YORK – Both of the top-seeds in each bracket advanced to the quarterfinals of the Crossroads Conference Basketball Tournament – the BDS girls and the Osceola boys teams. The two defending champions – Cross County boys and girls – also advanced following wins on Monday. All four of those teams will play in Thursday’s CRC Semifinals.
Tonight, the rest of the quarterfinal games take place. It features Meridian and High Plains girls at 3pm. BDS and McCool Junction boys at 4:30, McCool Junction and Osceola girls at 6pm, and Nebraska Lutheran and Exeter-Milligan at 7:30.
Recaps from Monday’s quarterfinals:
(1) BDS 60 vs. (9) Nebraska Lutheran 30
A theme from Monday’s CRC quarterfinals including teams hanging with the top-seeds early, but the top-seed pulling away at the end. In the first girls’ quarterfinal, the top-seed BDS played Nebraska Lutheran. The Knights hung with BDS in the first half, and the Eagles ended up taking a 28-18 lead. In the second half, the Eagles kicked on the after-burners. Putting up 32 points in the second half, and holding Nebraska Lutheran to just 12 points. The Eagles took the win 60-30. Two Eagles scored more than 20 points, led by senior Jess Hudson who put up 21, and guard Hanna Kadel added 20. Nebraska Lutheran’s Lillie Otte led her team with 11 points. BDS moves on to Thursday’s semifinals and awaits the winner of High Plains and Meridian.
(1) Osceola 64 vs. (9) Shelby-Rising City 38
Kale Gustafson had a double-double 22 points and 16 rebounds in Osceola’s 64-38 win over Shelby-Rising City. Isaiah Zelasney for the Bulldogs also found his way to a 20-point game as the Bulldogs raced past the Huskies. The Huskies were led by Isaac Whitmore who put up 17 points. Osceola was last year’s CRC runner-up, and will look to get back to the finals when they face the winner of BDS and McCool Junction on Thursday at 4:30.
(2) Cross County 49 vs. (7) Hampton 21
The Cross County girls basketball team is looking for four-straight CRC wins. Something not accomplished in the CRC since Exeter-Milligan’s dominance winning from 2003 to 2008. The Cougars got off to a good start while handling Hampton 49-21. Cross County used tight defense to keep the Hawks at bay. The Cougars never allowed Hampton to score more than 10 points in a quarter. Cross County scored in the double-digits in the second and third, and had 17 points in the fourth quarter. The Cougars were led by Ema Dickey who scored 16 points. Shyanne Anderson also pitched in 10 points. Hampton’s Neveah Lukassen had 11 for the Hawks. Cross County heads back to the CRC semifinals and will play either Osceola or McCool Junction.
(2) Cross County 55 vs. (7) East Butler 41
Defending CRC boys champions Cross County held steady in its win over East Butler in Monday’s quarterfinals. The Tigers hung close, keeping it a five-point game at halftime. Cross County then controlled a 10 point lead going into the final quarter. Cross County was lead with a 19-point effort from guard Isaac Noyd. James Elgin had 11 points for the Cougars. Carson Borgman paced the Tigers with 14 points. Cross County will face the winner Nebraska Lutheran and Exeter-Milligan in Thursday’s semifinals.
