By TYLER HENRY
Salina Post contributor
The Abilene Cowboys and Cowgirls basketball teams will open their sub-state tournaments this week with games on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Abilene’s boys team will be up first with a home game on Tuesday against the Chapman Fighting Irish.
The Cowboys enter the tournament at 10-5, a record good enough for the top spot in the bracket.
Chapman comes in on the bottom as the four seed with an overall record of 3-13.
The two teams have already met twice this season, with Abilene coming out on top both times, first in late January by a final of 50-35, and again in the final week of the season by a much closer margin of 60-50.
Chapman has struggled mightily to find wins at the end of their regular season, falling in each of their last nine games and in 12 of their last 13.
Tip off is scheduled for 7pm at Abilene high school with the winner moving on to face whoever comes out of the 2-3 matchup between 9-10 Concordia and 4-14 Clay Center.
The Cowgirls will open their tournament on Wednesday with a road trip to Concordia.
Abilene enters the tournament at 4-13, sneaking in as the three-seed instead of the four.
Concordia comes in as the two-seed and with an overall record of 8-11. The Panthers have struggled late in the year, dropping their last four contests and six of their last eight.
Concordia leans on a veteran core of four seniors, headed up by Kendall Reynolds, who averages 10 points per game.
Tip off for this game is scheduled for 7pm at Concordia High School with the winner advancing to play whoever comes out of the 1-4 matchup between 18-0 Clay Center, ranked second in the state in 4A and 1-15 Chapman.
Stay tuned to the Salina Post for continuing coverage of the Cowboys and Cowgirls throughout the sub-state tournament.