Nebraska high school boys basketball Top 25 rankings (1/3/2024)

The rankings changed somewhat thanks to wins by Gretna, Westside, Omaha Central and Lincoln Southeast in conference tournaments. The list will look much different next week because of an Omaha Central win over Millard North in the quarterfinals of the Metro Holiday Tournament. For now, the Mustangs retain the top spot until the Metro crowns a champion Wednesday. 

1. Millard North (7-1, Last Week #1)

Millard North was unable to contain Omaha Central senior Daleron Thomas and paid for it in a Metro Tournament 74-54 quarterfinal loss on Dec. 30. Thomas had 32 points, hit eight threes and shot 11 of 16 overall. The Mustangs trailed by eight after three then managed just eight points in the fourth.

This Week: Friday vs. #5 Central, Saturday vs. Omaha Northwest

2. Bellevue West (8-1, Last Week #2)

Bell West rolled into the Metro Tournament semifinals with a pair of easy wins over Bellevue East and Omaha Bryan. The T-Birds scored 26 first-quarter points against the Chieftains then hit 14 three-pointers against Bryan.

This Week: Tuesday vs. #4 Westside, Wednesday Metro Final, Friday vs. Abe Lincoln (Iowa)

3. Gretna (8-1, Last Week #4)

The Dragons were still alive for Tuesday’s Metro semifinals thanks to an emotional win Saturday just hours after head coach Brad Feeken passed away from cancer. Four players scored in double figures for a win over Millard West then Landon Pokorski hit a running floater at the buzzer in a win over Papio South. Gretna led by 15 at half but then scored just five points in the third. The Dragons trailed by four late, tied it then needed an offensive foul to gain possession with 8 seconds remaining.

This Week: Tuesday vs. #5 Central, Wednesday Metro Final, Saturday at #13 North Star

4. Omaha Westside (7-2, Last Week #6)

Westside went into the break on a two-game skid but then doubled up Papillion-La Vista 68-34 and beat rival Creighton Prep 52-45. The Warriors held the Monarchs to 10 points in the middle two quarters. Westside led most of the way against Prep, trailed temporarily in the fourth, but then held the Junior Jays scoreless for the final 90 seconds.

This Week: Tuesday vs. #2 Bellevue West, Wednesday Metro Final, Saturday vs. Elkhorn South

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

Daleron Thomas starred in what might have been the Eagles’ biggest win in the last few years. Central shot 55%, 52% from three and knocked the No. 1 team from the list of unbeaten teams thanks in large part to Thomas scoring 32 with 14 of those in the third quarter and four of his eight threes in that frame.

This Week: Tuesday vs. #3 Gretna, Wednesday Metro Final, Friday at #1 Millard North, Saturday at Bellevue East

6. Papillion-La Vista South (8-1, Last Week #3)

Papio South advanced in the Metro Tournament by winning a defensive struggle against Elkhorn South and overcoming 7 of 29 from the perimeter but then lost at the buzzer against Gretna. The Titans did well to make it a game late against the Dragons – Papio South trailed by 15 at halftime and scored just 19 in the first 16 minutes.

This Week: Friday vs. Millard South, Saturday at #10 Omaha North

7. Creighton Prep (6-2, Last Week #5)

Prep easily dispatched Millard South 76-41 with 20 points from Caleb Djoussa and 56% shooting. Westside was a different story. Prep nearly came back from an eight-point halftime deficit but then went cold in the fourth and was just 9 of 21 overall from the free throw line.

This Week: Friday at Bellevue East, Saturday at #19 Westview

8. Lincoln Southeast (7-3, Last Week #10)

The Knights keep rising after a Dec. 19 win over Westside and have now won five in a row with a HAC Tournament championship a part of the streak. Southeast was crowned conference champs for the first time in 10 years thanks to 14 three-pointers during a 78-70 win over Pius. It was quite an improvement from the day before when Southeast beat Kearney 61-55 despite going 6 for 24 from distance.

This Week: Friday at #18 Southwest, Saturday vs. #22 Northeast

9. Omaha Bryan (6-2, Last Week #8)

A’mare Bynum picked up a quick early foul and sat out the part of the second quarter in which Bellevue West pulled away in a 76-55 loss to the Thunderbirds. It was 26-26 then 45-31 at halftime. Bynum had 19 and six rebounds but couldn’t quite make up for his time away. Bryan nearly gave up a 12-point lead in a win over Westview and had to endure two three-point attempts in the final three seconds during a 52-49 win.

This Week: Friday vs. Burke, Saturday at Buena Vista

10. Omaha North (5-1, Last Week #9)

North looked in dire straits when it gave up the first 10 points of the second quarter to Central but then responded with 11 in a row for a 24-24 tie early in the third. The Eagles answered back with 16 of the next 18 points and handed North a 59-39 loss. The Vikings came back three days later with 21 by Mynor Strong and a 16-5 third quarter for a 68-49 win over Benson.

This Week: Wednesday vs. Benson, Saturday vs. #6 Papio South

11. Kearney (5-3, Last Week #11)

The Bearcats were hitting shots for the first three quarters then went 1 of 12 in the fourth and suffered a 61-55 defeat to Southeast in the HAC semifinals. Ben Johnson had 25 in the loss. He had 17 while Jacob Webber and Asher Endorf both had 18 and Kearney shot 57% in a 76-47 quarterfinal win over Grand Island.

This Week: Tuesday at North Platte, Thursday at Grand Island

12. Crete (9-0, Last Week #14)

The Cardinals stand as the last remaining unbeaten team in Class B after winning the Doane Holiday Tournament. Crete took down Maryville 68-49 then overcame a halftime deficit thanks to 29 from Aidan McDowell in a 58-52 victory over Skutt.

