trojans, tying her career-high with a 15-point performance, and joining Reagan Goetz, who scored 11, in double figures.Hailee Bent was the only Tiger to crack double digits in the loss as Clay Center failed to bounce SES for a third straight season.With the rest of the week to recover, Southeast will turn their attention to a trip to the Sterling Tournament next week, where the Lady Trojans will open bracket play with an abnormal 8-seed in the hosts.“We’ll have to prepare for Sterling,” Smith said. “That 1-6 record is deceiving. They got one of their best players back. Every game at Sterling is going to be a fight and we’ll have to be prepared.”

Lady Trojans rebound with 45-28 victory in Clay Center

Central Christian 43, Flint Hills Christian 22

Heritage Christian 57, Bishop Seabury Academy 17

Pike Valley 28, Glasco/Miltonvale-Southern Cloud 22

Wakefield School, Va. 23, St. Michael The Archangel Catholic 17

Wichita Bishop Carroll 49, Wichita Heights 36

Wichita Defenders Homeschool 32, Reno County 30

Bishop Miege 78, Lincoln College Prep, Mo. 48

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSGIRLS PREP BASKETBALLAndale 59, El Dorado 12Andover 58, Salina Central 45Andover Central 48, Goddard 18Baldwin 49, Ottawa 41Basehor-Linwood 74, Topeka Seaman 71Bennington 70, Moundridge 60Berean Academy 32, Sedgwick 27Bluestem 39, Neodesha 34Burrton 47, Cunningham 43Canton-Galva 49, Solomon 29Central Christian 43, Flint Hills Christian 22Central Plains 54, Sterling 39Chanute 38, Coffeyville 32Chaparral 34, Belle Plaine 32Chapman 49, Beloit 26Cheney 56, Wichita Independent 32Circle 55, Winfield 29Clearwater 45, Rose Hill 16Conway Springs 35, Douglass 32Derby 55, Newton 28Ell-Saline 50, Wichita Classical 33Frankfort 73, Wetmore 14Garden Plain 56, Wichita Trinity 17Goddard-Eisenhower 31, Arkansas City 22Goodland 48, Colby 23Haven 37, Hoisington 32Hays 63, Great Bend 45Hays-TMP-Marian 43, Hoxie 40Heritage Christian 57, Bishop Seabury Academy 17Hesston 47, Pratt 14Highland Park 64, KC Sumner 20Hillsboro 51, Smoky Valley 49Hodgeman County 64, Pawnee Heights 28Hugoton 43, Hooker, Okla. 39Hutchinson 39, Maize 20Inman 49, Hutchinson Trinity 14Jefferson West 59, Royal Valley 43KC Wyandotte 52, KC Washington 30Kingman 48, Medicine Lodge 36Larned 42, Lyons 32Lawrence 61, Olathe East 39Liberal 58, Garden City 50Little River 59, Goessel 25Macksville 53, Ingalls 35Maize South 47, Valley Center 34McPherson 49, Augusta 13Mulvane 26, Buhler 23Nemaha Central 42, Riverside 31Nickerson 50, Halstead 45Norton 39, Oakley 35Norwich 61, South Barber 7Oberlin-Decatur 49, Northern Valley 35Olathe North 72, Lawrence Free State 18Olathe West 41, SM West 37Osage City 63, Chase County, Neb. 28Phillipsburg 55, Trego 28Pike Valley 28, Glasco/Miltonvale-Southern Cloud 22Pleasant Ridge 52, Valley Falls 21Quinter 63, Western Plains 24Rawlins County 55, Triplains-Brewster 26Remington 60, Marion 20Riverton 22, Girard 20Rural Vista 40, Centre 9SM Northwest 32, Olathe Northwest 28Salina South 44, Wichita Campus 14Smith Center 60, Russell 31Southeast Saline 45, Clay Center 28Spring Hill 47, Louisburg 39St. Francis 44, Weskan 12Stanton County 75, Walsh, Colo. 16Sylvan-Lucas 47, Natoma 20Wakefield 40, Herington 25Wakefield School, Va. 23, St. Michael The Archangel Catholic 17Wallace County 50, Greeley County 32Wamego 42, Abilene 17Washburn Rural 47, Topeka 46Wellington 82, Wichita Collegiate 17West Elk 44, Burden Central 27Wheatland-Grinnell 33, Dighton 31Wichita Bishop Carroll 49, Wichita Heights 36Wichita County 64, Cheylin 1Wichita Defenders Homeschool 32, Reno County 30Wichita Northwest 57, Wichita West 7Wichita South 58, Wichita Southeast 51Wilson 42, Chase 31BOYS PREP BASKETBALLAbilene 52, Wamego 43Anderson County 59, Prairie View 17Andover 70, Salina Central 30Andover Central 61, Goddard 26Baldwin 66, Ottawa 43Basehor-Linwood 74, Topeka Seaman 71Beloit 70, Chapman 27Bishop Miege 78, Lincoln College Prep, Mo. 48Central Heights 53, West Franklin 41Chaparral 69, Belle Plaine 55Cheylin 48, Wichita County 43Colby 58, Goodland 45Cunningham 80, Burrton 35Derby 58, Newton 31Douglass 38, Conway Springs 35Elkhart 72, Deerfield 36Ellinwood 73, St. John 19Emporia 58, Paola 28Flint Hills Christian 58, Central Christian 47Galena 60, Pittsburg Colgan 41Garden City 86, Liberal 59Goddard-Eisenhower 56, Arkansas City 55Haven 49, Hoisington 25Heritage Christian 71, Bishop Seabury Academy 63Hesston 63, Pratt 50Highland Park 107, KC Sumner 64Hodgeman County 55, Pawnee Heights 50Holton 56, Perry-Lecompton 52Hugoton 64, Hooker, Okla. 60Humboldt 66, Fredonia 53Hutchinson 61, Maize 46Junction City 44, Topeka Hayden 42KC Bishop Ward 94, Maranatha Academy 38Kingman 55, Medicine Lodge 54Lawrence 61, Olathe East 39Lawrence-Nelson, Neb. 45, Rock Hills 20Leavenworth 43, Lansing 34Lebo 62, Madison/Hamilton 41Linn 59, St. Xavier 22Little River 71, Goessel 51Lyndon 77, Council Grove 39Macksville 66, Ingalls 45Maize South 59, Valley Center 39Marmaton Valley 57, Crest 31Marysville 59, Concordia 52McPherson 57, Augusta 42Mulvane 50, Buhler 47Nickerson 61, Halstead 52Norwich 46, South Barber 21Olathe West 70, SM West 58Osborne 56, St. John's Beloit-Tipton 50Phillipsburg 58, Trego 53Pike Valley 55, Southern Cloud 41Quinter 63, Western Plains 24Remington 64, Marion 32Riverton 49, Girard 47Rose Hill 58, Clearwater 25Russell 65, Smith Center 50Shawnee Heights 67, KC Turner 41Silver Lake 35, Wabaunsee 32Smoky Valley 57, Hillsboro 53South Gray 83, Minneola 48Southeast Saline 66, Clay Center 49Spearville 63, Ness City 59St. Mary's 65, Riley County 40St. Michael The Archangel Catholic 65, Wakefield School, Va. 34Sylvan-Lucas 63, Natoma 26Thunder Ridge 67, Lakeside 37Troy 67, Onaga 61Valley Falls 53, Pleasant Ridge 30Weskan 55, St. Francis 23West Elk 54, Burden Central 51Wichita Campus 64, Salina South 59Wichita Classical 66, Ell-Saline 26Wichita Collegiate 63, Wellington 41Wichita Heights 53, Wichita Bishop Carroll 36Wichita Independent 58, Cheney 47Wichita Trinity 68, Garden Plain 66Wilson 58, Chase 25Some high school basketball scores provided by <a href="http://Scorestream.com">Scorestream.com</a>.

