LINCOLN – First round action of the 2018 NSAA Boys State Basketball Tournament will open today in Lincoln.
Catch two of the games on Big Red Country 104.9 and online at waynedailynews.com this afternoon for #2 Winnebago in Class C1 and #1 Ponca in Class C2.
The Winnebago Indians enter with a 20-6 record and will face #7 (17-9) Syracuse at 3:45 p.m. from the Bob Devaney Sports Center. Pregame coverage will get underway at 3:30 p.m.
This is Winnebago’s fourth straight tournament appearance as the Indians finished third the past two seasons (2017/C1 and 2016/C2) while being crowned Class C1 State Champions in 2015.
A win for Winnebago Thursday would match them up against the winner of either #3 Broken Bow or #6 Boone Central/Newman Grove who play at 2 p.m. today. Friday’s game is set for 10:45 a.m. from the Pinnacle Bank Arena. The Class C1 Championship game is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Saturday, March 10 from the PBA while the consolation round will take place at Lincoln East at 11 a.m.
Moving into Class C2, the Ponca Indians are 27-1 and are the defending state champions from a year ago after making their second straight tournament appearance. Ponca will battle #8 (16-7) Perkins County at 7 p.m. from Lincoln Southeast this evening with pregame coverage set for 6:45 p.m.
A win for Ponca Thursday would match them up against the winner of either #4 Elmwood-Murdock or #5 Bancroft-Rosalie/Lyons Decatur who play at 8:45 p.m. tonight. The Friday semi-final game is scheduled for 3:45 p.m. from the Bob Devaney Sports Center. The Class C2 Championship contest will be at 4:30 p.m. from the PBA while the consolation game will take place at Lincoln East at 9 a.m. on Saturday, March 10.
Other northeast Nebraska teams competing include #5 (24-2) BRLD vs. #4 (19-4) Elmwood-Murdock at 8:45 p.m. from Lincoln Southeast in Class C2.
In Class D1, #5 (22-3) Osmond will face #4 (20-3) Heartland at 2 p.m. from Lincoln Northeast.
In Class D2, #7 (14-9) Wynot will take on #2 (23-2) Riverside at 7 p.m. also at Lincoln Northeast.
