The 2026 NSAA Boys Basketball State Championships Rolled on Friday at Pinnacle Bank Arena and the Devaney Center with semifinals in all six classes.
The NebPreps team posted up at both facilities to bring you coverage on our social feeds and in the roundup below at both facilities.
Previous roundups: Wednesday | Thursday
Class C1
No. 4 Douglas County West 43, No. 1 Ogallala 39
For the second straight season, Ogallala’s undefeated season died at the state tournament.
Two and a half months after the Indians beat the Falcons 57-28 in their own gym, DC West turned the tables and pulled off the biggest upset of the state tournament while setting a new program record for wins in the process.
DC West junior celebrates while running back on defense against Ogallala. Photo by Drew Balus.
After coming up big in the quarterfinals, junior Lane Smith played the hero again in the semis. He led DC West (2306) with 13 points, shooting 4-for-7 from 3 and 1-for- 2 from the free-throw line.
Senior Nolan Asher added 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting (2-of-3 from 3) and four assists. The Falcons shot 8-of-19 from 3 as a team.
After a jumper on the opening possession from senior Edan Cain, the Indians missed their next five shots as the Falcons scored 13 straight to surge ahead. Smith ended the drought with a 3-pointer and a free-throw jumper on consecutive possessions, but DC West took that 13-7 lead into the second quarter and continued to build on it, scoring the first five of the second period.
With Ogallala trailing 21-13, Smith picked up his third foul at the 2:42 mark and checked out 40 seconds later. Cain stepped up with the team’s star on the bench, scoring five points in the last two minutes, but DC West took a 28-18 lead into halftime.
The Falcons continued to make everything difficult on the Indians in the second half. The lead swelled to 14 as Ogallala didn’t score until a Tanner DeCastro free throw at the 1:46 mark of the third. DeCastro converted the Indians’ first field goal on the next possession, but Lane Smith answered with a 3 to stretch it back out and DC West took a 35-23 lead into the fourth after a Sawyer Smith bunny.
DC West held Ogallala to five points on 2-for-10 shooting in the third.
Sawyer Smith wasn’t going to let his team go down without a fight, however. He scored the first eight points of the fourth to cut it to four, then after a DC West free throw, Rylan Gilmore found Tanner DeCastro for a layup to make it 38-35 Falcons with two and a half to play.
On the ensuing possession, DC West ran clock, with Lane Smith turning down an open 3 early on. The ball found itself back in his hands late, and he pump-faked a defender off his feet. Wmith took one dribble, reset himself and this time he let the trey fly, burying it to push the lead back to six with just under two minutes to play.
DC West struggled mightily to put the game away at the line, missing free throw after free throw. However, the Indias failed to take advantage, going 0-for-6 in the final 90 seconds, including four 3s.
DC West’s Smith finally slammed the door shut on the Indians, hitting a free throw to make it a four-point game with 21.9 to go then blocking a Lincoln Gillen 3. Ogallala retained possession on a tie-up but couldn’t do anything with the extra possession.
The Falcons went 3-for-12 from the foul line in the fourth quarter and 3-for-16 in the game but survived thanks to their defense and Smith’s trey.
Sawyer Smith finished with 19 points and six rebounds, while Cain chipped in nine. Ogallala shot 1-of-18 from 3 and 31.8% overall.
“It wasn’t just one person. Everyone had to buy into what they had to do.”
DC West’s Head Coach Chip Daehling had his team ready for the moment, defeating No. 1 Ogallala in the Class C1 Semifinals. Ogallala was the only unbeaten team left in the state heading into this game.… pic.twitter.com/ihvWgXN8qd
— nebpreps (@THEnebpreps) March 13, 2026
CLASS D2
The Elgin Public/Pope John Wolfpack celebrates after punching its ticket to the D1 state championship. Photo by Braden Cochran.
No. 1 Elgin Public/Pope John 44, No. 5 Guardian Angels Central Catholic 33
The Wolfpack used a strong fourth-quarter finish to advance to the championship for the first time.
Elgin Public/Pope John’s shot-making made the difference as the Wolfpack shot 8-for-19 from 3 and 8-for-9 from the free-throw line to outscore the Bluejays by 13 in those two categories combined.
Senior Jarek Erickson led the way with 18 points (including 12 in the first half) on 5-of-8 from the field (1-of-3 from 3) and 7-of-7 from the line while grabbing eight rebounds and dishing out three assists. Senior Karson Kallhoff took over in the second half with 12 of his 14, shooting 5-of-7 from the field including 4-of-6 from deep.
EPPJ took and 11-5 lead at the end of the first, but the Bluejays trimmed the deficit to two at halftime and took the lead midway through the third. Kallhoff put the Wolfpack back in front with a 3-pointer, and that 23-22 led held into the fourth quarter.
EPPJ opened the fourth-quarter scoring with back-to-back 3s from Michael Selting and Kallhoff. Guardian Angles Central Catholic responded with five straight to make it a two-point game, then the two sides went bucket for bucket with points on six straight possessions before the Bluejays finally missed.
The Wolfpack made three straight 3s during the stretch — two from Kallhoff and one from freshman Jayvin Erickson. From there, Jerek Erickson made six straight free throws to extend the lead to 12 with just over a minute to play — giving EPPJ 15 points in a seven-possession stretch to seal the victory.
“These guys are so mature. You never once saw them put their heads down.”
Elgin Public/Pope John coach Matt Euse talks after the No. 1 Wolfpack take down No. 5 GACC 44-33 to advance to the program’s first Class D2 championship game. #nebpreps | @pinnbank pic.twitter.com/lRgAzBz2Ip
— nebpreps (@THEnebpreps) March 13, 2026
