The Nebraska boys state basketball tournament begins on Wednesday morning at 9:00 in Lincoln with another new format for 2023, but hopefully that should last for a while now.
The tournament survived 2020 by ending the week before the Covid-19 outbreak (with the boys having limited attendance). Due to lingering Covid concerns in 2021, the tournament moved to a 5-day format. All Class A and two Class B games on Tuesday, the remaining two Class B games with the rest of the first rounds (all at different high school sites) on Wednesday and all semifinals at Pinnacle Bank Arena over Thursday and Friday. Last year, because of the Big Ten wrestling championships a one-week combined boys and girl’s tournament was held in Lincoln.
This year’s new 4-day format came about because of positive feedback that was learned at the previous tournaments spread out because of Covid. Mostly, most member schools wanted to get tournament games out of Lincoln high schools to better accommodate crowds. Member schools were surveyed about possible changes after last year’s state tournament.
“Sometimes you get to try things out of necessity, and it can give you new and fresh ideas,” NSAA assistant director Jon Dolliver said. “So, some of the things we have implemented over the last few years will help the tournament in the future.”
This year, for the first time in the modern era of the tournament, no Lincoln high schools will be used for competition, except for the third-place games in Classes C-2 to D-2 on Saturday at Lincoln Northwest. Classes A, C-1 and D-1 will begin the tournament today and Classes B, C-2 and D-2 will play quarterfinals on Thursday, with a normal return to the semifinals on Friday and finals on Saturday.
The tournament bid — that has been exclusively in Lincoln for over 50 years — is up for renewal after this year’s championship.
“Ultimately we’d like to keep it four days,” Dolliver said. “But we are excited to see how this new format will work for our schools.”
A look at each of the teams participating in this year’s tournament.
Class A
No. 1 seed Bellevue West: State Championships 5
Years: 2000, 2004, 2005, 2014, 2020
State Runner-up: 1991, 1999, 2006, 2007, 2018, 2021, 2022
Players to watch: Creighton signee Josiah Dotzler leads the team in scoring averaging 16.2 points per game. Junior guard Jaden Jackson is second on the team in scoring with 14.8 points per game.
No. 2 seed Millard North: State Championships 2
Years: 2021, 2022
State Runner-up: 2020
Players to watch: Elijah Gaeth is second on the team in scoring averaging with 13 points per game. Derek Rollins leads the team with 200 rebounds and averages 14.9 points per game.
No. 3 seed Gretna: State Championships 6
Years: F/1918, E/1919, H/1929, B/ 1982, B/ 2016, B/2017
State Runner-up: B/ 2011
Players to watch: Landon Pokorski leads the team with 15.1 points per game with 347 on the year. Alex Wilcoxson averages 13.8 points per game.
No. 4 seed Lincoln East: State Championships 3
Years: 1971, 1978, 2001
State Runner-up: 1972, 1974, 1980, 1985, 1997
Players to watch: Carter Mick leads the team in points scored and averages 15.1 PPG. Carter Tempelmeyer leads the team in scoring average with 15.4 PPG.
No. 5 seed Westside: state Championships 1
Year: A/ 1980
State Runner-up: A1973, A/1983, A/2004
Players to watch: Tate Odvody leads the team in points scored on the year with 399 and averages 16 PPG. Kevin Stubblefield is second in PPG with 15.8
No. 6 seed Lincoln Southeast: State Championships 0
State Runner-up: 1960, 1978, 1979, 2002, 2003
Players to watch: 6’9” Bangot Dak lead the team in scoring with 291 and rebounds with 244. Tayelor Moore is second in scoring with 269 and averages 10.8 PPG
No. 7 seed Elkhorn South: State Championships 1
Year: B/2015
Players to watch: Senior guard Alec Noonan leads the team in scoring with 416 points and averages 18.9 PPG. Caden Stone leads the team in rebounds with 133 and averages 6 per game.
