SBLive Nebraska Top 25 high school boys basketball rankings (Feb. 20)

Bell West, Ogallala finish perfect regular seasons

By Nathan Charles 

Playoff time is upon us and there are plenty of storylines. Class A seemed wide open at the start of the season but has Bellevue West become, potentially, a historically good team? In Class B, Skutt has just as good of a chance to finish off a dominant run to a title. In C-1, Wahoo, Ashland-Greenwood and Ogallala look like favorites, but six teams look like possible champions. In C-2, three one-loss teams have been really good, but don’t sleep on the likes of Cedar Catholic or Tri County. Between Class D-1 and D-2, there are nine teams with 19 or more wins. 

1. Bellevue West (24-0, Last Week #1)

Last Week: Won 69-49 vs. Millard North, Won 80-78 (OT) vs. Westside

The schedule didn’t offer any breaks in the final week of the season. Regardless, it took until the final game on the schedule before an opponent played Bell West to within single digits. The Thunderbirds trailed by eight after the first quarter but played themselves into a tie at halftime against the Mustangs. It was tied again to start the fourth when Bell West scored 16 of the first 20 and pulled away. Westside nearly ended the perfect season with an effort that included 49% shooting and 10 three-pointers. Jaden Jackson provided the heroics in overtime with a go-ahead three.

2. Millard North (19-3, Last Week #2)

Last Week: Won 91-80 at Southwest, Lost 80-78 (OT) at Bellevue West

Defense was optional in the game at Southwest. Both teams shot over 60%, but it was Millard North shooting slightly better at 65%, and with fewer turnovers, that overcame 13 Southwest three-pointers. As could have been expected on their home court, the Mustangs had the energy early and led the Thunderbirds 18-10 through the first eight minutes. But finishing with more points after 32 minutes has been impossible for opponents this season. Bell West came alive for a 29-9 fourth quarter and turned a competitive game into a blowout in a matter of moments.

3. Gretna (18-3, Last Week #2)

Last Week: Won 63-38 at Burke, Won 77-64 at Southwest

Gretna committed 15 turnovers and played down to the competition somewhat at Burke. Fifteen offensive rebounds, 46% shooting and 10 three-pointers helped the Dragons get over some sloppy play. It was a much better start at Southwest that included a 17-point lead in the second quarter. Southwest cut it down to eight to start the fourth but came no closer. Gretna has won eight of the last nine. A one-point defeat at Millard North is the only setback.

4. Creighton Prep (18-6, Last Week #4)

Last Week: Won 52-44 at Millard South

After three games the week before and facing a final contest against a losing opponent, the situation was ripe for a letdown. The Junior Jays played into that somewhat with poor shooting and sloppy offense, but the defensive effort of holding the Patriots to 39% shooting, 6 of 21 from three-point range and allowing just 17 total points in the second and third quarters was enough to pick up the win. When Prep started 3-3 there were concerns. Now after the regular season, the Junior Jays are just two wins away from 20 and with all six losses to teams in the top 10.

5. Lincoln East (17-5, Last Week #5)

Last Week: Won 72-68 vs. North Star, Lost 69-55 at Papio South

East settled for 22 three-point attempts against North Star but shot 64% from inside the arc and was led by junior Carter Mick’s career-high 26 points. A 9-0 run in the fourth quarter put East ahead to stay. The offense struggled out of the gate at Papio South and never quite got on track. Papio South took the ball right at the East defense and earned 28 trips to the free throw line. The Titans made 23 of those and swiped away 11 steals. Despite the loss, four of the five teams below the Spartans also lost and East owns a head-to-head win over Elkhorn South.

6. Elkhorn South (15-6, Last Week #7)

Last Week: Won 75-40 vs. Bellevue East, Won 75-62 at Norfolk

Four players scored in double digits and the defense gave up just three first-quarter points to Bellevue East while building a 15-point lead in the first eight minutes. Caden Stone and Evan Werner both hit four three-pointers at Norfolk and the team shot 56% overall. Stone was one shot away from being a perfect 10 for 10 and scored a game-high 23 points. The Storm have won five in a row since losing three straight.

7. Westside (14-7, Last Week #9)

Last Week: Won 86-61 vs. Millard West, Lost 80-78 (OT) vs. Bellevue West

The Warriors go up on the list despite the loss since they were the only team this year to play Bellevue West to a single-digit final margin. Of course, Westside has no interest in moral victories and only feels worse after shooting 49% and 45% from three but coming up short. Eleven offensive rebounds for the Thunderbirds provided just enough extra opportunities to make the difference. Earlier in the week, the offense exploded to 27 first-quarter points against Millard West.

