GIRLS: Valley Center 38, Salina South 34

Salina South and Valley Center don’t often meet up, being in separate divisions of the Ark Valley Chisolm Trail League, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t very comparable teams. Both squads struggle offensively, and both squads rely on their strong defense to win games. Both squads also came in red hot, with VCHS winning three of their last four, and South winning three-straight heading in to Tuesday’s clash.

Valley Center; however, used a hot shooting start to lead 15-5 at the end of the first quarter, and 25-12 at halftime, giving them just enough cushion to hold off the inevitable South comeback effort.

The Cougars outscored the Hornets 22-13 in the second half, and held Valley Center without a made field goal in the fourth period, but the Cougars just could not create enough offense to complete the comeback.

Valley Center improved to 7-12 on the season with the win, while Salina South saw its three-game winning streak snapped, falling to 8-11 on the year.

Nex-Tech Wireless Player of the Game: Paityn Fritz

H & R Block of the Game: Paityn Fritz

BOX SCORE

Salina South – 5 – 7 – 11 – 11 / 34

Valley Center – 15 – 10 – 8 – 5 / 38

BOYS: Valley Center 88, Salina South 76

In the boys contest, Salina South saw Tuesday as quite the opportunity. A chance to begin the final week of the season with a win, and a chance to create momentum to finish this year, and move on to the future.

The game started out as exactly that, as South shot the ball exceptionally well in the first half, making five first-half three-pointers, and taking a 33-27 lead into the locker room.

Brady Howard would start the second half off hot for the Cougars, making four more threes in the third and pushing South to a lead as big as 11 points. But following a Valley Center timeout, the Hornets would rally, amassing a 12-0 run to take the lead, and then to cruise past the Cougars in the remainder of the game, scoring at ease by driving to the basket against a timid, foul-trouble stricken, Cougar defense.

The Hornets were led by a stellar, 36-point game from Sam Kemp, as well as 18 points from Austin Saner, and 14 from Colby Newton.

Salina South was led by Quevon Purucker who scored 26 points on the night. Brady Howard would put up 18 on six made threes, Layson Sajdak would score 13, and 10 from Jace Humphrey.

The Cougars fall to 1-18 on the year with the loss, and Valley Center improved to 4-15.

Nex-Tech Wireless Player of the Game: Quevon Purucker

H & R Block of the Game: Layson Sajdak

BOX SCORE

Salina South – 17 – 16 – 19 – 24 / 76

Valley Center – 15 – 12 – 31 – 30 / 88