The Salina Central girls’ basketball team is preparing for the 2024-2025 season with a new coach, leadership and shot clock. 

After finishing last season with a 10-11 overall record and 3-3 in the Ark Valley-Chilsom Trail League, the Mustangs will look to build under first-year head coach Paige Talbott.

“The transition has been really smooth,” Talbott said. “I love teaching and coaching at this level. My overall vision is to help these ladies become the best version of themselves every single day, on and off the court.”

Talbott, a former collegiate player and assistant coach at Emporia State, replaced Chris Fear after he took the head coach position for the boys basketball team. 

Talbott describes her approach as loud and energetic.

“If you come into the gym, it’s going to be loud,” she said. “The players are talking, the coaches are talking, but everything we do is to build them up. We’re going hard, but it’s all in a positive way to help them grow as athletes.”

The team’s senior leaders include Tessa Snyder, Charlize Waltman, Tahlia Morris, Finley Jones and Remi Myers.

While the Mustangs graduated all of their stat leaders from last year, Talbott is confident the returning players and rising underclassmen are ready to step into larger roles.

“These ladies have been part of the program for years now,” Talbott said. “They had standout JV records and have been itching for the chance to get varsity minutes. They’re ready to take on these roles.”

Snyder, who averaged 2 points and 1.3 rebounds out of the six varsity games she played last year, said the team’s connection will be a key strength.

 “A lot of us have been on the same team since seventh grade, and even the younger girls fit right in,” she said. “We all get along really well, so I think we’ll have great chemistry.”

Waltman, who averaged 2.3 points and 1.7 rebounds per game over 20 games last season, highlighted the team’s aggressive play and shooting ability as areas of confidence. 

“We’re really good at going after the ball and being aggressive,” she said. “I also think we have some strong shooters this year.”

Despite the team’s chemistry and strengths, Waltman acknowledged the challenges of adapting to a new coaching staff and system.

“It’s been a bit challenging because we’re so used to certain plays and drills,” Waltman said. “But I think we’re adapting pretty well. Coach Talbott emphasizes things like conditioning and being in shape, which are things we needed to work on.”

Snyder added that limited varsity experience among the players will present another challenge. 

“Only two of us have really played varsity before,” she said. “But this year, we want to go out and prove we can be a good team that gets wins.”

Talbott’s goal for the season is to improve every day while focusing on building a strong foundation for the program. 

“We’re working brick by brick to improve every single day,” she said. “This group is young, energetic and eager to prove themselves. We’re focused on laying the foundation and growing toward our goals.”

The Mustangs will also face new challenges with the introduction of a 35-second shot clock for high school basketball in Kansas. Talbott believes the faster pace will make for exciting games and play to the team’s strengths. 

“With the shot clock, it’s going to be a fast-paced game,” she said. “We’re going to push the ball and make it fun to watch.”

Snyder also agreed that the shot clock will improve the pacing of games.

“I think that it’ll help us move the ball on the floor a little bit more and hopefully get up some good shots,” she said.

Snyder said that the team is most looking forward to their rivalry game against Salina South. 

“That’s a big one for us,” Snyder said. “If we play our game and do what we need to do, I think we can take it.”

Waltman said she is also eager for the game against South.

“It’s always a fun game, and I think we can come out on top if we stick to what we’ve been practicing,” she said.

As the Mustangs prepare for the season opener, Talbott said she is ecstatic about what the team can accomplish. 

“This season is about laying the foundation and building a culture of growth and accountability,” she said. “I’m excited to see what this group can achieve.”

The team’s first game will be tonight at Andover Central.