By Matt Browning
The Salina South girls basketball team went 10-11 last season and returning starter Elle Barth is hopeful that number wins will increase dramatically in 2026.
“As a team, I hope we have a winning record, not by just a few games, but by several,” Barth said. “It would be really exciting to host substate semifinals and even finals.”
The Cougars are a tight-knit group that have plenty of experience together.
“I am most excited to see what my team and I can accomplish this season,” Barth said. “The seniors have been playing together for years, and it’s finally our time to play together again.”
Part of that bond started over the summer during team camps and team workouts.
“My team goes to basketball camp every year,” Barth said. “This year we went to OSU and played good competition. It was good to get to play, but also see where we are at.”
Barth is focused on improving her shot this season, in hopes that she can be more of an offensive threat for Salina South.
“I want to improve my shot,” Barth said. “I would like to be able to have a quicker release, which will give me more shot opportunities. In the off season, I worked on stepping into my shot before the ball gets to me. I did this with a few drills that our coaches had us doing last year.”
