Nebraska high school girls basketball Top 25 (12/27/2023)

There’s little change from last week’s rankings in this list, the last of 2023. Nine of the top 10 won and only five of the previous Top 25 suffered a loss. Five unbeaten teams make up the top five but one of those is guaranteed to go down before next week’s list because of the Metro Holiday Tournament. Elkhorn North is also in a conference tournament, Lincoln Southwest takes the top seed into the HAC Tournament, and Skutt is in a Holiday Tournament at Doane. 

1. Elkhorn North (6-0, Last Week #1)

Elkhorn North eased into the Christmas break with a 53-point win over Lincoln Northwest that started, like most Wolves games this season, with a big first quarter. Each of the six wins have come by at least 15 points and only one opponent has managed to score 50 or more points.

This Week: Friday vs. Bennington

2. Millard West (6-0, Last Week #2)

The Wildcats own four wins over teams at or above .500 and have taken care of business rather soundly in three of those four, winning by an average of over 20 points. Millard West has been off since a 62-21 win over Gretna. Neleigh Gessert (19.6) and Norah Gessert (11.8) are combining for over 30 points per game.

This Week: Friday vs. Elkhorn South

3. Skutt Catholic (6-0, Last Week #3)

Skutt has played just one Nebraska opponent but has yet to lose and is winning by 23 points per game. Most recently, Skutt rattled off three wins against teams from Wyoming, Colorado and California in the Nike Tournament of Champions in Phoenix.

This Week: Thursday vs. Crete, Friday vs. GI Northwest/Maryville

4. Omaha Central (8-0, Last Week #4)

Only four teams in Nebraska have more wins thus far than Central, and all of those are at the C-2 level or lower. The Eagles had a busy stretch with eight games in 17 days but are now in the midst of 12 days off until starting the Metro Tournament. Central has the four seed and gets Millard South before a potential quarterfinal game against Bellevue East and a semifinal game against top seed Bellevue West.

This Week: Friday vs. Millard South

5. Lincoln Southwest (6-0, Last Week #5)

Southwest is another squad that went into the break with a perfect record. However, the Silver Hawks are doing it a little differently than the rest of the top 10. Southwest has allowed more than 40 points just twice and is giving up just 33 points per game. The Silver Hawks are the top seed for the HAC Tournament.

This Week: Thursday vs. East

6. Millard North (5-1, Last Week #6)

Millard North hasn’t faced much of a challenge since failing to crack the Bellevue West defense in the second half of a 50-45 loss on Dec. 7. The Mustangs shot at least 40% in the three games that followed and had at least 13 assists in each. The pre-Christmas slate wrapped with Izzie Galligan and Avril Smith scoring double-digits and Millard North posting a 29-point second quarter in a win over Norfolk.

This Week: Friday vs. Gretna East

7. Lincoln Southeast (5-1, Last Week #11)

The 59-18 win Southeast put together against Grand Island was the third straight game the Knights allowed fewer than 20 points. Two of those were against Grand Island, but it’s an impressive figure regardless. Grand Island and Bryan, the other part of that streak, are two of the weakest teams in the state. But even so, Southeast allowed 41 points or less in its other three games.

This Week: Thursday vs. North Star

8. Omaha Marian (5-1, Last Week #7)

Marian has the six seed for the Metro Tournament and will be coming off a 12-day break when it faces Papio South. Elsa Vedral has been leading the way with 13.8 points per game and four rebounds. Marian will look to improve on the 38% shooting mark it has had through the first six games.

This Week: Friday vs. Papio South

9. Lincoln Northeast (5-1, Last Week #9)

Last time out, Northeast led Burke by eight at halftime then put it away with a 21-6 third quarter. Doneelah Washington Washington had 19 in that one and has had double-digits in all six games including 43 in a Dec. 9 win over Gretna. The 6-foot senior is shooting 67% but will look to improve on a 44% mark from the line when play resumes on Thursday.

This Week: Thursday vs. Columbus

10. Lincoln Pius X (3-2, Last Week #8)

Pius is one of the few teams on this list that has multiple losses but the Thunderbolts haven’t been shy about testing themselves early. Results thus far include losses to top five Millard West and Southwest plus a win over top 10 Bellevue West. Pius lost the last time out to Southwest on Dec. 19 when the Bolts went just 1 of 12 from long range.

This Week: Thursday vs. Kearney

11. Bellevue West (4-3, Last Week #10)

Bellevue West finally stemmed the tide and snapped a three-game losing skid on Dec. 19 when it earned a 45-35 win over Benton (Missouri). It was the lowest total of the season but enough to pick up the win thanks to 13 offensive rebounds and 17 trips to the free throw line.

This Week: Friday vs. Omaha North

12. Lincoln North Star (4-1, Last Week #12)

The only setback so far was a season-opening four-point loss to Bellevue West in which North Star failed to take advantage of 19 turnovers and a Thunderbird squad content to shoot 5 of 25 from three. Since then, it’s been three blowouts and a squeaker against Papio South. The conference tournament offers an intriguing matchup with Southeast in the quarterfinals.

