Class B Season Preview

Over the next three weeks, we're going to take a look at each class in Nebraska, starting with Class D2 and ending up with Class A right around Thanksgiving weekend.  Today, we will take a look at Class B, who last year had a wide open state tournament field that crowned a lower seed champion that won their third state championship in seven years. <strong>RETURNING CHAMPION: </strong>Starting the state tournament as a six seed was a bit of a misnomer for the Vikings of Grand Island Northwest.  In a wide open field where you could have made the argument for all eight teams that qualified that they had a shot to cut down the nets, Northwest road the broad shoulders of Whitney Brown to squeak out an opening round win over Seward, then came back from 18 down in the semi-final against Waverly before winning by seven.  In the final, Northwest won the rubber game against conference rival Crete, 48-41. <strong>TOP RETURNING PLAYER: </strong>Creighton commit Morgan Maly is perhaps the best pure scorer in the state.  The Crete superstar, who averaged right at 20 points a game, is a rare three-level scorer and can score from anywhere on the floor.  With her smooth as silk left handed stroke, Maly only needs a state championship to cap her career as one of the best players in the state in recent years. <strong>TEAM ON THE BRINK:</strong> John O'Connor and the Bennington Badgers were one game away from getting to the state tournament last year, and they return three very important players from last year's squad that finished their season with three consecutive losses to state qualifier Elkhorn (regular season/ district/ substate).  They return leading scorer Miley Prine (13.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg), Grace Tetschner (9.7 ppg) and outstanding point guard Taylor Sedlaceck.  The Badgers could be state-bound for the first time in years with this core group. <strong>BEST CONFERENCE:</strong> Three conferences in Class B seem to rotate as the strongest conference in Nebraska; the River Cities Conference, the Eastern Midlands Conference and the Central 10.  For the 2019-20 season, the Central 10 is probably the strongest, with returning powers Grand Island Northwest, Crete and York, along with Seward and Hastings Adams Central, make this the best conference in the state this year.  The Eastern Midlands, with Norris, Bennington and Class A Elkhorn, is also very strong. <strong>REGULAR SEASON GAME(S) OF THE YEAR: </strong>We don't have to look far.  Crete and Grand Island Northwest will clash in Grand Island on December 13th, and will probably meet again in their conference tournament.  The night before, Crete hosts Beatrice, so that could effect Crete's performance playing two outstanding teams in less than 24 hours.  Along with these tilts, Beatrice will host Norris on February 4th.  Out west, Sidney and Scottsbluff will meet in Scottsbluff on February 8th, and will probably meet in conference tournament play. <strong>"SUPER SEVEN" INDIVIDUAL PLAYERS IN CLASS C1:</strong> Morgan Maly, Crete, 6'0" F (19.9 ppg, 8.5 rpg, Sr.)/ Whitney Brown, Grand Island Northwest, 5'6" PG (16.4 ppg, 3.0 apg, 2.5 spg, Sr.)/ Carley Leners, Beatrice, 5'10" F (13.7 ppg/ Sr.)/ Mattie Johnson, Sidney, 6'0" F (11.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg, Sr.)/ Brianna Stai, Norris, 6'0" C (14.1 ppg, 9.4 rpg, Jr.)/ Maddie Portwine, York, 6'0" F (11.9 ppg, 3.0 rpg)/ Yara Garcia, Scottsbluff, 5'7" G (16.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg, So.) <strong>"ELITE EIGHT" IN LINCOLN THE FIRST WEEKEND IN MARCH: </strong>Grand Island Northwest, Crete, Norris, Beatrice, Sidney, Bennington, Scottsbluff, York <strong>PRE-SEASON STATE CHAMPIONSHIP PICK: </strong>Class B has a few questions to answer as the season progesses.  How will this class look without South Sioux City, Elkhorn and Elkhorn South, all of which have moved up to Class A with the new enrollment system in place?  Will Sidney get past the first round after being the number seed in the last two state tournaments?  As these questions get answered, I believe that there will be one constant; Grand Island Northwest and Crete will meet again for the state championship.  This time, however, Crete will cut down the nets and give Coach John Larsen his 11th state championship and Morgan Maly her first.