The 2026 NSAA Girls Basketball State Championship tipped off on Wednesday in Lincoln at Pinnacle Bank Arena and the Devaney Center.
Day one featured the quarterfinals classes D2, C2 and A. We’ll have rolling updates here plus coverage on our NebPreps social feeds throughout the day.
CLASS D2
No. 1 Dundy County Stratton 37, No. 8 Loomis 36
The top-seeded Tigers survived in the first game of the day at PBA thanks to a big fourth quarter from sophomore star Abi Spargo, some late heroics from junior Emily Schack and one final defensive stand.
Loomis led for over 27 minutes, but a foot-on-the-arc 2-pointer from Schack gave the Tigers the lead with less than 40 seconds to play — and proved to be the game-winner.
Alternating turnovers gave Loomis the ball back. The Tigers used two fouls to give to run the clock down then Kimberly Escobar forced a tie-up with 1 second to go, giving the Wolves one last chance on an in-bound play. Loomis got the ball in to Sophia Schemper but Escobar reached in and got a piece of the ball, forcing a wild shot at the buzzer.
Dundy County Stratton overcame 29 turnovers (including 19 in the first half) by holding Loomis to 25.5% shooting and forcing 27 turnovers.
Schack finished with 14 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks in addition to the game-winner. Abi Spargo spent much of the first half on the bench after picking up her third foul with more than five minutes to play in the second period. However, she scored seven points in the fourth quarter to lead the Tiger comeback and finished with 12 points, nine rebounds, five steals and three blocks.
The Wolves closed the first half on a 9-0 run to take a 22-14 lead, but the Tigers chipped away at it throughout the second half until Schack’s jumper gave them the lead for good.
Junior Sophia Schemper led Loomis with 16 points and five rebounds. Senior Addison Perry added 11 points and eight steals.
“We survived. I think you’ll see a lot better version of our team come Friday.”
Dundy County Stratton coach Matt Schaub talks after the No. 1 Tigers take down Loomis 37-36 in the opening round of the Class D2 state tournament. #nebpreps | @pinnbank pic.twitter.com/1oaYJ0tcTT
— nebpreps (@THEnebpreps) March 4, 2026
Archangels Catholic sophomore Eva Klassen (22) attacks the basket against Silver Lake. Photo by Mike Sautter.
No. 5 Archangels Catholic 55, No. 4 Silver Lake 33
Archangels Catholic used a dominant third quarter to turn a halftime deficit into a double-digit lead then cruised through the fourth quarter and into the semifinals.
The Defenders lived up to their name, holding Silver Lake to seven points on 3-of-22 shooting in the second half.
Senior Whitney Wegener led the way for the Defenders with 20 points on 9-for-10 from the field, eight rebounds, three assists and three steals. Sophomore Eva Klassen added 11 points, six rebound, four assists and three steals.
Silver Lake seniors Makenna Karr and Sophie Schmidt put the team on their backs in the first half. Karr scored eight points in the first quarter then Schmidt took over in the second with 11, including 3-for-3 from deep, to lead the Mustangs to a 26-19 lead at halftime.
Silver Lake had no answer for the Archangels Catholic defensive adjustments, however, and the Defenders pulled away. Karr and Schmidt finished with 13 points and seven rebounds apiece.
Archangels Catholic advances to Friday’s semifinals at the Devaney Center and will take on top-seeded Dundy County Stratton at 9 a.m.
“First three trips down, we scored on three nice shots and I thought, ‘OK, we’re kind of rocking here.’”
Archangels Catholic coach Bryan Reichmuth talks after the No. 5 Defenders take down No. 4 Silver Lake 55-33 to advance to the Class D2 semifinals. #nebpreps | @pinnbank pic.twitter.com/ZBV5sRuNQL
— nebpreps (@THEnebpreps) March 4, 2026
No. 2 Red Cloud 62, No. 7 Sumner-Eddyville-Miller 53
Sophomore Josie Faimon tied her career high to send the Warriors to the state semifinals for the first time since 2000.
The 5-foot-3 guard went off for 27 points and seven rebounds while fellow sophomore Aiva Rust added 17 points and nine rebounds.
The game went back and forth throughout, but the Warriors used an 8-0 run including from Faimon and Rust to stretch a one-point lead out to nine midway through the fourth, and they maintained a multi-possession lead the rest of the way. Faimon scored 10 of her 27 in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.
