MAC Basketball Tournament Championship matchups set for Saturday

BRIDGEPORT - South Platte, Garden County, Leyton and Bayard will battle for Minuteman Activities Conference basketball supremacy on Saturday in Bridgeport. 

Senior Dashle Richards sealed a semi-final win for South Platte by hitting two free throws in the final seconds and the Blue Knights defeated top-seed Potter-Dix, 43-39. Richards finished with 11 points. Junior Quinten Koenen also had 11 points and freshman Connor Evans finished with 10.

Senior Caden McConnell led the Coyotes with 11 points, 9 in the second half. Senior Brayden Kasten added 10. 

Fourth-seed South Platte will meet Garden County for the boys championship at 3 p.m. on Saturday on 987 The Big Boy (98.7 FM, thebigboy987.com, the free News Channel Nebraska app and tell Alexa to "play 987 The Big Boy). 

The second-seed Eagles forced No. 3 Leyton into 21 turnovers in their 49-37 victory. Sophomore Logan Levick dropped in 18 points for Garden County. The Warriors were led by senior Jonathan Kruse's 18 points.

The Coyotes and Warriors will play for third place at noon on Saturday.

The top two seeds in the ladies bracket meet for MAC Tournament bragging rights on Saturday at 5 p.m. on The Big Boy.

Junior Zaili Benish had a game high 15 points, junior Shawnee Gamble added 13, and No. 3 Leyton topped Garden County, 51-10, in the first girls semi-final game. The Warriors forced 30 turnovers. 

Senior Lexi Fiscus, fresh off of going over 1,000 career points on Tuesday, finished with 15 points and Bayard defeated South Platte in the other girls semifinal on Thursday. Senior Joslyn Hopkins chipped in 12 points for the Tigers.

Senior Maddi Cheleen led the Blue Knights with 11 points.

South Platte and Garden County will meet for third place at 1:30 p.m.