By TYLER HENRY
Little Apple Post contributor
With things heating up heading into the final month of the regular season, the Rock Creek Mustangs will welcome in Wamego for a Manhattan-area showdown on Friday night.
The Red Raiders will come into this contest at 9-4 while Rock Creek enters at 7-5, each looking to strengthen their position ahead of sub-state in late February.
Both teams are also coming off of tough midseason tournaments, where each faced off against and hung with larger opponents from all around the state.
“We’ve faced some different teams in this stretch,” Rock Creek head coach Justin Smith said. “We’ve seen a lot of length and a lot of size and Wamego has some of that. We’re going to have to be able to rebound and defend and if we can do that we’ll give ourselves a chance.”
In addition to facing a loaded pool at the Tonganoxie Tournament, this game will also be the ninth in a stretch of 9/10 games played away from home for Wamego, which has seen the Raiders go 5-3 in the first eight.
“I feel like we are learning to compete harder and to trust each other more,” Raider head coach Troy Hemphill said. “We competed awfully well with a good 5A team in KC-Piper last Friday night and probably should have won that game.”
As these two area foes turn their attention to one another, each gears up for a rivalry atmosphere that has heightened in anticipation of Rock Creek joining Wamego’s league next season.
Despite the energy that is sure to consume the gym in St. George, Rock Creek remains intent on approaching this game like any other against an incredibly talented Red Raider squad.
“These guys have competed against each other for years, they know each other well and this game means a lot to them,” Smith said. “This also means a lot to the community but I’ve tried to make the guys understand that this isn’t for a state championship, this is just another game against another good basketball team that we have to work to have success against.”
That respect goes both ways in this series, as Wamego has prepared for a Mustang team that has turned opponents over en masse this season, causing chaos on both ends of the floor.
“They get up and down the court and try to pressure you both offensively and defensively,” Hemphill said. “They attack the basket hard and challenge you to keep them out of the lane. We have to handle defensive pressure in the backcourt and guard the ball when they have it. If we turn it over and let them get in the lane then it will be hard for us to win.”
On the home team’s side of this matchup, Rock Creek will have their hands full with a Red Raider offense capable of spreading out their scoring and keeping opponents off balance with their combination of speed and size.
“The Hecht kid does a good job shooting the ball and the Wolfe kid scores it well for them,” Smith said. “Those are the two main scorers that we’re going to have to do a good job on. They also have a 6-6 kid who gets out on the offensive glass and protects the rim well, we have to keep them off the offensive boards tonight.”
Tip-off between the Mustangs and Raiders is set for 7:00 at Rock Creek High School following the girl’s game at 6:30.
For continuing coverage of all four teams all season long, stay tuned to the Little Apple Post.