Senior Taryn Arbuthnot led the Mustangs with 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Fellow senior Jaycelyn Hoos added 17 points and five boards. Freshman Kyler Jones notched a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
“We have to overcome the height, and we overcome it with grit.”
Red Cloud coach Casey Fangmeyer talks after the No. 2 Warriors 62-53 win over No. 7 S-E-M to advance to the Class D2 semifinals. #nebpreps | @pinnbank pic.twitter.com/MU1u1c0d4x
— nebpreps (@THEnebpreps) March 5, 2026
No. 6 Wynot 54, No. 3 Falls City Sacred Heart 49, OT
The Blue Devils got to celebrate twice in the nightcap at the Devaney Center, first at the end of regulation following an apparent game-winner, then again in overtime after replay overruled the shot and forced the teams to play an extra four minutes.
Wynot made sure replay didn’t play a factor in the overtime, closing the game on an 8-1 run and holding the Irish without a field goal for the final three minutes.
The game saw 14 lead changes and eight ties, with neither side leading by more than seven points.
With the game tied at 44-all in the final seconds, Wynot got two looks at the winner but came up empty both times. The Irish secured the second miss but the rebounder lost the ball out of bounds, giving the Blue Devils one more opportunity.
They got the ball in to senior Haley Wieseler and she fired away from 3, hitting the shot with the buzzer sounding. The officials called it good on the court, but replay showed the ball still on her fingertips as time expired.
In overtime, the Blue Devils doubled up the Irish 10-5 despite missing seven free throws. Seniors Addison Sharpe and Jordan Foxhoven scored four points apiece for Wynot in the final four minutes.
Sharpe led Wynot with 16 points, Wieseler added 13 and senior leader Kenna Oligmueller chipped in 11 before fouling out with 90 seconds to play in regulation.
Senior Daycee Witt led Sacred Heart with 18 points on 5-of-8 from the field (2-of-4 from 3) and 6-of-8 from the free-throw line and seven rebounds. Fellow senior Avery Santo chipped in 11 points.
The Blue Devils advance to Friday’s semifinals and will face No. 2 Red Cloud at the Devaney Center, with tipoff set for 10:45 a.m.
“We got in that huddle and said, ‘We get four minutes. Where would we rather be? Let’s go find a way to win this thing.”
Wynot coach Steve Wieseler talks after the Blue Devils 54-49 overtime win over Falls City Sacred Heart. #nebpreps | @pinnbank pic.twitter.com/oFkYqPzvCy
— nebpreps (@THEnebpreps) March 5, 2026
CLASS C2
No. 1 Pender 42, No. 8 Centura 31
The Pendragons used a 14-5 fourth quarter to stretch a two-point lead into a double-digit win to start the day at the Devaney Center.
Senior Hadley Walsh led the way with 21 points and nine rebounds whole going 8-for-8 at the foul line. Sophomore Myra Hansen added 12 points on 4-of-6 from deep and three assists.
Sophomore Taya Taukiuvea led the Centurions with 13 points and eight rebounds.
No. 4 Yutan 37, No. 5 Hastings St. Cecilia 31
Yutan flexed its defensive muscles in the fourth quarter, holding the Hawkettes to two points without a field goal to punch its ticket to the semifinals.
Senior Mylee Tichota led the Chieftains with 20 points, four rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal. Fellow senior Jenna Trent added eight points and a game-high 13 rebounds.
Yutan took a 30-29 lead into the fourth quarter after four ties and seven lead changes in the first three periods then held St. Cecilia to 0-for-9 from the field with five turnovers while scoring just enough on their end to take control.
Seniors Nathie Krikac and Avery Kissinger led the Hawkettes with 12 and 11 points, respectively.
Yutan will take on No. 1 Pender in Friday’s semifinals at the Devaney with tipoff set for 1:30 p.m.
No. 2 Elkhorn Valley 42, No. 7 Crofton 36
The Falcons outscored the Warriors 23-13 in the second half to keep their unbeaten season going and advance to the semifinals.
Elkhorn Valley held Crofton to 24.5% shooting and forced 24 turnovers to turn a four-point halftime deficit into a victory. Junior Cameron Rutjens led the way with 12 points while sophomore Kyndal Werner added 10 points, six rebounds, five steals and two blocks.
