Saints-Red Ravens Preview

LIBERAL, Kan. – The Seward County Community College men's basketball team will face a challenge when it hosts No. 23 Coffeyville Community College at 4 p.m. on Saturday at the Greenhouse.

TopVolt Solar is the gameday sponsor. Tickets are available at Hutch's (both locations in Liberal), Community Bank and Pizza Hut.

The Saints are 1-8 in the Jayhawk Conference and 2-12 overall.

Seward suffered a 70-63 loss to Independence on Wednesday at the Greenhouse. The game was close with the Saints battling and taking the lead in the second half before Independence pulled away for the victory.

In the loss, the Saints were led by Lovasoa Andriatsarafara and Muhammed Jobe combined for 39 points and 17 rebounds.

Seward Head Coach Rylee Hernandez expects the duo to be a focus in upcoming games.

"I think we've stumbled on some great stuff in the high-low with our two bigs – (Andriatsarafara and Jobe)," Hernandez said. "The two of them have great skill. They really like to play together and work well together. They're hard-working guys."

Andriatsarafara, who saw limited action in the season's first half, hobbled by injuries, is averaging 7.3 points and 4.8 rebounds while Jobe, a freshman, is averaging 10.9 points and 6.0 rebounds.

Hernandez noted that with the focus of the big men, the Saints have changed their style from the first-half of the season.

"From the start of the season to where we are now, we've seen a lot of change with our lineup, most of it due to injury and illness," Hernandez said. "We're trying to figure out the best way for our team to move forward, offensively and defensively and finding the right systems.

"… our team went from being a lot more of a fast pace, high octane, up-tempo, to now really trying to grind it out, slow it down and pound the ball inside and play from the inside out," he continued. "We've gone to a much more traditional, slow-it-down play."

Seward has also received contributions from guard Kiku Parker and forward Benni Kazadi, each averaging 8.4 points.

The 23^rd-ranked Red Ravens enter Saturday's game having won eight of their last nine games, including an 81-63 home win over Pratt on Wednesday. Coffeyville is 8-1 in the Jayhawk conference play, a half-game behind first-place Cowley, and 12-3 overall.

Hernandez knows the Saints have their work cut out for them against a well-coached and well-prepared Red Ravens team.

"Coffeyville is one of the most discipline teams in the country," Hernandez said. "(Red Ravens Head Coach) Jay Herkelman's got these guys playing their best basketball defensively and offensively. They're playing together. They're playing mistake-free ball."

Justin Taylor (14.8 ppg.), Brian Griffith (14.0 ppg.), Abdul Kuta (11.6 ppg.) and Trenton Ruth (11.0 ppg.) lead the Coffeyville attack.

The Red Ravens swept the Saints last season, winning 90-79 at the Greenhouse and 72-57 at Coffeyville.