No. 8 seed Lincoln North Star: State Championships 0
State Runner-up: 0
Players To Watch: 6’8” Senior Antallah Sandlin’el average 17.3 PPG and has scored 434 on the year. Brennon Clemmons is second in scoring with 273 and averages 12.2 PPG
Class BNo. 1 seed Skutt Catholic: State Championships 4 Years: 2006, 2007, 2014, 2020 State Runner-up: 2010, 2018, 2022 Players to watch: 6’9” Senior Jacob Brack averages 17 PPG and 7.5 rebounds per game, he has scored 425 points on the year. Justin Ferrin averages 14.1 PPG and has scored 352 points on the year. No. 2 seed Platteview: State Championships 0 State Runner-up: 0 Players to watch: 6’1” Senior Connor Millikan averages 25.3 PPG and has scored 608 on the year, he also averages 10.6 rebounds per game. Trey Moseman is second in scoring with 287 points and averages 11.5 PPG. No. 3 seed Scottsbluff: State Championships 4 Years: 1941, 1952, 1955, 2012 State Runner-up: 1945, 1950, 2013, 2016, 2017 Players to watch: Guard Kellon Harris leads the team with 384 points and averages 15.4 PPG. Nathan Kelley is second in scoring with 380 and averages 15.2 PPG. No. 4 seed Elkhorn: State Championships 0 Years: 0 State Runner-up: 1927, 1969, 1971, 2008, 2021 Players to watch: Ethan Yungtum leads the team in scoring with 410 points on the year and averages 17.1 PPG. Colin Comstocks second leading scorer with 270 on the year and averages 11.3 PPG. No. 5 seed Crete: State Championships 3 Years: 1932, 1969, 1975 State Runner-up: 1916, 1922, 1927, 1931, 1934, 1972 Player to watch: Aidan McDowell a junior guard, leads the team in scoring with 378 points on the year, and averages 15.8 PPG. Mason Crumbliss leads in rebounds with 118 on the year, and averages 5.1 per game. No. 6 seed York: State Championships 2 Years: 1944, 2018 State Runner-up: 1991 Players to watch: Ryan Seevers leads the team in scoring with 337 on the year, and averages 16.1 PPG. Austin Phinney leads the team in rebounds with 130 on the year and averages 6.2 per game. No. 7 seed Norris: State Championships 4 Years: 1979, 1995, 2002, 2003 State Runner-up: 1994 Players to watch: Barret Boesiger leads the Titans in scoring with 390 points on the year and averages 15 per game. Christopher Garner is second in scoring with 290 on the year, and has recorded 15 blocks which also leads the team. No. 8 seed Bennington: State Championships 0 State Runner-up: 2008 Players to watch: Senior guard Trey Bird leads the team in scoring with 403 points on the year, and averages 16.1 per game. Isaac Conner is the Badger’s leading rebounder with 149 on the year. Class C1No. 1 seed Wahoo: State Championships 11 Years: 1926, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2013, 2018 State Runner-up: 1924, 2012, 2014, 2017 Players to watch: Macus Glock is the Warriors leading scorer with 406 points on the year. He averages 16.5 PPG and averages 3.8 rebounds per game. De’Andre Nelson is the team’s second leading scorer with 264 points on the year. No. 2 seed Ogallala: State Championships 0 State Runner-Up: 1955, 1958, 1992, 2020 Players to watch: Senior Guard Jeron Gager leads the team in scoring with 427 points on the year. He averages 16.4 PPG and leads the team in steals with 65. Harrison Caskey leads the team in rebounds with 182, followed closely by Sawyer Smith with 136. No. 3 seed Ashland-Greenwood: State Championships 1 Year: 2022 State Runner-Up: 0 Players to watch: Brooks Kissinger a 6’3” Guard leads the team in scoring with 427 points on the year. He is second on the team in assists with 62 trailing only Dane Jacobsen with 72. No. 4 seed Pierce: State Championships 1 Years: 1922 State Runner-Up: 2000 Players to watch: Benjamin Brahmer is the leading scorer on the team with 417 points on the year he is trailed by Abram Scholting with 358 points. The 6’6” Brahmer also leads the team in rebounds with 226 on the year. No.5 seed Omaha Concordia: State Championships 0 Years: 0 State Runner-Up: 0 Players to watch: Quientan Mccafferty is the leading rebounder on the team with 271 