Senior Jaisie Janssen led the Warriors with 13 points and 15 rebounds, capping her career with her 21st double-double of the season.
“The whole [Class] C2 field, this is what it’s going to be.”
Elkhorn Valley coach Brendan Dittmer talks after the No. 2 Falcons 42-36 first-round win over No. 7 Crofton. #nebpreps | @pinnbank pic.twitter.com/7eS0wajgLN
— nebpreps (@THEnebpreps) March 4, 2026
No. 6 Guardian Angels Central Catholic 56, No. 3 Oakland-Craig 48, OT
An answered prayer sent Guardian Angles to overtime where the Bluejays hardly missed in dethroning the 2025 C2 champion.
With time winding down in regulation and Central Catholic trailing 41-38, senior Julie Ridder found the ball in her hands beyond the arc and let it fly, banking it in for her first career 3-pointer to keep the Bluejays alive.
In overtime, Central Catholic held the Knights scoreless for nearly three minutes, scoring the first eight points then holding on from there. The Bluejays shot 4-of-5 from the field and 6-of-10 from the foul line in overtime.
Guardian Angels Central Catholic trailed by 10 at halftime but outscored Oakland-Craig 19-8 in the third to turn it around. Freshman Riley Wegner led the way with 16 points, sophomore Bailey Gerths added 15 and 12 rebounds and senior Abi Toline chipped in 10 points and three steals.
Sophomore Hilary Ray finished with a game-high 24 points, 11 rebounds and four steals while senior Sonya Guzinski added 11 points for the Knights.
Guardian Angels Central Catholic will face No. 2 Elkhorn Valley in Friday’s semifinals at the Devaney Center, with tipoff set for 3:15 p.m.
“Sometimes it just pays to be lucky… not sure how [Julie Ridder’s shot] went in, but we’re glad it did.”
Guardian Angels Central Catholic coach Jerry Stracke talks after the No. 6 Bluejays’ 56-48 overtime win over No. 3 Oakland-Craig. #nebpreps | @pinnbank pic.twitter.com/ZkOFup3PPB
— nebpreps (@THEnebpreps) March 4, 2026
CLASS A
No. 1 Lincoln North Star 43, No. 8 Millard North 32
Lincoln North Star senior K.J. Pinchon celebrates against Millard North. Photo by Jackson Luethje.
The Mustangs never found a solution to North Star’s vaunted 1-3-1 zone as the Navigators found their way to the semifinals with a strong defensive effort.
The Gators left plenty of points on the board with some misses at the rim and from the free-throw line, but they made up for it by forcing 28 Millard North turnovers and converting them into 22 points on the other end.
North Star gradually pulled away throughout the game, leading 14-12 after one, 23-18 at halftime and 30-22 after three. The Mustangs tried to make a push in the final period, but senior K.J. Pinchon buried two huge 3s — one from each corner — in the fourth quarter to stave off any real comeback threat.
Pinchon led the Gators with 14 points, seven rebounds and four steals. Junior Joyce Johnson added nine points on 50% shooting and six steals. Omaha signee Ani Leu found a way to contribute despite struggling offensively, chipping in seven rebounds, six points, six assists and five steals.
Freshman Mia McKenzie led Millard North with 15 points on 6-of-10 from the field (1-of-1 from 3) and 2-of-4 from the free-throw line plus seven rebounds.
No. 4 Millard West 57, No. 5 Omaha Westside 45
The reigning Class A champion used an explosive third quarter to take control then held on in the fourth thanks to some clutch shooting from its senior star as Millard West punched its ticket to the semifinals.
Westside led 11-8 after one and 19-18 at halftime in a first half that saw both teams go scoreless for the final three minutes.
Millard West freshman Grace Lucero-Miner celebrates after hitting a 3 against Omaha Westside. Photo by Jack Stephens.
However, the Wildcats opened the third quarter with a 15-0 run ending in a pair of 3-pointers from freshman Grace Lucero-Miner. The Warriors finally got on the board again with a layup from senior Sanai Foster, but Lucero-Miner buried another triple to push the lead to 15 at 36-21.
