This Week in Nebraska’s Girl’s Basketball-January 5th, 2020
THE WEEK THAT WAS: It was a very busy week in Nebraska girls hoops, with some of our early season questions being answered, especially in our biggest class. Millard South dominated in the Metro Conference tournament, defeating Millard North in…
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Continue ReadingTHE WEEK THAT WAS: It was a very busy week in Nebraska girls hoops, with some of our early season questions being answered, especially in our biggest class. Millard South dominated in the Metro Conference tournament, defeating Millard North in the semi-finals and Omaha Westside in the finals, while using their 8-10 deep depth to open the new decade with a conference title. In the Heartland Athletic Conference, LIncoln Pius X defeated two outstanding squads Lincoln East in their semi-finals and Fremont in the finals, as they hoisted their first ever conference tournament championship. These two squads, who do not play each other in the regualr season, seem to be on a collision course to meet in Lincoln on Saturday night in March.
THREE THINGS I LIKE:
- Congratulations to one of the classiest coaches in the state, North Bend Central’s Aaron Sterup, on winning his 300th game this week in a very nice win against a solid Milford team. Sterup’s Tigers are 10-0 and have the feel of a state championship contender.
- Gross Catholic continues to surprise this season, sitting at 8-1 and currently sitting fourth in the wild card standings. Gross has benefitted from home-heavy schedule, with their gym being a very difficult place to play, and their February schedule will definitely test the Cougars at the end of the campaign.
- Kearney Catholic, under veteran head coach Rick Petri, are off to a great start this season, starting out at 8-1. Led by junior Ashlyn Wischmeier‘s 13 points and 2 steals a night, will be tested twice this weekend, but look out for the Stars and a potential return to the state tournament.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Bennington is off to their best start in almost a decade, sitting at 9-1 and nipping at the heels of Crete at the top of the Class B wild card points. Miley Prine, a senior post player, has been the leader of the Badgers, averaging almost 19 points a night, including 23 in a nice win against Blair this past Friday, then following that up less than 24 hours later with 29 points in a 71-63 victory at South Sioux City. The Badgers are emerging as one of the favorites in the Eastern Midlands Conference and a definite state tournament contender.
GAME OF THE WEEK –> LINCOLN-OMAHA CORRIDOR: The Heartland Athletic Conference is deep and talented this season, and two of the top squads will meet up Saturday in Fremont. Charley Bovaird and the Spartans, with their 10 deep, pressing and running style, will head up to Fremont to meet up against Taylor McCabe‘s Tigers. Fremont will have a full week to recover from a long two weeks after playing in the Nike Invitational before the holiday break, then finishing second to Lincoln Pius X in the conference tournament right after the moratorium. Lincoln East will have a tough bounce back, hosting a tough Lincoln Northeast team the night before.
GAME OF THE WEEK –> STATE-WIDE: The two favorites in the two Class C classifications meet up Saturday when Lincoln Christian heads out to Hastings to take on the Hawkette’s of St. Cecilia’s. Both teams are undefeated, and neither will lose alot if they don’t win, but it should be a great match-up of two squads that will feature alot of high end talent, including Olivia Hollenbeck and Makylee Ailes of Lincoln Christian, facing off against Bailey Kissinger and Tori Thomas of St. Cecilia’s.
Honorable Mention: Wynot at Pender (Monday, 1/6), Nebraska City Lourdes at Johnson-Brock (Tuesday, 1/7), Grand Island Central Catholic at Grand Island Northwest (Tuesday, 1/7), Platteview at Bennington (Friday, 1/10), Kearney Catholic at Grand Island Central Catholic (Friday, 1/10), Lincoln Northeast at Lincoln East (Friday, 1/10), Millard West at Millard South (Friday, 1/10), Weeping Water at Johnson-Brock (Saturday, 1/11), North Platte at Kearney Catholic (Saturday, 1/11)
CLASS A ELITE EIGHT: Millard South, Lincoln East, Westside, Papillion LaVista, Millard North, Fremont, Lincoln Pius X, North Platte
CLASS B ELITE EIGHT: Grand Island Northwest, Crete, Blair, Beatrice, Platteview, Bennington, Scottsbluff, York
CLASS C1 ELITE EIGHT: Broken Bow, North Bend-Central, Lincoln Chrisitan, Milford, Ogallala, Kearney Catholic, St. Paul, Chadron
CLASS C2 ELITE EIGHT: Hastings St. Cecilia, Crofton, Fillmore Central, Grand Island Central Catholic, Nebraska City Lourdes, Oakland-Craig, BRLD, Superior
CLASS D1 ELITE EIGHT: CWC, Weeping Water, Pleasanton, Dundy County-Stratton, Humphery/ Lindsay Holy Family, Johnson-Brock, Fremont Bergan, Pender
CLASS D2 ELITE EIGHT: Falls City Sacred Heart, Ewing, Humphery St. Francis, Wynot, BDS, Sterling, Lawrence-Nelson, Mullen