This Week in Nebraska Girls Basketball-February 16th, 2020
HE WEEK THAT WAS: Just when you thought things were settling down . . . they blow right back up again! What a crazy week, especially Friday and Saturday night. Lincoln Southwest over Lincoln East. Millard West over Papillion La-Vista.…
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Continue ReadingHE WEEK THAT WAS: Just when you thought things were settling down . . . they blow right back up again! What a crazy week, especially Friday and Saturday night. Lincoln Southwest over Lincoln East. Millard West over Papillion La-Vista. Columbus over Blair. Chadron over Sidney. West Point-Beemer knocking off previously unbeaten Oakland-Craig. Grand Island Northwest over Beatrice. Millard South pushed to overtime by Omaha Westside. Bennington getting over the Elkhorn hump. Norris over Lincoln Christian. All of this has turned alot of things upside down in district seedings and how things are set up for substate match-ups the next two weeks. This is what is great about Nebraska high school girls basketball this year!!
THREE THINGS I LIKE:
- Lincoln Southwest is peeking at the right time, as usual. Coach Jeff Rump achieved his 100th win with the afore-mentioned win over Lincoln East, pushing the SilverHawks to 15-7 while giving them their tenth win in their last eleven games. The winning streak has pushed the SilverHawks to the brink of hosting a district, but it looks like they will head to Heartland Conference rival Fremont for the postseason.
- Speaking of peaking at the right time, it looks like Norris is also the hot team to watch in Class B. Finally healthy, the Titans rolled Thursday night over Omaha Skutt Catholic, then went on the road and sprung a huge upset over Class C1’s top ranked squad, Lincoln Christian. The Titans are in the toughest subdistrict in Class B, with Beatrice and Crete, but this is the club that no higher ranked squad wants to play in a 32 minute, winner take all substate game.
- It is very difficult to coming up with a winning season, let alone an undefeated season, but two teams have achieved an undefeated regular season (Crete and Pleasanton), while two more have a chance to close out their season undefeated (Lincoln Pius X and Millard South). Congratulations to all of the players and coaches of these programs for putting themselves in such an elite club!
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: When she came into high school ball as a freshman, McKenna Minter was a hurricane of athleticism and explosiveness. A couple of tough losses in the state tournament early in her career, along with an ACL tear, somewhat derailed her trajectory, but Minter is now back and leading the Rockets into postseason play as one of the hottest teams in the state. Minter averaged 19 points a game this week in two wins for the Rockets, who have now won eight games in a row and have played themselves into a two-seed in district play. Minter is a great feel-good story and we hope that her game continues to grow as one of the state’s best guards.
GAME OF THE WEEK –> LINCOLN-OMAHA CORRIDOR: As mentioned earlier, the Millard South Patriots are on the cusp of an undefeated regular season, with their last major challenge waiting for them on Friday night when they host the Monarchs of Papillion La-Vista. Papilliion has alot of the pieces necessary to defeat the Patriots, including strong post play and solid ball handlers to handle the pressure Millard South applies on the defensive end. This game has no affect on district seedings, but it could affect how teams line up in a potential state tournament field that could be very dependant on seedings and match-ups.
GAME OF THE WEEK –> STATE-WIDE: Class B has been very top-heavy all season, with Crete being on top and everyone else chasing them. Two of the clubs that have the best chance to knock of the Cardinals will face off in the same district with Crete this week when Norris and Beatrice meet up with the high-likelyhood of meeting Crete in the district championship game on Tuesday night. Beatrice was handled by Grand Island Northwest on Friday night in a bit of surprise, while Norris has been hot of late. Should be a great two days of basketball in Crete this week.
Honorable Mention: It’s postseason time; their all great games!!
CLASS A ELITE EIGHT: Post season preview coming later this week
CLASS B ELITE EIGHT: Post season preview coming later this week
CLASS C1 ELITE EIGHT: Broken Bow, North Bend-Central, Lincoln Chrisitan, Milford, Ogallala, Malcolm, Wahoo, Chadron
CLASS C2 ELITE EIGHT: Hastings St. Cecilia, Crofton, Ponca, Grand Island Central Catholic, Guardian Angels Central Catholic, Oakland-Craig, BRLD, Superior
CLASS D1 ELITE EIGHT: CWC, Weeping Water, Pleasanton, Dundy County-Stratton, Humphery/ Lindsay Holy Family, Maywood Hayes-Central, Fremont Bergan, Pender
CLASS D2 ELITE EIGHT: Falls City Sacred Heart, Loomis, Humphery St. Francis, Wynot, BDS, Sterling, Lawrence-Nelson, Mullen