#1 Mitchell 53, #8 Pierce 36
The Mitchell Tigers are 27-0 and have made it into the girls state basketball semifinals. Mitchell cruised by Pierce 53-36 in a dangerous game against a Blue Jay program that has won three recent C1 state championships.
Mitchell made sure Pierce wouldn’t win it this year holding the Jays under 10 points in each quarter. Only three Pierce players scored the entire game and 30 of the 36 points came from two players.
Keyana Wilfred led the Tigers offensively with 18 points. Future Chadron State Eagle Jori Peters had 10, Kensey Kanno 11 and Victoria Shwartz 10.
Mitchell will face Columbus Scotus in the semifinals Friday. The Shamrocks breezed past Wahoo 49-32. Mitchell-Scotus tips off at 9:45 Mountain Time from Pinnacle Bank Arena.
#8 Beatrice 52, #1 Sidney 38
Sidney was trying to make it three-for-three into the girls state basketball semifinals Thursday night in its Class B bracket opener, but the #8 Beatrice Lady Orange used a monster fourth quarter to pull off the upset. Tied at 19 headed into halftime the Orange opened up a small lead going into the final period and hit 15 of 16 free throws in the fourth quarter to pull away for the 52-38 victory. Sidney’s season ends at 21-4.
#5 Hyannis 64, #4 Wauneta-Palisade 36
The Hyannis Longhorns are into today’s D2 state basketball semifinals after throttling Wauneta-Palisade 64-36. Hyannis broke it open with a big 2nd quarter to lead 27-14 at the half and was paced by a balanced offense and Andrea Kippes 16 points. Five other Longhorns scored at least seven points.
Hyannis will face top seed Falls City Sacred Heart at 6:00 tonight Mountain Time in the Devaney Center with a trip to the State finals on the line. Sacred Heart beat Sandhills/Thedford 45-27.