The MUDECAS Basketball Tournament opened its first round slate for both girls and boys on Monday and Tuesday, with semifinal matchups now set for Thursday in Beatrice.

Girls “A” Division

Monday’s action in the Girls “A” Division saw Freeman defeat HTRS 51–35, Johnson Brock edge JCC 41–34, and Falls City Sacred Heart roll past Palmyra 47–26. Johnson Brock and Sacred Heart advance to Thursday’s semifinals, while HTRS and JCC move into the consolation bracket.

Sacred Heart’s semifinal matchup with Tri County will mark the third meeting between the two programs this season. Tri County claimed the first contest 49–36, while Sacred Heart answered with a 54–41 win in the Holiday Tournament. Johnson Brock, after starting the season 0–2, has surged to a 10–2 record and will meet Freeman for the first of at least two meetings this year.

Girls “A” Division Schedule

• Semifinal #1: Johnson Brock vs. Freeman — Thursday, 5:00 PM
• Semifinal #2: Sacred Heart vs. Tri County — Thursday, 3:30 PM
• Consolation: HTRS vs. JCC — Friday, 7:00 PM

Girls “B” Division

Pawnee City cruised past Meridian 51–12 on Monday to secure a semifinal berth. The Indians will face Diller Odell on Thursday in a rematch of their season opener, a game Pawnee City won 36–28.

Girls “B” Division Schedule

• Semifinal #2: Pawnee City vs. Diller Odell — Thursday, 5:30 PM

Boys “A” Division

Tuesday marked the start of boys competition. In the “A” Division, Falls City Sacred Heart fell to Tri County 56–40 and moves into the consolation bracket. EMF topped JCC 70–47, while Johnson Brock was the lone area team to advance, defeating Palmyra 57–24.

Johnson Brock will meet EMF on Thursday in the first of two scheduled matchups between the teams this season; they are also set to play on January 23. The Eagles enter the semifinals at 11–1, with their only loss coming against Tri County—a potential championship opponent should both teams advance.

Boys “A” Division Schedule

• Semifinal #2: Johnson Brock vs. EMF — Thursday, 8:00 PM
• Consolation: Sacred Heart vs. Diller Odell — Saturday, 11:45 AM
• Consolation: JCC vs. Palmyra — Saturday, 1:15 PM

Boys “B” Division

HTRS edged Pawnee City 43–39 to earn a semifinal spot in the Boys “B” Division. The Titans will face Southern (Wymore) in a rubber match after splitting their first two meetings. Southern claimed a 58–52 win before Christmas, while HTRS answered with a 53–47 victory in the Holiday Tournament.

Boys “B” Division Schedule

• Semifinal #2: HTRS vs. Southern — Thursday, 8:15 PM
• Consolation: Pawnee City vs. Meridian — Saturday, 1:15 PM

All games are being played in Beatrice, Nebraska, with contests split between the Auditorium and Beatrice Middle School.