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 seventh in-season poll for the 2023-2024 season, presented by Pinnacle Bank.
Records are for games played through Saturday, January 27.
Class A (Record), Previous
- Millard West (15-1), 1
- Millard North (12-4), 3
- Lincoln North Star (12-2), 5
- Lincoln Southwest (13-3), 2
- Papillon-LaVista South (12-5), 9
- Lincoln Northeast (13-4), 4
- Lincoln Southeast (12-3), 7
- Omaha Westside (11-7), 8
- Bellevue West (8-6), RV
- Omaha Central (13-5), 6
Receiving Votes: Lincoln Pius X (9-6), RV; Omaha Marian (11-5), 10; Papillion-LaVista (10-3), NR.
Comments: The only thing that seemed stable in Class A last week was top-ranked Millard West, which beat then, No. 2 Lincoln Southwest and Westside last week. Millard North jumps back to No. 2 with North Star moving back to third after Southwest lost to Bellevue East. Papio South with another strong move after a 49-48 win over Lincoln Northeast. Millard North, Millard West for a second time on Friday night.
Class B (Record), Previous
- Elkhorn North (14-1), 1
- Skutt Catholic (16-1), 2
- Norris (12-2), 3
- Waverly (10-3), 5
- Beatrice (15-1), 4
- Gretna East (10-5), 6
- Bennington (11-5), 7
- Elkhorn (10-5), 8
- Seward (8-7), 9
- South Sioux City (10-6), 10
Receiving Votes: Crete (10-7), RV; Scottsbluff (11-8), RV.
Comments: Waverly shocked the state with a 58-48 win over top-ranked Elkhorn North on Friday night, but the Wolves stay No. 1 as they already have wins over No. 2 Skutt and No. 3 Norris. The Wolves win steak was 38 games. Waverly faces Gretna East tonight to settle that ranking dispute. The top-six in Class B seems as strong as ever.
Class C-1 (Record), Previous
- Sidney (18-0), 1
- GICC (16-1), 3
- Lincoln Christian (14-2), 2
- Bridgeport (17-0), 4
- Minden (14-2), 6
- Broken Bow (14-3), 5
- Gothenburg (13-4), 7
- Adams Central (14-3), 8
- Malcolm (13-5), 9
- Arlington (15-3), 10
Receiving Votes: Battle Creek (13-3), RV; Columbus Scotus (11-6), NR.
Comments: Still the same ten ranked but we do some more flip-flopping. GICC shocked Lincoln Christian in the Centennial finals 44-42, overcoming an 18-point deficit. Minden won the Southwest to edge ahead of Broken Bow and Gothenburg. Adams Central and Sidney also won conference tournaments.
Class C-2 (Record), Previous
- Crofton (15-0), 1
- Elmwood-Murdock (15-1), 2
- Bishop Neumann (13-2), 3
- Yutan (13-2), 7
- Hastings St. Cecilia (11-3), 4
- Bayard (16-2), 9
- Oakland-Craig (11-3), 5
- Cross County (16-2), 6
- Freeman (13-3), 8
- Clarkson/Leigh (12-4), RV
Receiving Votes: Elkhorn Valley (10-5), NR.
Comments: A big jump for Yutan which won the Nebraska Capital tournament final over Class C-1, No. 10 Arlington. Bayard jumps with the coaches impressed by a 12-point loss to Bridgeport. Cross County drops after a loss to McCool Junction in the Crossroads final.
Class D-1 (Record), Previous
- Pender (17-0), 1
- Guardian Angels CC (14-1), 2
- Southern Valley (18-1), 3
- Johnson-Brock (15-1), 5
- O’Neill St. Mary’s (13-2), 4
- McCool Junction (12-3), 7
- Elgin Public/Pope John (15-1), 6
- Sumner-Eddyville-Miller (15-1), 9
- Elm Creek (13-4), 10
- Summerland (12-2), 8
Receiving Votes: Alma (14-1), RV; Centura (12-5), NR; Maywood-Hayes Center (15-2), NR.
Comments: Pender continues their stranglehold on the top spot heading into this weeks East Husker tournament. McCool jumps on their CRC title and it appears SEM and Elm Creek could settle their ranking in the FKC semis.
Class D-2 (Record), Previous
- Falls City Sacred Heart (14-3), 1
- Overton (17-1), 2
- Wynot (13-2), 3
- Leyton (16-2), 4
- Howells-Dodge (11-5), 7
- Shelton (11-4), 5
- Sandhills/Thedford (15-3), 6
- Plainview (13-4), 9
- Hay Springs (12-4), 8
- Humphrey St. Francis (11-7), 10
Receiving Votes: Paxton (11-7), RV; Wilcox-Hildreth (14-5), RV.
Comments: The top-four remain the same, but Howells-Dodge makes a leap to No. 5 off a 3-0 week. Plainview and Hay Springs switch spots. The top-five teams have not lost a game in Class D-2 yet.
