The Salina South boys basketball team is 5-0 for the first time since 2015-16.

Senior Josh Jordan scored a game-high 17 points and forced a big turnover with the game on the line as the Cougars survived a late Hutchinson rally to secure a 48-45 victory Tuesday night at Salina South High School.

Both teams were a bit sluggish coming out of the gate. The squads battled to a 7-all tie to start before Hutch pulled away for a brief 12-7 lead.

South turned to Jordan to jumpstart the Cougars. The senior connected on back-to-back threes, sparking a 14-0 burst to give South a 21-12 cushion early in the second. South’s defense followed Jordan’s lead, limiting Hutch to four points in the period, building a 28-16 halftime advantage.

The Cougars ballooned the margin out to as many as 16, but settled for a 40-26 lead after the third. Hutch turned up the defensive pressure and clawed back within two points, 47-45.

Salina South missed the front end of a one-and-one, leaving the door wide open. Senior Jake Huhs worked along the right baseline with little time left. Jordan locked him up, creating a steal for senior Devon Junghans with six seconds left.

Junghans canned the first and missed the second. The Salthawks flew up the floor and received a last-second heave from Huhs that ricocheted off the backboard.

To go with Jordan’s 17 points, Junghans added 11. Sophomore Te’Jon McDaniel had a career-high eight points while senior Darell Evans chipped in a career-best six points.

Myles Thompson paced Hutch with 16 points. Huhs finished with 15.

Salina South is off until Friday, January 8. The Cougars host Maize. Pregame coverage begins at 5:45 pm on Y93.7.