By TYLER HENRY
Little Apple Post contributor
With just three games remaining in the regular season, the Rock Creek and Chapman girl’s basketball teams will square off on Tuesday evening, each looking to strengthen their position ahead of sub-state tournaments in two weeks' time.
The Lady Mustangs come into this contest at 12-4, ranked as the #9 team in Class 4A while the Lady Irish enter at 9-8, looking to secure a winning season with two more games to go.
For Chapman, this game represents another opportunity to collect a season-defining win and prove they can compete with the kinds of teams that they are sure to encounter in the playoffs.
“We want to know if we can step up against a team like Rock Creek,” Lady Irish head coach Michael Wahlmeier said. “We need to see if we can defend them well enough to keep up with their scoring. This is a good test for us going into the postseason.”
For Rock Creek, this game represents an opportunity to begin peaking at the right time against a long stretch of four strong opponents to close out their regular season.
“We play good enough defense to keep us in every game,” Lady Mustang head coach Adam Plummer said. “I have to do a better job of finding ways to get us higher percentage shots and getting our kids to move the ball while applying pressure on the defense. We still need to see consistency on the offensive end and we need someone from our bench to provide scoring when a starter isn't having their best night.”
Rock Creek’s adaptability continues to be their strong suit, as the Mustangs have won games in a myriad of different ways throughout their campaign.
“They run a lot of different sets and they run them well,” Wahlmeier said. “They are well-coached and will be ready to play from the tip. They also run multiple defenses, so teaching our point guards what to look for and what to attack is important.”
For their part in all this, the Lady Irish are much improved from the version of themselves that fell to Rock Creek 57-25 last year, and the Lady Mustangs are preparing for a 32-minute battle as a result.
“They can compete with anyone,” Plummer said. “They’re scrappy, physical, and tough. We have to cover their shooters and stop their attackers from getting to the lane consistently.”
To knock off the Mustangs for the first time in three years, the Lady Irish will need to put together a complete effort on defense, while trusting that their attack can match Rock Creek’s pace.
“They put us into a running clock last year so defending them is a major priority,” Wahlmeier said. “They shoot well from the outside and execute at a high level. We hope to disrupt their sets and slow them down this year.”
Tip-off between the Lady Irish and Mustangs is set for 6:00 at Rock Creek High School, with the boys’ game to follow at 7:30.
For continuing coverage of all four teams all season long, stay tuned to the Salina and Little Apple Posts.