8. Lincoln Southwest (14-9, Last Week #6)

Last Week: Lost 91-80 vs. Millard North, Won 63-50 vs. Kearney, Lost 77-64 vs. Gretna

Two top-five teams and three games overall is a tough task for any team, but Southwest was certainly hoping for at least a 2-1 final stretch. Southwest then couldn’t get any stops against Millard North and allowed 65% shooting to start the week. The offense exploded for a 22-point third quarter against Kearney and opened up a 15-point lead. Hopes for an upset against Gretna were extinguished when the Dragons built a 20-point lead in the second quarter.

9. Lincoln North Star (15-8, Last Week #8)

Last Week: Lost 72-68 at Lincoln East, Lost 52-49 vs. Southeast

The Navigators maintain their position even with two setbacks due to the quality of the opponent and the final margin. Each of the past five losses have come by five or fewer points. North Star couldn’t find anyone to guard East junior Carter Mick, and he burned the Gators for a career-high 26 points. It was tied 63-63 with two minutes left when East scored the next nine in a row. Against Southeast, the Knights went on a 12-2 run in the second quarter but the Navigators responded with a 12-0 run in the third. North Star’s Antallah Sandlin’el was held to six points and fouled out late. That plus a late technical foul sparked an 8-2 Southeast finish.

10. Lincoln High (16-7, Last Week # 11)

Last Week: Won 71-50 vs. Norfolk, Won 57-56 at Pius X

The Links crack the top 10 for the first time since January thanks to picking up two wins for a 3-0 final stretch to the season. Lincoln High jumped out to a 10-point lead against Norfolk and dominated the glass with 13 offensive rebounds. At Pius X the two teams played to within a few points of each other all night. Senior Justin Bolis scored a game-high 22 and scored the eventual game-winner on an inbounds play under the Pius basket. The Links were 2-6 on the road before beating Pius, and those two wins came against 5-15 Fremont and 4-18 Northwest.

11. Papillion-La Vista South (14-8, Last Week #14)

Last Week: Won 69-55 vs. East, Won 85-33 vs. Omaha South

The win over East is the first for Papio South this season over a quadrant one team after going 0-4 against the likes of Bellevue West, Gretna, Prep and Millard North. But while the Titans had yet to beat anyone in the top five, there were signs that it could potentially happen. Papio South played Prep to within four points and Millard North to within a point. The Titans then shot out to an 18-7 lead in the first quarter against the Spartans and led by as much as 14 in the second half thanks to 48% shooting and hitting 23 of 28 shots at the line. That momentum rolled over into a 48-21 halftime lead against Omaha South.

12. Lincoln Southeast (14-9, Last Week #13)

Last Week: Won 71-40 vs. Columbus, Won 52-49 at North Star

Although the Knights struggled through three losses in a row before finishing with these back-to-back wins, they did enough to win the city championship thanks to the victory over North Star. Southeast finished 6-4 against other Lincoln teams and split with Lincoln East, the runner-up for the title of best in Lincoln. The Knights shot 46% and pulled down 16 offensive rebounds against Columbus. They held off a 12-0 third-quarter run at North Star then scored eight of the final 10 points with 1:22 remaining.

13. Lincoln Northeast (14-9, Last Week #10)

Last Week: Lost 59-51 vs. Pius X, Won 69-58 at Fremont

Northeast trailed Pius by 10 in the third then held the Thunderbolts scoreless over the final two minutes but only cut the deficit by two. A Christian Winn three cut it down to three with 34 seconds left but Pius finished it at the free throw line. Northeast pulled away for good in the second quarter at Fremont when the defense held the Tigers to just eight points.

14. Lincoln Pius X (14-10, Last Week #14)

Last Week: Won 59-51 at Northeast, Won 57-56 vs. Lincoln High

Yes, Pius just defeated Northeast but the Thunderbolts fit in just below the Rockets on the list since they have lost five of the past six. Pius ended a four-game skid by building a double-digit lead at Northeast in the second half then surviving a late surge that included the Rockets cutting it to three with under a minute remaining. Pius had two shots from three in the final 10 seconds at home against Lincoln High but missed both.

15. Kearney (16-7, Last Week #17)

Last Week: Won 67-22 vs. Fremont, Lost 63-50 at Southwest

The Bearcats are another team that moves up despite a loss since the defeat came to a team inside the top 10. Kearney is 0-4 against such teams and, although the district matchups have yet to be released, the points standings seem to indicate a second seed at Millard North. If the Bearcats are going to break through and finally win one of those, this is the week to do it.