This Week: Thursday vs. Southeast

13. Papillion-La Vista (4-2, Last Week #14)

Both losses are against Marian, and the most recent included 27% shooting, 21% from three and a four-point second quarter. The Monarchs suffered that defeat on Dec. 16 and have had to stew on it until starting the conference tournament.

This Week: Friday vs. Westside

14. Bellevue East (4-2, Last Week #15)

The Chieftains headed into the Christmas break with losses in two of three. Bellevue East is shooting just 38% and hasn’t yet found its touch from the perimeter, hitting on 33 of 137 for 24%. The Chieftains have at least 12 turnovers in every game but one, and an average of 14 per game. Correcting those areas will be essential to make a run in the Metro Tournament.

This Week: Friday vs. Gretna

15. Kearney (4-3, Last Week #16)

After opening with back-to-back losses to Elkhorn South and Pius X, Kearney wrapped up the early season slate with wins in four of five. However, three of those were against teams with one win including a 41-33 victory over Lincoln High to start the HAC Tournament. The Bearcats held the Links to 32% shooting and sent Lincoln High to the line just twice.

This Week: Thursday vs. Pius X

16. Omaha Benson (3-2, Last Week #17)

The Bunnies have alternated wins and losses through the first five games and went into the break following a win over East on Dec. 16. Ahmani Klabunde (15.6), Mckenzie Lewis (13.6) and Jesani Green (11.4) are averaging double-digit scoring while Lewis and Green are both averaging double-doubles on rebounds.

This Week: Friday vs. Westview

17. Omaha Westside (6-3, Last Week #18)

The Warriors took the show on the road and played four games in Phoenix as part of the Nike Tournament of Champions. Westside had three in double figures during a 68-30 win over Valley View (California), held Deer Valley (Arizona) to just eight first-half points in a 60-34 victory, shot 7 for 45 in a 35-21 loss to Francis Parker (California) and had 18 by senior Kara Stricklin in a 43-32 win over Doherty (Colorado).

This Week: Friday vs. Papillion-La Vista

18. Bennington (6-1, Last Week #20)

The Badgers built a 10-point third-quarter lead against Elkhorn on Dec. 22 but then found itself up just one with under four minutes left in the game. A Reese Alquist steal and Presley Baca block were key down the stretch when Bennington was protecting a lead.

This Week: Friday vs. Elkhorn North

19. Columbus (5-4, Last Week #21)

The Discoverers struggled to a pair of losses, one to a Millard South team that had just one win, but went into the holiday break on a positive note behind wins over North Plate and Fremont. The win over Fremont was the third time Columbus limited an opponent to under 30 points.

This Week: Thursday vs. Northeast

20. Papillion-La Vista South (4-3, Last Week #22)

A 75-40 win over Westview made it three in a row following three losses in a row. Junior Ella Morehouse had 22 in the win, hit three three-pointers and swiped away three steals. Collectively, the Titans grabbed 41 rebounds, including 14 on offense, and made 10 threes.

This Week: Friday vs. Marian

21. Norris (6-1, Last Week #23)

A poor shooting night cost Norris in its only loss of the season. Since then, the defense has given up less than 40 points each game and the offense began to find a rhythm just before the break. In a Dec. 22 win over Blair, Norris shot 48% and was 68% from inside the arc.

This Week: Friday vs. Waverly

22. Waverly (5-1, Last Week #24)

Each of Waverly’s five wins are against opponents at or above .500. The Vikings notched a first-round EMC Tournament win on Dec. 22 62-24 over Hastings by giving up single digits in three of four quarters. A rematch with Norris awaits in the conference semifinals.

This Week: Friday vs. Norris

23. Beatrice (6-1, Last Week #13)

Beatrice had a tough time withstanding the physicality and aggressiveness of Minden in a contest that handed the Orange its first loss of the season. Minden earned 35 trips to the line and made 23 foul shots while also grabbing 14 rebounds.

This Week: Thursday vs. St. Paul

24. Blair (5-2, Last Week #19)

Blair had notched three straight wins when the Bears went to Norris and scored six or fewer points in three of the four quarters. No player had more than six points and Blair allowed Norris to shoot 48%. It’s eerily similar to a loss to Waverly in which Blair had just 10 points in the first three quarters.

This Week: Friday vs. Hastings

25. Gretna (4-4, Last Week Unrated)

Gretna has already played five teams inside the top 20, two of those inside the top 10. Not surprisingly, that kind of a gauntlet has the Dragons at .500 with the conference tournament up next. Gretna won a play-in game 45-5 over Bryan on Dec. 22. The Dragons may not have what it takes to compete with the best of the best but they’ve got the potential to stun another favorite like they did in the season-opening win over Southeast.