2020 Class D1 “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 D1 this past winter. <strong>The Season in Review: </strong>A solid group of teams started the season ready to take the mantle from defending state champion Fremont Bergan.  Pleasanton, Weeping Water and Dundy County-Stratton all had impressive lineups coming back, while teams like Pender had to navigate the difficult northeast Nebraska small school gauntlet.  With not a lot of these schools facing off in regular season match-ups, and with defending champion Bergan losing two all-staters, this class was up and down all season long. <strong>Recapping the State Tournament: </strong>Pleasanton came into the state tournament as the only undefeated team left in the entire state in any class, while Weeping Water adn CWC came in with only one loss apiece.  Hartington Cedar Catholic, another northeastern Nebraska school, was the only squad to come into the state tournament with a losing record (10-13), pulled the biggest upset of the entire tournament by knocking off Weeping Water.  Defending champion Fremont Bergan moved through their bracket with a win over Maywood-Hayes Center in the opening round and then knocked off Hartington Cedar Catholic in the semi-final.  On the other side of the bracket, CWC and Pleasanton met in the other semi-final, with Pleasaton pulling out a hard fought 50-46 victory.  In the final, Pleasanton capped off their undefeated season with a 47-38 victory over the upset-minded Knights, who fell just short of back to back state titles. <strong>Plum’s Predictions: </strong>1-6; that was really bad!  My only correct pick was CWC’s win over Dundy County-Stratton in the opening round. <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">THE SUPER SEVEN</span></strong> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="94396" first="Grace" last="Cave"] (5’7" Point Guard, Junior, Weeping Water):</strong> Cave, a Nebraska-Omaha commit, is really the complete package for a perimeter player.  Cave led the 25-2 Indians with 18.9 points and 5 rebounds a night, along with five assists and five steals a night.  A true three-level scorer who is also an outstanding passer, will the staff changes at Nebraska-Omaha change Cave’s college decision and reopen her recruitment? <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="94301" first="Taylor" last="Peter"] (6’0" Forward, Senior, CWC): </strong>Perhaps the biggest stat stuffer in this class, Peter lead the Renegades to back to back state tournament appearances her last two years of high school.  Peter threw in 21 points a night, along with 10.4 rpg, while adding four steals and two assists a game.  A committ to Northeast Nebraska Community College, Peter will be looking to move on in two years, and there should be a long line of four year schools that will be interested in her. <strong>Lauren Baker (5’10" Forward, Junior, Fremont Bergan): </strong>Nothing is better to watch in a basketball player than a beautiful jump shot, and Lauren Baker has one of the best.  Baker led a young Knights squad through a demanding schedule to return back to the state tournament, just falling short of back to back titles.  Baker led the Knights at 14 points a game, and also had four rebounds a game.  Baker should be one of the most highly recruited players by the small schools in the area next season. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="94490" first="Kaci" last="Pierce"] (5’8" Guard, Junior, Pleasanton): </strong>Pierce had an outstanding, complete season for an outstanding and complete Pleasanton squad.  Pierce finished second on the Bulldogs squad at 11 points a game, and she added 7.2 rebounds and two steals a night to her stat line.  Look for Pierce and her teammates to be back next season, as they only lose two seniors and twelve points a game from this years squad. <strong>Isabelle Paitz (5’9" Guard, Junior, Pleasanton): </strong>The other half of the Bulldogs dynamic junior duo, Paitz teamed up with Pierce to make a tandem that will be difficult to match at the D1 level once again next season.  Paitz led the Bulldogs at 11.6 points a game while adding 3.5 rebounds.  Like Pierce, many small schools in the region will be spending alot of recruiting time in Pleasanton next season pursuing these players. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="94299" first="Korynn" last="Clason"] (5’10" Guard, Sophomore, Cambridge): </strong>One of the more explosive scorers in the state, Clason lead the Trojans to a 16-9 record and one game away from punching their ticket to the state tournament.  Clason averged 22.8 points a game, along with 7.3 rebounds a night.  An outstanding young player, it will be interesting to see what schools find their way to southwestern Nebraska to check out Clason’s skill set. <strong>Peyton Barrett (5’5" Guard, Senior, Weeping Water): </strong>Barrett, along with her teammate Cave, led the Indians to a banner season.  Barrett was the perfect compliment to Cave’s skill set; a dynamic shooter who moves well without the ball.  Barrett was second to Cave with 17.8 points a game, and she also able to add about six rebounds a night.  Barrett would be a nice late addition to small schools in the area if they are looking for a great shooter and teammate.