Saints look to carry momentum at Coffeyville to open second half of season

LIBERAL, Kan. – The Seward County Community College men's basketball team looks to build on its recent success when it opens the second half of the season at Coffeyville on Saturday at 4 p.m.

The Saints are looking to keep their momentum going after a successful run at the Fiesta Bowl Junior College Shootout at Mesa Community College in Arizona last weekend.  

Seward, which played three games in three days, finished third in the tournament, knocking off No. 21 Triton and No. 18 New Mexico while losing only to the eventual champion, South Plains.

"We got to play really good teams and we were successful," said Saints head coach Jason Sautter. "I thought it was a great trip for us. I thought our guys played together. We learned how to play together. We played disciplined. We moved the ball. Defensively, I thought we did well. I thought we got better as the weekend went."

The Saints, who have dropped their last two conference games, are 8-5 overall and 1-3 in the Jayhawk West.

The injury bug continues to plague Seward with several players still out. The Saints did receive some good news as freshman guard Branton McCrary returned to the lineup in Arizona. McCrary is the team's top scorer, averaging 11.5 points.

"With what we have right now with all the injuries, we're still competing with some of the best teams in the country," Sautter said." I feel great with this group. They've bought in. They're growing up. They're maturing."

Sautter expects the team to continue to rely on its third-ranked defense, allowing only 62.5 points.

"We're doing the best we can defensively because offensively we just don't have the firepower," he said.

Sautter expects to see some similarities when the teams take the floor.

"They're going to press us," Sautter said. "In a lot of ways they play a lot like us. They have a big inside and they'll play four guards."

The Red Ravens, who are 10-5 overall and 2-3 in the Jayhawk East, are led by Meikkel Murray, averaging 17.5 points and 7.8 rebounds, and  Tylor Perry, averaging 11.7 points and 2.6 assists.