By TYLER HENRY
Salina Post contributor
The Central Mustang and Lady Mustang basketball teams will begin sub-state play this week with opening round games on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The girls team will be up first, entering the tournament as the one-seed with an overall record of 15-4.
The Lady Mustangs will host the Hays Lady Indians whose record of 6-13 has them coming in at the bottom of the bracket as the four-seed.
This will be a rematch of a late January game that saw Central come out on top 64-43 thanks in large part to a 28-point performance from junior Aubrie Kierscht.
Since that game, Hays has gone 2-4 finishing their season well below the .500 mark.
Tip off is scheduled for 7pm at Central High School, with the winner advancing to play whoever comes out on top between 8-11 Salina South and 6-11 Great Bend in the sub-state final.
On Wednesday it will be the boys team in the spotlight as the Mustangs enter the tournament with an overall record of 6-13, good enough for the three-seed in a four team bracket.
The Mustangs won’t have far to travel as they will face their cross-town rival in the 14-3 South Cougars for the third time this season.
South comes into the tournament as the two-seed with two regular season wins over the Mustangs already in hand. Central took the Cougars to overtime before falling 66-61 in the first meeting, and lost game two in early February by a final score of 68-55.
The Cougars remain a formidable foe, ranked fifth in the state and led by a core of six seniors and sophomore Tejon McDaniel.
Tip off for this game is scheduled for 7pm at South High School with the winner advancing to play the winner of the 1-4 matchup between the #1 team in the state in 19-0 Hays and 4-13 Great Bend.
Stay tuned to the Salina Post for continuing coverage of the Mustangs and Lady Mustangs throughout the sub-state tournament.