On Tuesday, the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association released their week four rankings for all seven classes of boys' basketball across the state of Kansas.

6A Boys 1. Olathe West 2. Blue Valley North 3. Wichita Heights 4. Derby 5. Blue Valley Northwest 6. Lawrence 7. Olathe North 8. Garden City 9. Lawrence Free State 10. Washburn Rural

4A Boys 1. McPherson 2. Bishop Miege 3. Eudora 4. Towanda-Circle 5. Atchison 6. Topeka Hayden 7. Wamego 8. Wellington 9. Baldwin 10. Hugoton

3A Boys 1. Southeast of Saline 2. Sabetha 3. Hesston 4. Wichita Collegiate 5. Haven 6. Galena 7. Osage City 8. Colby 9. Marysville 10. Humboldt

2A Boys 1. Wichita Independent 2. Hays-Thomas More Prep 3. Ellinwood 4. Lyndon 5. Bennington 6. Moundridge 7. Sterling 8. Inman 9. Wichita County 10. Jayhawk Linn

On Tuesday, the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association released their week four rankings for all seven classes of boys' basketball across the state of Kansas.You can find the full rankings below6A Boys 1. Olathe West 2. Blue Valley North 3. Wichita Heights 4. Derby 5. Blue Valley Northwest 6. Lawrence 7. Olathe North 8. Garden City 9. Lawrence Free State 10. Washburn Rural 5A Boys 1. Highland Park 2. Kapaun Mt. Carmel 3. Hutchinson 4. St. James Academy 5. Maize South 6. Topeka West 7. De Soto 8. Andover Central 9. Andover 10. KC Piper4A Boys 1. McPherson 2. Bishop Miege 3. Eudora 4. Towanda-Circle 5. Atchison 6. Topeka Hayden 7. Wamego 8. Wellington 9. Baldwin 10. Hugoton3A Boys 1. Southeast of Saline 2. Sabetha 3. Hesston 4. Wichita Collegiate 5. Haven 6. Galena 7. Osage City 8. Colby 9. Marysville 10. Humboldt2A Boys 1. Wichita Independent 2. Hays-Thomas More Prep 3. Ellinwood 4. Lyndon 5. Bennington 6. Moundridge 7. Sterling 8. Inman 9. Wichita County 10. Jayhawk Linn 1A-Div 1-Boys 1. Olpe 2. Centralia 3. Macksville 4. Clifton-Clyde 5. Wichita Classical School 6. Burlingame 7. Randolph-Blue Valley 8. Osborne 9. Norwich 10. McPherson - Elyria Christian 1A-Div 2-Boys 1. Greeley County 2. Northern Valley 3. Hanover 4. Pawnee Heights 5. Axtell 6. Lebo 7. Cunningham 8. Bucklin 9. Logan-Palco 10. Bird City - Cheylin