“NEVER MAKE PREDICTIONS, ESPECIALLY ABOUT THE FUTURE.” That piece of “Stengelese” came from that master of the garbled tongue, long-time manager of the New York Yankees, Casey Stengel.
Nevertheless, let’s jump right in and predict the outcomes of a bunch of basketball games that are before us this week. First, a shout-out to area teams that have made it to state finals. In girls play, Otis-Bison, Central Plains and Larned will carry our area’s banner into state play. Boys from Otis-Bison, St. John, Pratt and Ness City will try to bring home a trophy.
1A-Div.2 Girls-A wide open field. The big game might be in the semifinals between Otis-Bison and Waverly. That winner takes the championship on Saturday. Waverly.
1A-Div.2 Boys-Caldwell is the favorite but Otis-Bison has competed in a tough schedule. A dark horse just might win it all. Central Christian
1A-Div.1 Girls-A loaded field. Three teams with only one loss and two more with only 2 losses. Centralia over Olpe in the championship.
1A-Div 1 Boys-A semifinal matchup between South Gray and Burlingame just might decide who wins the championship the next night. South Gray.
2A-Girls-Central Plains wins another championship over Meade.
2A-Boys-A terrific field featuring perennial contenders St.John and Pittsburg Colgan. Too bad they meet in the first round. I’m a believer in the Kinnamon-coached Tigers. St.John over Salina Sacred Heart for the trophy.
3A-Girls-It’s a Western Kansas final as Hugoton knocks over Thomas More Prep on Saturday.
3A-Boys-Silver Lake seems to be there every year but it’s a Southeast Kansas year. Galena!
4A-Div.2-Girls-I’m sticking with that Southeast Kansas thing. Girard over Clay Center
4A-Div.2-Boys-A Rock Star finale as Holcomb tangles with Wichita Collegiate. Collegiate.
4A-Div.1-Girls-Former Larned coach Greg Cartwright has Paola in the finals but so is McPherson. Bullpups over Towanda-Circle.
4A-Div 1-Boys-A double for the city of McPherson as the boys beat Abilene in the championship.
5A-Girls-Four teams with 19-3 records. I like Maize High.
5A-Boys-Goddard Eisenhower finishes 24-1 with the trophy.
6A-Girls-Manhattan spoils Wichita South’s perfect season in the final.
6A-Boys-What a first-round matchup: Manhattan vs. Lawrence! Doesn’t matter though. Blue Valley NW wins it all.
BIG 12 MEN-Kansas, Baylor, Iowa State, Oklahoma State or West Virginia? A case can be made for all of them, and rightly so. Still, you gotta like the Jayhawks’ ability to win close games. Kansas.
Those are my predictions. Like the groundhog, after making my predictions I am going to disappear!
Buddy Tabler is a guest columnist for the Great Bend Tribune and his views don’t necessarily reflect those of the paper. He can be reached at budtabler@gmail.com.
