SALINA, Kan. – McPherson High School Girls & Boys Basketball concluded their opening week at the Salina South early-season round robin. The girls team fell to Salina South and Liberal. The boys fell to Salina South, but turned around to defeat Liberal on Saturday.
Salina South’s press kept the McPherson Girls to score a season-low 23 points on Friday, Dec. 5, as the Cougars won 42-23. The Bullpups only made nine total shots, all of which inside the three-point line, while shooting 9-19 at the free-throw line. Brooke Doile led all scorers with eight points.
The Bullpups followed up the next afternoon against Liberal, who entered unbeaten. After trailing 12-2 during the first quarter, McPherson found its spark in the second and third quarters. Liberal led 24-20 at halftime, but McPherson took the lead into the fourth quarter 40-38. However, Liberal made timely defensive adjustments and converted on late foul trouble to defeat McPherson 53-48. Maryn Sandbo scored a team-high 12 points.
The McPherson Boys fell to Salina South on Friday 58-43, handing them their first loss of the season. The Bullpups and Cougard went back and forth for most of the first half, but McPherson saw themselves down by six at halftime. After starting the third quarter on a run, Salina South used strong defense down the stretch, outscoring McPherson 28-18 in the second half. Jett Pyle led the Bullpups with 14 points, but he fouled out early in the fourth.
McPherson had a strong turnaround against Liberal Saturday afternoon, however. Their stifling defense in the first half held Liberal to only five points, while McPherson themselves scored 31. Liberal then caught fire in the third quarter, outscoring the Bullpups 29-14, thanks to a 16-point quarter by James Fieser, who made four three-point shots. McPherson then made some adjustments in the fourth quarter to run away with the 66-47 victory. Freshman Eli Reasoner had a team-high 18 points, all of which in the second half. Cole Cooper chipped in with a career-high 14 points.
The McPherson girls are 1-2, the boys 2-1. Both teams will travel to Derby to face the Panthers on Tuesday, Dec. 9.