on the year. He also leads the team in scoring average with 16.3 PPG. Elliot Wilson is second in scoring with 281 points on the year. No. 6 seed Sidney: State Championships 2 Years: 1945, 1981 State Runner-Up: 1918, 1942, 1973, 2015 Players to watch: Jaeden Dillehay leads the team in scoring with 324 points on the year, averaging 12.5 PPG. Jacob Dowse leads the team in rebounds with 124 while adding on average 6.9 PPG. No. 7 seed Central City: State Championships 0 State Runner-Up: 1921 Players to watch: Ayden Zikmund leads the Bison in scoring with 532 points on the year, while hauling in an average of 5.8 rebounds per game. Senior Forward Kenai Kearney is second in scoring with 12.1 PPG, and leads the team in average rebounds with 7. No. 8 seed Auburn: State Championships 3 Years: 2019, 2020, 2021 State Runner-Up: 2022 Players to watch: Maverick Binder, a 6-foot Guard leads in scoring with 321 on the year, and assists with 71. Carson Leslie leads in rebounds averaging 5.4 per game. Class C2No. 1 Seed Freeman : State Championships 1 Years : 2010 State Runner-Up: 2009, 2015 Players to watch : Senior Forward Carter Ruse leads the team averaging 18 points per game with 188 rebounds this season. Senior Guard Taylan Vetrovsky has 108 assists on the year and 54 steals. No. 2 Seed Amherst: State Championships 0 State Runner-Up: 1960, 1987 Players to watch: Junior Guard Tayje Hadwiger averaging 15 points per game with 182 rebounds and 75 assists. Senior Guard Scout Simmons 123 rebounds averaging 5.1 with 110 assists. No. 3 Seed Doniphan-Trumbull: State Championships 0 State Runner-Up: 0 Players to watch: Freshman guard Jack Poppe averaging 13.7 points per game, 154 rebounds, 99 assists, 74 steals and 20 blocks. No. 4 Seed Cedar Catholic : State Championships 2 Years : 1980, 1984 State Runner-Up: 1991, 1993 Players to watch : Senior Guard Tyler Baller averaging 12.6 points per game, Senior Forward Jaxso Bernecker averaging 12.5 points per game, 184 rebounds , 56 assists, 36 steals this season. No. 5 Seed Elkhorn Valley: State Championships 0 State Runner-Up: 0 Players to watch : Senior Guard Brendyn Ollendick averaging 21.7 points per game. 114 rebounds, 140 assists, 80 steals this year. No. 6 Seed Tri County: State Championships 0 State Runner-Up: 1988 Players to watch : Senior Guard Carter Siems averaging 18.4 points per game. He has 172 rebounds, 108 assists, 65 steals and 12 blocks this season. No. 7 Seed Norfolk Catholic: State Championships 1 Years: 2011 State Runner-Up: 1972 Players to watch: Junior Forward Nolan Fennessy averaging 10.44 points per game. He has 173 rebounds, 35 assists, 33 steals and 28 blocks on the season. No. 8 Seed Gordon Rushville: State Championships 0 State Runner-Up: 0 Players to watch: Senior Forward Jace Nelson averaging 18.3 points per game. He has 205 rebounds , 37 assists, 40 steals and 22 blocks this season. Class D1No. 1 Seed North Platte St. Pat’s: State Championships 2 Years: 1928, 2022 State Runner-Up: 0 Players to watch: Junior Center Brecken Erickson averaging 17.4 points per game. He also has 220 rebounds averaging 8.8 per game, 63 steals and 16 blocks. Junior Guard Samuel Troshynski has 123 total assists, and 38 total steals. No. 2 Seed Maywood Hayes Center: State Championships 0 State Runner-Up: 0 Players to watch: Junior Forward Jeremiah Inginson averaging 16.4 points per game. He also has 170 rebounds, 76 assists and 99 steals . Senior Guard/Forward Hayden Kramer averaging 15.4 points per game with 192 rebounds, 79 assists, 90 steals and 30 blocks. No. 3 Seed Johnson-Brock: State Championships 3 Years: 1997, 1998, 2019 State Runner-Up: 0 Players to watch: Sophomore Guard Camden Dalinghaus averaging 12.8 points per game. He has 119 rebounds , 51 assists, and 55 steals. Senior Forward Nicholas Parriott averaging 10 points per game. He has 117 rebounds, 67 assists, 35 steals and 10 blocks. No. 4 Seed Elm Creek : State Championships 0 State Runner-Up : 0 Players to watch : Senior Forward Carter Erickson averaging 