Each week during the high school basketball season, select coaches from the six Nebraska classes rate the teams in their class and our Tony Chapman compiles the rankings.
Here is the fifth in-season poll for the 2023-2024 season, presented by Pinnacle Bank.
Records are for games played through Saturday, Jan. 13.
Class A (Record), Previous
1. Millard West (11-0), 1
2. Millard North (10-2), 2
3. Omaha Central (12-2), 3
4. Lincoln Southwest (10-1), 4
5. Lincoln Northeast (10-2), 5
6. Omaha Marian (8-2), 6
7. Bellevue West (6-5), 7
8. Lincoln North Star (7-2), 8
9. Lincoln Pius X (6-4), 9
10. Omaha Westside (9-4), 10
Receiving Votes: Lincoln Southeast (7-3), RV.
Comments: Just a handful of games played last week due to the cold temperatures and snow. Some teams didn’t get any games in and will fight to reschedule.
Class B (Record), Previous
1. Elkhorn North (10-0), 1
2. Skutt Catholic (11-1), 2
3. Norris (8-2), 3
4. Beatrice (10-1), 4
5. Waverly (7-3), 5
6. Bennington (8-3), 6
7. Seward (6-5), 7
8. Elkhorn (7-3), 8
9. Gretna East (6-5), 9
10. South Sioux City (7-5), 10
Receiving Votes: Scottsbluff (7-7), NR.
Comments: Omaha Skutt snuck in a Tuesday game with Class A No. 7 Bellevue West and came away with a 65-63 win. Out west, Scottsbluff still receives votes after losing a pair of close games to Cheyenne East and Cheyenne Central (WY). We’ll try again this week.
Class C-1 (Record), Previous
1. Sidney (13-0), 1
2. Lincoln Christian (10-1), 2
3. Bridgeport (13-0), 3
4. Gothenburg (11-1), 4
5. Grand Island Central Catholic (11-1), 5
6. Minden (9-2), 6
7. Broken Bow (10-2), 7
8. Adams Central (9-2), 8
9. Battle Creek (10-1), 9
10. Malcolm (9-3), 10
Receiving Votes: Arlington (11-2), RV.
Comments: No changes, but Sidney and Bridgeport did get in a few games in the panhandle. A big week for Gothenburg, which hosts Broken Bow on Thursday and travels to Sidney on Friday. Adams Central will travel to GICC on Saturday.
Class C-2 (Record), Previous
1. Crofton (13-0), 1
2. Elmwood-Murdock (10-1), 2
3. Bishop Neumann (10-1), 3
4. Hastings St. Cecilia (8-2), 4
5. Oakland-Craig (9-3), 5
6. Cross County (12-1), 6
7. Yutan (8-2), 7
8. Freeman (12-1), 8
9. Niobrara/Verdigre (10-3), 9
10. Thayer Central (8-2), 10
Receiving Votes: Bayard (12-1), RV; Clarkson/Leigh (9-4), RV; Norfolk Catholic (6-5), RV.
Comments: No changes in Class C-2 either as every coach elected to keep their poll the same as last week. Bayard closes in on a ranking after adding a 64-52 win over Class D-2 No. 4 Leyton, the Warriors’ first loss of the season.
Class D-1 (Record), Previous
1. Pender (14-0), 1
2. Guardian Angels Central Catholic (12-1), 2
3. Southern Valley (13-1), 3
4. O’Neill St. Mary’s (9-2), 4
5. Johnson-Brock (11-1), 5
6. Elgin Public/Pope John (11-1), 6
7. Summerland (11-2), 7
8. McCool Junction (8-3), 8
9. Sumner-Eddyville-Miller (11-1), 9
10. Elm Creek (10-3), 10
Receiving Votes: Amherst (8-5), RV; Alma (13-1), RV; Centura (7-5), RV.
Comments: Status quo in Class D-1 as well. While some minor changes to ballots, we had no overall movement in this class either. GACC will host Class C-1 No. 9 Battle Creek on Tuesday night.
Class D-2 (Record), Previous
1. Falls City Sacred Heart (12-2), 1
2. Overton (12-1), 2
3. Wynot (8-2), 3
4. Leyton (11-1), 4
5. Shelton (8-3), 5
6. Sandhills/Thedford (11-3), 6
7. Howells-Dodge (7-5), 7
8. Wilcox-Hildreth (10-4), 10
9. Paxton (8-4), 9
10. Humphrey St. Francis (6-6), RV
Receiving Votes: Hay Springs (9-4), 8; Plainview (8-4), NR.
Comments: Our only class that saw any changes. Leyton dropped their first game of the season, to Class C-2 (RV) Bayard, but remained fourth. Shelton and Sandhills/Thedford flip places and Wilcox-Hildreth advances. Hay Springs drops out after close losses to Leyton and Class C-1 Gordon-Rushville.
