Top stars, best performances in Nebraska high school girls basketball (Feb. 19-26)

By Sam Pimper  

With just four ticks left on the clock in overtime during a District final matchup against Lincoln Pius X, freshman Ani Leu’s game-sealing three pointer is sending Lincoln North Star to the state tournament. After starting the season 3-5, the Navigators closed the remainder of the season going 14-2. 

Ani Leu, Lincoln North Star freshman 

It was a big night for Leu in the District A-5 championship game. The freshman scored 10 points and pulled down 12 rebounds, and her final shot of the evening, a three pointer with four seconds left in overtime, helped North Star pull off an upset win over Lincoln Pius X.

Maddy Province, Kearney senior

Province scored 13 points during a loss to Bellevue East. This ties her season high in scoring – she’s scored 13 points three times this year. On the season, she’s averaging just over six points per game.

Drew Hasenkamp, Elkhorn South junior

Hasenkamp scored a season-high 15 points during a loss to Bellevue West. On the year, she’s averaging just under four points per game and pulling down about two rebounds. South lost the contest 77-43.

Kenzie Melcher, Bellevue West junior

Melcher scored a game-high 19 points during a win over Elkhorn South, shooting 40 percent from the floor. This season, she’s averaging just under 12 points per game, five rebounds and two assists. Her season-high 28 points came against Bellevue East.

Macy Kellner, Westview freshman

Kellner scored 15 points, shooting 63 percent from the floor, during a loss to Lincoln East. On the season, she’s averaging seven points per game, three rebounds, two assists and a steal. Her season high of 22 points came against Omaha North.

Norah Gessert, Millard North sophomore

Gessert scored 13 points during a 10-point win over Lincoln East and pulled down 13 rebounds. She’s averaging 10 points per game, as well as five rebounds, three assists and a steal.

Saliesha Gray, Lincoln North Star freshman

Gray scored 17 points during a 51-29 win over Fremont. She shot 4-of-6 from the field and made eight of nine free throws en route to the win. On the season, she’s scoring eight points per game, pulling down three rebounds and recording three steals.

Inia Jones, Omaha Central junior

Jones scored 23 points, shooting 53 percent from the field during a win over Lincoln Southeast. She’s averaging just under 19 points per game, as well as six rebounds, five assists and three steals.

Kennadi Williams, Lincoln Southwest junior

Williams, back on the floor after suffering a knee injury, is providing her team with a spark at the right time. She scored a season-high 16 points during a win over Bellevue West, propelling her team to a State Tournament berth that looked out of reach earlier this season.

Brooke Rose, Gretna junior

Rose netted a season-high 16 points during a win over Omaha Marian. On the season, she’s averaging just under nine points per game. Her previous high scoring was 14 against Iowa’s Lewis Central.

Charlee Solomon, Lincoln East sophomore

Solomon scored 16 points during a close loss to Lincoln East. En route, she went 4-for-5 from the free throw line and pulled down 10 rebounds. On the season, she’s averaging 10 points, and nearly nine rebounds per game.

Ella Reinoehl, Bennington senior

Reinoehl scored 16 points during a loss to Beatrice. On the season, she’s averaging just over eight points per game, five rebounds, two assists and three steals.

Addie Sullivan, Blair sophomore

Sullivan scored a season-high 24 points during a loss to South Sioux City. On the year, she’s scoring 12 points per game, a solid improvement from last season when she averaged about six.

Bailee Durant, South Sioux City freshman

Durant, who has been having a sound freshman campaign, scored a team-high 19 points during a win over Blair. She’s averaging just over 14 points per game, five rebounds, two assists and three steals.

Ruthie Loomis-Goltl, Bridgeport senior

Loomis-Goltl scored 27 points for the undefeated Bulldogs during a win over Douglas County West. On the year, she’s averaging 21 points per game, nearly eight rebounds and four blocked shots.

Brooklyn Kruse, Wayne senior

Kruse scored 17 points during a losing effort to Lincoln Christian. She also pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds. This season, she’s averaging over 17 points, nine rebounds and two assists per game.

Kena Ailes, Lincoln Christian sophomore

Ailes scored 17 points during a win over Wayne. On the season, she’s scoring 17 points per game, pulling down 10 rebounds and notching a steal.

Halle Dolliver, Malcolm freshman

Dolliver scored 19 points, shooting 50 percent from the field, during a win over Platteview. On the season, she’s scoring just under 20 points per game, pulling down nine rebounds and recording two assists and three steals.

Sammy Leu, Wahoo senior

Leu scored a game-high 17 points, shooting 58 percent from the field, during a win over Battle Creek. She’s averaging just under 15 points per game, four rebounds, three assists and four steals per outing.

Maya Dolliver, Pender freshman

Dolliver led the Pendragons in scoring, netting 21 during a win over Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family. This year, she’s averaging just under 15 points per game, four rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Sadie Nelson, Oakland-Craig senior

Nelson scored 22 points during a win over Lincoln Lutheran. She’s averaging 13 points per game, along with three rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Chloe Hanel, Clarkson/Leigh junior

Hanel scored 25 points during a win over Gordon-Rushville, shooting an impressive 77 percent from the field. This year, she’s averaging just under 20 points per game, six rebounds, three assists and four steals.

Sydney Davis, Centura senior

Davis scored 21 points during a lopsided win over Nebraska Christian. On the year, she’s averaging just over 15 points per game, seven rebounds, two assists and three steals. Her season-high scoring performance is 31.

Mikah O’Neill, Sumner-Eddyville-Miller junior

O’Neill scored 26 points, helping her squad to a 70-56 win over Alma. She’s averaging 17 points per game, 11 rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Katy Boldt, Sterling senior

Boldt scored a season-high 19 points during a 59-50 win over Meridian. This year, she’s averaging 11 points per game, five rebounds, two assists and two steals. This was the second time this year hitting the 19-point mark.