12.8 points per game. He also has 171 rebounds, 24 steals and 9 blocks. No. 5 Seed Dundy County Stratton : State Championships 0 State Runner-Up: 0 Players to watch : Junior Forward Jackson Kerchal averaging 18 points per game, 199 rebounds, 48 steals and 37 blocks this season. Senior Forward Andrew Englot averaging 10.6 points per game, 126 rebounds, 44 assists, 48 steals and 13 blocks. No. 6 Seed Howells-Dodge : State Championships 1 Years: 2012 State Runner-Up: 2021 Players to watch : Senior Guard Lance Brester averaging 13.2 points per game, 173 rebounds, 60 assists, 50 steals , 25 blocks. Senior Guard Aiden Meyer is averaging 9 points per game, 159 rebounds, 29 assists , 30 steals and 11 blocks. No. 7 Seed Ansley-Litchfield: State Championships 0 State Runner-Up: 0 Players to watch : Sophomore Guard Luke Bailey averaging 14.3 points per game, 103 rebounds, 56 assists, 65 steals and 16 blocks. Senior Guard Leyton Rhode is averaging 13.3 points per game , 93 rebounds, 70 assists, and 72 steals. No. 8 Seed Mead: State Championships 4 Years: 1926, 1932, 1935, 2009 State Runner-Up Years: 2016, 2017 Players to watch : Junior Guard Francis Hebenstreit is averaging 13.5 points per game , 67 rebounds , 38 steals. Senior Forward Beau LaCroix has 146 rebounds on the year as well as 7 blocks. Class D2 |
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| No. 1 Seed Wynot: State Championships 1
Years: 2013 State Runner-Up Years: 2012, 2017 Players to watch : Junior Guard Dylan Heine is averaging 13.35 points per game. He also has 117 rebounds on the year, as well as 59 steals, 21 blocks and 42 assists. Junior guard Zack Foxhoven is averaging 12.31 points per game, 78 rebounds and 69 steals. No. 2 Seed Shelton: State Championships 2 Years: 1918, 1919 State Runner-Up: 0 Players to watch : Junior Guard Ashton Simmons is averaging 21.7 points per game. He has 78 rebounds , 46 assists and 55 steals. Junior Forward/Guard Riley Bombeck is averaging 20.5 points per game, with 222 rebounds, 129 assists , 103 steals and 30 blocks. No. 3 Seed Parkview Christian: State Championships 1 Years: 2022 State Runner-Up: 2021 Players to watch: Senior Guard Maurice Reide is averaging 19 points per game with 109 rebounds , 46 assists , 58 steals and 7 blocks. Senior Guard Viktar Kachalouski is averaging 18.9 points per game and has 93 rebounds, 79 assists, 53 steals and 16 blocks. No. 4 Seed Osceola: State Championships 0 State Runner-Up: 1921 Players to watch : Junior Forward Kale Gustafson is averaging 21.8 points per game , 409 rebounds, and 26 blocks. Senior Guard Isaiah Zelasney averaging 22.1 points per game, 95 rebounds, 89 assists, 58 steals and 15 blocks. No. 5 Seed Sumner-Eddyville-Miller: State Championships 0 State Runner-Up: 0 Players to watch: Senior Forward Kellen Eggleston is averaging 13.65 points with 63 rebounds , 38 assists, 29 steals and 5 blocks. Senior Center Jayson Guthard is averaging 7.47 points per game and 83 rebounds and 34 assists. No. 6 Seed Falls City Sacred Heart: State Championships 11 Years: 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2008, 2018, 2020, 2021 State Runner-Up: 1947, 1974 Players to watch: Junior Forward Joseph Joe Simon is averaging 13.5 points per game with 187 rebounds, 55 assists, 37 steals. And 32 blocks. Senior Guard Evan Keithley is averaging 12.1 points per game and he has 147 blocks, 46 assists, and 52 steals. No. 7 Seed Santee: State Championships 0 State Runner-Up: 0 Players to watch : Senior Guard Austyn Saul is averaging 28 points per game. He also has 180 rebounds, 95 assists, 30 steals and 18 blocks. Senior Forward Nupa Torrez is averaging 16 points per game. He has 108 rebounds, 45 assists, 25 steals. No. 8 Seed Paxton: State Championships 2 Years: 1995, 2000 State Runner-Up Years: 1922, 1945, 1999, 2013 Players to watch: Senior Forward Isaiah Fox is averaging 14.8 points per game. He has 153 rebounds, 46 steals and 55 blocks. Junior Guard Joshua Eakins is averaging 12.3 points per game and has 50 steals. |