16. Skutt Catholic (20-2, Last Week #16)

Last Week: Won 65-50 at Bishop Heelan (IA), Won 60-42 at Aurora

The SkyHawks have won six in a row since dropping back-to-back games to Class A opponents at the end of January. Each of those has come by at least 15 points with an average margin of victory by more than 25. The district includes Elkhorn, Elkhorn North and Mount Michael. Skutt defeated Elkhorn North 52-43 in the first game of the season and trounced Mount Michael 73-39 just over two weeks ago.

This Week: Wednesday vs. Elkhorn North (6-15), Thursday vs. Mount Michael/Elkhorn

17. Omaha Central (14-9, Last Week #12)

Last Week: Won 57-55 at Omaha North, Lost 57-51 at Millard West, Won 76-50 vs. Benson

The Eagles drop five spots after a road loss to 8-14 Millard West. Central scored just five points in the first quarter and gave it away 16 times on steals. Most damaging about the loss was dropping Central down to 14th in the points standings and setting up a district at Bellevue West.

18. Omaha Bryan (13-9, Last Week #16)

Last Week: Won 82-62 vs. Omaha Northwest, Won 82-35 vs. Buena Vista, Lost 56-49 vs. Norris

The Bears have had as many ups and downs as a season can deliver, enjoying winning streaks of three and five but also a three-game skid and a stretch of three losses in four games. Bryan finished the year 3-3 in its last six, had a chance to end on a four-game streak but then gave up 22 first-quarter points and fell behind by 15 on Saturday against Norris.

19. Ogallala (23-0, Last Week #19)

Last Week: Won 67-42 vs. Gothenburg

With one game left on the schedule, Gothenburg didn’t look like a threat to a perfect season, and the Swedes turned out to be another in a long line of dominant wins. The Indians built a 17-4 first-quarter lead and never looked back. Ogallala beat 23 opponents by an average of 31 points. It looks like Sidney stands in the way of a district final – a team Ogallala beat by 16 on Jan. 13.

This Week: Tuesday vs. Valentine (5-15), Thursday vs. Sidney/Chadron

20. Wahoo (21-1, Last Week #20)

Last Week: Won at Malcolm 83-62

The Warriors finish the season on a 17-game winning streak following a three-point loss to Ashland-Greenwood on Dec. 20. Wahoo has 15 wins over teams with winning records and has won those games by an average of 23 points. But interestingly, Ashland-Greenwood and Wahoo are in the same subdistrict. Thursday’s potential rematch should be a fun one.

This Week: Tuesday vs. Neumann/Arlington, Thursday vs. Ashland-Greenwood/DC West

21. Ashland-Greenwood (22-1, Last Week #21)

Last Week: Won 51-31 vs. Neumann

The Bluejays don’t have quite the same winning streak as the Warriors, but 12 in a row to close the schedule is nothing to sneeze at. Ashland-Greenwood has also been equally as dominant with 11 wins over teams above .500 by an average of over 20 points.

This Week: Tuesday vs. DC West, Thursday vs. Neumann/Arlington/Wahoo

22. Omaha North (11-11, Last Week #22)

Last Week: Won 70-53 vs. Westview

The Vikings limp into the postseason with a 3-6 record over the last month. Those six losses were by a combined 20 points, and four were against top 25 teams. However, North finished the season with a win over Westview that included 56% shooting and 19 assists – the type of performance that could build some momentum.

23. Platteview (19-4, Last Week #24)

Last Week: Won 49-48 vs. Crete

It hasn’t been as easy lately as it was early in the season. The last four games include a three-point win and just a 34-point total with Connor Millikan out of the lineup at Hastings then Friday’s comeback over Crete. Millikan picked up his fourth early in the third quarter and Crete built a seven-point advantage in the third quarter. The Trojans eventually climbed back into it and tied it on a Millikan three with 1:30 to play. His late free throws then a miss by Crete gave Platteview the win.

This Week: Wednesday vs. Ralston 10-13, Thursday vs. Gross/Roncalli

24. North Platte (14-8, Last Week #23)

Last Week: Won 79-50 at Gering, Lost 58-43 vs. Elkhorn

The Bulldogs end the season with two losses to lower division teams in the last three games, putting somewhat of a damper on what had been a nine-game winning streak. North Platte is just 2-4 against Class A and looks like it will be assigned a district tournament with Creighton Prep and Lincoln Southeast.

25. Freeman (23-1, Last Week #25)

Last Week: Won 61-15 vs. Sterling

The Falcons head to the postseason with an 11-game winning streak looking for a third straight trip to the state tournament. The only team to knock off Freeman this season, Tri County is on the other side of the subdistrict bracket. Those two look like a collision course is set for Thursday.

This Week: Tuesday vs. Johnson County Central (13-11), Thursday vs. Tri County/Palmyra

Next 5: Doniphan-Trumbull (22-1), Crete (17-5), York (15-5), Omaha Concordia (20-3), Pierce (20-3)