Both Albany Cubs basketball teams won two out of three games at the Breckenridge tournament last Saturday, then they split games with the Abilene Hawks on Monday. The Cubs will be off for the Christmas break until Jan. 10 when they will host Hawley.

The Lion basketball season finally got underway on Tuesday, after being on hold for several weeks while many of the players were involved in the football playoffs. The varsity took the court against the Abilene Hawks, posting a 67-52 win in their first outing.

The last couple of weeks were tough ones for the Moran basketball teams, with several losses reported and only one win.  However, the majority of the season still lies ahead, with varsity district games not starting until Friday, Jan. 4 in Gordon, when the Lady Bulldogs hit the court at 6:00 p.m.

Overcoming an 0-5 start in what may be the worst pre-district record of any team to make it to the fifth round of the playoffs, the Lions are now among the final four Class 2A Div. II teams left standing as they head into the state semifinal game on Thursday.

The JV Lion basketball team hosted a 16-team tournament last week, but games on Saturday were called due to the threat of icy weather. The teams competed on Thursday, but didn’t come back for the second day of games on Saturday.

The Albany Cubs swept all three games against the Roscoe boys on Monday at home, while the girls lost two out of three on the road in Roscoe. The boys will host the Abilene Hawks on Monday, Dec. 17 starting at 5:00 p.m. with the seventh grade. The eighth grade will follow at about 6:00 p.m.

Last week the Moran Bulldogs were third at the Woodson tournament on Saturday, Dec. 1, beating the Albany JV 40-24, losing to Newcastle 36-53, and rebounding to defeat Anson JV 66-24. On Thursday and Saturday, Dec. 6-8 the ’Dawgs played in the Rochelle Tournament.

Clawing back from a 14-point deficit, the Lions mounted a second-half assault that steamed rolled over the Wheeler Mustangs, 48-27, in the regional playoff in Vernon last Friday to set up a quarterfinal rematch.

Both the varsity and JV Lady Lions were busy last week, getting in a lot of court time at area tournaments. The varsity played for the championship at the Dublin tournament, coming in second behind Goldthwaite. The JV girls swept the Woodson tournament to win the title by defeating Anson’s JV.

The junior high basketball teams fared well against Stamford on Monday, with the girls and boys both winning two out of three games. The Cubs and Lady Cubs will play Roscoe next Monday, with the boys hosting and the girls on the road. Games start at 5:30 p.m. at both locations.