Salina South boys basketball coach Jason Hooper has been preaching that his team was about ready to turn the corner.

His plan is coming to fruition.

Sophomore Colin Schreiber paced four double-digit scorers, the defense held Derby in check in the first three quarters, and the Cougars handled the Panthers, 66-52, in a makeup contest Friday night. Salina South (5-7, 2-4 AVCTL-I) snapped a four-game skid versus Derby and won its fourth game in the last five contests.

Both teams struggled to find rhythm early, but ultimately, South was ahead 16-11 after one. The Cougars pounced on the Panthers in the ensuing period, limiting Derby to just two buckets in the quarter while Salina South pulled away for a 35-17 advantage at the break.

Schreiber, sophomore Devon Junghans and senior Elex Banks paved the way for more success in the second half, but when the Cougars faced foul trouble, they received a pair of threes from Jace Varela and Cade Hannert. Derby (2-10, 0-5) scored 27 in the final frame after trailing 54-25 through three.

Junior Ty Garrett scored 10 points in his second game back from injury. Banks and Junghans each contributed with 12 points. Schreiber turned in the most complete performance, matching a career-high with 14 points.

Salina South stays at home Tuesday, hosting the Hays Indians. Pregame begins at 5:45 on Y93.7.

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