Senior night was not a memorable one for the Salina South boys’ basketball team as it fell to Newton, 51-44.
The Cougars came out with good energy but unfortunately, they couldn’t make enough baskets to keep up with the talented Newton squad.
Both South and Newton would come out ice cold shooting the basketball. Newton’s start player and Division I prospect, Ty Berry couldn’t find his shot early and that kept South in the game. After one, Newton led 7-5.
Although the first period was slow, both teams began to heat up in the second quarter as both the Cougars and Railers played a back-and-forth quarter. Salina South actually had the lead for most of the quarter, but Berry and Newton would make enough shots to tie the game going in to halftime, 22-22.
At the start of the third stanza, both teams continued to go see-saw in the lead. It was the final three minutes of the quarter that eventually costed the Cougars the game. Five trips on the offensive side of the floor for South, five turnovers. That allow Newton to get out and get some easy buckets in transition as well as get Berry to the line where he would do most of his damage on the night.
After three, South was still in the game but trailed 37-32.
South hung around in the final quarter and got the margin to three points with one minute to go after a Devin Junghans 3-pointer. A Berry miss at the FT stripe gave South new hope. The Cougars had the ball trailing by three points with 30-seconds left. South would run a good play and get freshman, A.J. Johnson an open look in the lane, unfortunately, the shot was wide left and Newton got the rebound.
Berry would not miss again as he went back to the line four more times and closed out the road win for the Railers.
Newton (10-9, 7-3 AVCTL-I) struggled without their best big man, Damarius Peterson who was out with an injury. Still the Railers got the win led by Berry’s 23 points–12 of which came from the FT line. Cailen Valdez added in 12 points and Alex Krogmeier scored 10.
Salina South (4-14, 3-7 AVCTL-I) struggled offensively all night. The Cougars would land three in double-figures with Junghans and Johnson leading the way with 11 points. Johnson also had 11 boards for a double-double. Isaac Mitchell was picked as the game’s Salina Ortho “Player of the Game” as the junior big man could not be stopped by Newton when he got the ball down low. Mitchell would score 10 points on the game. Salina South hosts rival Salina Central on Tuesday.
Newton 43, SALINA SOUTH 22
Senior night was ugly for the Salina South girls’ basketball team from the beginning.
Newton would outscore South 14-2 in the first quarter and the Lady Railers never looked back.
Outside of Jadyn Zamecnik, the South Cougars would struggle to score. Zamecnik got South closer in the second quarter with a 3-point make, but Newton led 22-9 at halftime.
Zamecnik continued to shoot the ball well all throughout the second half, but Newton was too athletic and too good for Salina South.
Newton (12-6, 6-4 AVCTL-I) had a balanced scoring effort on Friday night. The Railers had two scorers in double-figures, with Jada Berry leading the way with 15 points and DesiRay Kernal adding in 11.
Salina South (6-12, 2-8 AVCTL-I) was swept by Newton for the season. Zamecnik was the choice for the Salina Ortho “Player of the Game” as she finished her night with 13 points and two 3-point makes to lead the way for South.
Up next for Salina South, the Cougars will host arch-rival Salina Central for the first time in 35 years at South High on Tuesday night. Rocking M Media will have simulcast coverage coverage of the Cougars/Mustangs showdown on both Sportsradio 1150 KSAL-AM and Y93.7. Tip times are set for 6/7:30 p.m.
https://soundcloud.com/user-628709466/salina-south-vs-newton-full-broadcast-21618
https://soundcloud.com/user-537926579/salina-south-vs-newton-full-broadcast-21618