The Wildcats took a 43-31 lead into the fourth quarter, where the Warriors continued to make a push. Senior Mia Urosevich knocked down a 3 in front of her own bunch to cut the deficit to four at 45-41… but junior Jaelyn Moody banked in a 3 for the Wildcats on the other end.
Neither team scored for the next two minutes until sophomore Makenna Rooney split a pair of free throws, then Minnesota signee Kylee Paben stepped up and slammed the door shut with 3s on back-to-back possessions to push the lead to 55-43 with less than two to play.
Paben finished with a game-high 23 points on 7-of-10 from the field (5-of-7 from 3) and 4-of-6 from the line plus six rebounds and two steals. Lucero-Miner added 12 points on 4-of-8 from deep. Sophomore Londyn Whitney chipped in seven points and grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds.
Foster led Westside with 16 points and five rebounds while junior Gueryn Kay added 13 points and four boards.
Millard West advances to Friday’s semifinals and will face No. 1 Lincoln North Star at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Tipoff is set for 1:30 p.m.
No. 2 Kearney 55, No. 7 Lincoln Southwest 51
The Bearcats overcame an ice-cold start and made some big plays down the stretch to earn a trip to Friday’s semifinals.
The Bearcats shot 3-of-14 in the first quarter and 5-of-30 overall in the first half, falling behind by as much as nine. However, the Bearcats continued to get stops until their offense rounded into shape, holding Southwest scoreless for the first seven minutes of the second period.
Kearney junior Libby Province handles the ball against Lincoln Southwest. Photo by Jack Stephens.
Kearney trimmed the deficit to two at halftime and to one at the end of the third quarter, then the Bearcats opened the fourth with a 7-0 run to surge ahead for the first time.
Southwest junior KayTee Irons-Buettner put the Silver Hawks on her back to stem the tide, scoring 10 points during a 13-6 Southwest run — including a pair of deep 3s — to put Southwest back in front, 51-50 with just under a minute to play.
Kearney junior Libby Province answered immediately, putting her head down and earning a trip to the line, where she sank both free throws to put the Bearcats back in front.
The Bearcats shut the Silver Hawks out from there, forcing two turnovers (the second aided by a missed kick call on the Bearcats) and a miss while adding three free throws, the last two by junior Augusta Ganz with 2.9 to play to seal the victory.
Province led the Bearcats with 15 points, nine rebounds and four steals. Ganz added 13 points on 50% shooting, six rebounds and two steals. The Bearcats outscored the Silver Hawks by 20 in the paint and forced 22 turnovers.
Irons finished with a game-high 22 points on 8-of-16 from the field including 6-of-11 from 3 while senior Eleanor Griffin chipped in 11 points on 3-of-5 from the field (2-of-2 from deep) and 3-of-4 from the foul line.
No. 3 Omaha North 74, No. 6 Omaha Westview 49
The Vikings overwhelmed the Wolverines with physicality and speed, scoring 40 points in the paint, 21 in transition and 27 off 23 turnovers to earn a trip to the semifinals in Wednesday’s nightcap at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Omaha North senior Justine Tcheuhchoua (14) looks to score inside against over two Omaha Westview defenders. Photo by Jack Stephens.
North pushed the pace at every opportunity until the final buzzer, flew around defensively and crashed the glass to dictate the terms of play for the full 32 minutes.
North raced out to a 19-8 lead after one then stretched it to 18 at halftime with a 20-point second quarter. The Wolverines used a 6-0 to pull within 12 at one point in the third quarter, but that’s as close as they got as North pulled away, pushing the lead to 26 midway through the fourth before emptying the bench.
Fifteen Vikings played and 10 of them scored. Senior Justine Tcheuhchoua led the way with 14 points on 5-of-7 from the field and 4-of-6 from the line. Junior Himayajo Metoyer added 13 points and fellow junior T’Niyah Wilson-Smith recorded a double-double with 12 points on 5-of-10 from the field (1-of-2 from 3) and 1-of-1 from the charity stripe plus 11 rebounds.
Junior Kalyn Bailey led Westview with 16 points and seven rebounds while senior Stella Williams added 15 points on 4-of-6 shooting (3-of-5 from 3) and 4-of-4 foul shooting in her final game as a Wolverine.
The Vikings advance to the semifinals on Friday and will face No. 2 Kearney at 3:15 p.m. at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
