MUDECAS basketball tournament set for next week in Beatrice

BEATRICE - One of the oldest high school basketball tournaments in the country is on the horizon.

The 2022 MUDECAS basketball tournament kicks off Monday. 16 southeast Nebraska schools and 32 teams, of boys and girls basketball, will battle for the title in A and B divisions. Chris Prososki is the superintendent for Southern Public Schools and is this years tournament director.

“Small schools, tradition means a lot to them. It runs deep,” Prososki said. “With that being said, they’re in a a tournament that maybe their parents and grandparents played in. And second to that, I’ve talked with a lot of players and coaches, and they’ve all said this is second to just the state tournament so there’s a lot of excitement.”

MUDECAS is over 50 years old and continues to go strong. Prososki says one of the biggest contributors to the events continued success, is the wide range of events and activities that it entails.“As an educator for myself, opportunities for kids are huge,” Prososki said. “Not only in athletics, but also in academics. We have terrific opportunities in quiz bowl, music, and obviously the basketball tournament. And that’s what you want as and educator, is opportunities for kids.”

The tournament begins on Monday, with games every day of the week except Wednesday. The championships are set for Saturday. The games will take place at the Beatrice Auditorium as well as the Beatrice Middle School. Prososki says the City of Beatrice, the many contributors, and those behind the scenes are crucial in making MUDECAS a success.

“They make sure everything’s running,” Prososki said. “The directors, the people behind the scenes, they’re who makes sure everything gets off the ground and is running smoothly.”

A handful of games will be broadcasted on local radio stations Ol Red 99.5 anD 94.7 FM/1450 AM KWBE, the championships will be live on News Channel Nebraska TV.