This Week: Friday at Gering, Saturday at #25 Scottsbluff

13. Lincoln North Star (3-3, Last Week #12)

North Star hopes for a conference title never got off the ground then the Navigators shot 2 for 15 from three, lost the rebounding battle 34-18 and hit just 38% overall in a loss to Southeast.

This Week: Thursday at Lincoln High, Saturday vs. #3 Gretna

14. Norris (9-1, Last Week #23)

The Titans led off the first SBLive top 25 as the highest-ranked Class B team in the state. They have an argument for that once again after defeating Elkhorn in the EMC title game. The Antlers won the initial matchup on Dec. 8 when Norris shot 38% and went 7 of 22 from long range. Norris had a better touch and better defense this time around. The Titans went on a 9-0 run to erase a 13-8 deficit at the end of the first quarter and led the rest of the way in a 57-52 victory.

This Week: Idle

15. Elkhorn (7-1, Last Week #13)

Elkhorn couldn’t make it two in a row over Norris and saw its perfect record dashed at the hands of the Titans in the EMC championship game. Norris went on a 9-0 run to finish the first and held the lead the rest of the way. Elkhorn came within striking distance in the fourth but Norris finished it off at the free throw line.

This Week: Friday vs. Platteview, Saturday at Boys Town

16. Skutt (6-2, Last Week #15)

The Skyhawks led Crete 29-22 at halftime but never found a way to contain Aidan McDowell. The top scorer in Class B burned Skutt for 29 and helped the Cardinals overcome deficits of 15-9 after the first quarter and 29-22 at halftime.

This Week: Friday at Roncalli, Saturday at Elkhorn North

17. Lincoln Pius X (4-4, Last Week #17)

The Bolts are undoubtedly frustrated, standing at 4-4 as 2024 begins. However, Pius is a team that has tested itself against Millard North, Bellevue West and Southeast in the Dec. 30 HAC title game. The Thunderbolts never rotated well on defense or located shooters and paid for it with 14 Knight threes and a 78-70 loss. Those two will see each other again on Jan. 11.

This Week: Friday at North Platte, Saturday vs. Columbus

18. Lincoln Southwest (4-4, Last Week #18)

The Silver Hawks had a hot start to the HAC Tournament, jumping out to a 17-5 lead on East in the quarterfinals. That hot start did not carry over to the next day when Southwest settled for 21 threes, hit just four and were beaten 75-56 by Pius.

This Week: Friday at #9 Southeast, Saturday vs. Lincoln High

19. Omaha Westview (5-4, Last Week #16)

Westview looked like a potential dark horse in the Metro Tournament but never got off the ground and suffered a first-round loss to Bryan 52-49. The Wolverines trailed by 12 with three minutes left, cut it to five in less than a minute and had it down to one possession but couldn’t create the game-tying hoop.

This Week: Thursday at Elkhorn South, Saturday vs. #7 Prep

20. Ashland-Greenwood (8-0, Last Week #19)

AG defended its home court in the 28th edition of the Ashland-Greenwood Holiday Tournament by taking down Aurora and then Roncalli. The Bluejays jumped all over the Huskies with a 16-2 first quarter then did the same, though to a lesser extent, in a 13-6 start against the Crimson Pride.

This Week: Tuesday vs. Falls City

21. Ogallala (10-0, Last Week #20)

After going 3-0 on a trip to Arizona prior to the Christmas break, the Indians haven’t yet returned to the court. They’ll be back in action for a pair of games this week and sit as one of six remaining undefeated Class C-1 teams.

This Week: Tuesday vs. Bridgeport, Friday at Cozad

22. Lincoln Northeast (5-3, Last Week #21)

The Rockets were winners of three straight when they opened the HAC Tournament against Pius and took a step up in competition compared to its recent foes. The Bolts were too much and doubled up the Rockets 82-41 while pulling down 17 offensive rebounds.

This Week: Friday vs. Grand Island, Saturday vs. #8 Southeast

23. Millard West (6-3, Last Week #22)

Two games against Gretna, the second a first-round Metro Tournament game, was a lot to ask for a Wildcat squad that has six wins but has yet to defeat an opponent with more than three wins. Millard West was slightly closer in the rematch but saw a halftime tie slip away with 21 third-quarter points from Gretna. The Wildcats defeated Elkhorn South for the second time this season in the consolation round 65-50 behind 22 points and four threes by junior Jordan Gassen.

This Week: Friday at Gretna East

24. Auburn (8-0, Last Week Unrated)

The Bulldogs have five quad one and two wins (teams above .500) and have yet to be challenged enough to play a game to single digits. As usual, Auburn is doing it with defense, holding three foes under 30 points and seven of eight under 40.

This Week: Tuesday vs. Maryville (MO), Friday vs. Palmyra

25. Scottsbluff (8-1, Last Week Unrated)

Scottsbluff has played opponents from Wyoming, South Dakota and Nebraska and would be unbeaten were it not for a poor shooting night in a 36-34 grind-it-out loss to More (SD) in which the Bearcats shot 37%, went 1 for 10 from three and 7 for 15 from the free throw line. Over the break, Scottsbluff went to the Elkhorn Valley Holiday Tournament and closed out a win over the hosts with a 17-4 fourth quarter then took the title over Norfolk Catholic thanks to 25 by sophomore Nate Kelly.

This Week: Friday vs. Waverly, Saturday vs. #12 Crete