2020 Class A “Super 7”

As we finish our coverage of the 2019-20 season, and as we wait anxiously to have basketball return, let’s take a look at the seven best players in Nebraska’s Class A this past winter. <strong>The Season in Review: </strong>Class A was as deep as it has ever been, and there were probably fourteen teams for eight state tournament slots.  Millard South and Lincoln Pius X were on top of the rankings all season long, while Omaha Westside and Lincoln East nipped at their heels.  I believed that there would be one surprise team that would come out of Class A that did not play a Class A dominated scheduled, and that team turned out to be North Platte (I thought it would be Elkhorn).  The Bulldogs dominated a good Millard West team in their district final to get to the state tournament. <strong>Recapping the State Tournament: </strong>Fremont (whom I picked to be the "Team on the Brink") was the only one to spring an opening round upset, defeating Westside.  The game that everyone had been waiting for all year turned out to be anti-climatic, as Lincoln Pius X took control from the opening tip to decimate Millard South in the semi-finals, while Lincoln East won finished the season sweep over Fremont in the other semi.  In the all-Lincoln final, Pius played a choppy game but a 10-0 second quarter enabled them to defeat their city rivals for their first ever Class A state title. <strong>Plum’s Predictions: </strong>7-0 at the state tournament; a perfect scorecard! <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">THE SUPER SEVEN</span></strong> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="94394" first="Alexis" last="Markowski"] (6’3" Center, Junior, Lincoln Pius X):</strong> Averaging 21 points and 12 rebounds, her performance at the state tournament, including her 32 and 18 that she had against Millard South, was absolute dominance.  South Dakota State is getting an outstanding player after next season. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="94286" first="Jayme" last="Horan"] (6’0" Forward, Senior, Millard South): </strong>Horan is a complete player who can play inside and outside. A terrific teammate and team defender who takes numerous charges, her offensive versatility (15 ppg) and toughness (8 rpg) will travel well to downtown Omaha and Jim Flannery’s Creighton Blue Jays. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="94289" first="Maddie" last="Krull"] (5’10" Point Guard, Senior, Millard South): </strong>Ranked in the top 100 nationally in numerous recruiting services, Krull, along with Horan, lead the Patriots in scoring at 15 a game while averaging 4.5 assists and four steals a night.  A relentless competitor who excels in the open court, South Dakota will be happy to have her in the backcourt the next four years. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="94501" first="Taylor" last="McCabe"] (5’9" Shooting Guard, Sophomore, Fremont): </strong>Perhaps the state’s best shooter, McCabe and her teammates lead Fremont to the school’s first semi-final in its history.  Already holding numerous Division I offers in hand, McCabe’s complete offensive game enables her to score at all three levels while netting 20.6 a game this year.  McCabe has a very good chance to crack the 2,000 barrier by the time she is done. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="94291" first="Ale’jah" last="Douglas"] (5’5" Shooting Guard, Junior, Omaha Northwest): </strong>Douglas can absolutely fill it up, averaging a state-leading 25.5 points a game while also being a defensive menace and an outstanding player.  The leader of a very young team that was dominanted by freshman, Douglas has a chance to show her game at the highest level next year.  Douglas is an outstanding talent who should be on the radar of mid-major Division I’s across the midwest. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="94294" first="Nicole" last="Avila-Ambrosi"] (5’9" Shooting Guard, Senior, Millard North): </strong>A signee at Cal-Baptist, Avila-Ambrosi helped carry the load for the defending Class A state champions while also becoming the school’s all time leading scorer.  Avila-Ambrosi, who averaged 19.3 ppg this season, can score at all three levels and gets to the free throw line with consistency.  She will be an outstanding player at the next level. <strong>McKenna Minter (5’8" Point Guard, Lincoln Northeast): </strong>Perhaps the state’s highest ranked player as a freshman, Minter finally fully regained her explosiveness as a senior after an ACL injury earlier in her career slowed her down.  Minter, who averaged 19 a night, lead a thin Rockets squad to 15 wins and nearly a state tournament berth, losing by two to Lincoln Pius X in the district final.  The Seton Hall signee has a chance to be an outstanding player in the Big East.