Seven district finals. Seven state tournament tickets punched. Tuesday’s light slate across five boys basketball classes put the finishing touches on the postseason bracket, highlighted by one of the most dramatic finishes of the entire tournament trail. Here’s your daily recap.
Upset of the Day: McCool Junction Shocks No. 2 Twin Loup
No. 10 McCool Junction edged No. 2 Twin Loup 63-62 in the District Final D1-6, pulling off the night’s biggest upset and earning a state tournament berth by the slimmest possible margin. Twin Loup entered at 19-3 with the second-best NebPreps Computer Rating in Class D1, but McCool Junction (16-6) — a team that played one of D1’s tougher schedules (fifth-ranked strength of schedule) — proved those close-game battles paid off when it mattered most. Twin Loup’s season ends one win short of Lincoln.
Bennington Survives Roncalli for B-4 Crown
The other upset of the night came in Class B, where No. 9 Bennington held off No. 6 Omaha Roncalli Catholic 55-52 to claim the District B-4 title. Roncalli entered 19-4 and held opponents to just 46.7 points per game during the regular season, but Bennington’s defense matched that intensity in a back-and-forth final. The Badgers (15-8) are state-bound.
Top Seeds Rolling
No. 1 Omaha Westside took care of business in District A-1, beating No. 11 Millard South 75-68 to cap the Class A district tournament slate. The Warriors (21-4) averaged 71.0 points per game this season and showed why they carry the top rating in the state’s largest class.
In Class D2, No. 2 Archangels Catholic delivered the night’s most dominant performance, dismantling No. 28 Mullen 70-40 in District Final D2-2. The 22-1 Archangels held opponents to 40.4 points per game this season and gave up nothing extra Tuesday.
No. 2 Bergan Catholic (22-1) cruised past No. 19 Crofton 59-44 in District Final C2-2, extending one of the best records in Class C2.
District Final Roundup
No. 8 Gretna East rolled past No. 21 York 72-45 in the District B-7 final, and No. 12 Wynot dispatched No. 14 Bancroft-Rosalie 70-49 in District Final D2-7 to round out Tuesday’s state qualifiers.
By the Numbers
7 — District finals played Tuesday, all state-qualifying games
2 — Upsets by the NebPreps Computer Ratings (McCool Junction, Bennington)
1 — Points separating McCool Junction and Twin Loup in the night’s closest finish
30 — Archangels Catholic’s margin of victory over Mullen, the night’s biggest blowout
3 — State qualifiers with 20-plus wins: Omaha Westside (21-4), Archangels Catholic (22-1), Bergan Catholic (22-1)
What’s Next
With Tuesday’s results, the boys state tournament field is nearly locked. All Class A, B, C1, C2, D1 and D2 district champions are set — only the Class A and B wildcard berths remain to be determined by wildcard point average. The state tournament tips off March 11 at Pinnacle Bank Arena and Bob Devaney Center in Lincoln.
