Class B District Finals Preview
Finally, it’s official; the Class B District finals have been set. 32 minutes separate these sixteen schools from the end of their season and a state tournament berth. Let’s preview each game individually to see who we think will come…
Access all of Prep Girls Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingFinally, it’s official; the Class B District finals have been set. 32 minutes separate these sixteen schools from the end of their season and a state tournament berth. Let’s preview each game individually to see who we think will come out on top, and the key players in each game.
DISTRICT B-1 FINAL: Waverly at Crete
Previous match-up: Crete 47, Waverly 26
Key player: After being upset on their home court and losing their chance at a perfect season, the Cardinals figure to come out ready to play this Saturday, and they are led by potential state player of the year Morgan Maly. Beatrice held Maly to 12 points Tuesday night, one of her lowest scoring outputs of the season. Look for Maly to be ultra-aggressive this weekend.
Outlook: Waverly has struggled all year, and they were able to benefit from being in perhaps the weakest sub-district in the state. That, combined with the Cardinals run of dominance throughout the season, adds up to a convincing victory for the Cardinals and a top seed at the state tournament.
DISTRICT B-2 FINAL: Holdrege at Beatrice
Previous match-up: None
Key player: Key to the Lady O’s upset of Crete on their home floor was the performance of Hastings recruit Carly Leners, who had 13 points and the sharpshooting of Olivia Aden, who hit three 3’s in the second half to give Beatrice some breathing room. Look for these two players to be key in their push for a state tournament berth.
Outlook: Holdrege pulled a slight upset in defeating McCook on their home floor in their sub-disrtict final, giving the Dusters a chance at state. However, with two convincing wins over Norris and Crete this week, it looks to me as if the Lady O will not be denied a journey to Lincoln, especially on their home floor.
DISTRICT B-3 FINAL: Skutt Catholic at Bennington
Previous match-up: Bennington 57, Skutt Catholic 38
Key player: Miley Prine has exploded onto the basketball scene this year, and the Hastings soccer recruit has dominated the hardwood like she has the pitch. Prine has kept the Badgers sharp all year, and with the school being on the brink of garnering their first state tournament trip in over a decade, look for Prine to be outstanding on Saturday.
Outlook: Skutt Catholic comes into the sub-district nursing an eight-game losing streak, and they have scored 45 points in their last two games combined. Bennington, on the other hand, has only lost once since mid-December, and that was against Class A Elkhorn, a loss they avenged at the end of the regular season. I see Bennington cutting down the nets at home Saturday in pretty convincing fashion.
DISTRICT B-4 FINAL: Omaha Mercy at Grand Island Northwest
Previous match-up: None; common opponent in Beatrice –> Grand Island Northwest defeated Beatrice 57-43. Omaha Mercy lost to Beatrice 48-30
Key player: Future Husker walk-on Whitney Brown is back on track, therefore, so are the Vikings. Brown had 20 points to lead the Vikings in their sub-district championship game victory against York last night, and she will once again be the best player on the floor. If the Monarchs 1-3-1 has trouble containing Brown, it could be a long night for Omaha Mercy.
Outlook: Omaha Mercy has had their best season in over a decade, and they are playing for a district championship for the first time in ten years. However, they are going up against a team that seems to be hitting their stride at the right time and has been in this situation before. I think Omaha Mercy could keep things competitive for a half, but I think Grand Island Northwest will pull away to earn themselves the opportunity to defend their state championship.
DISTRICT B-5 FINAL: Blair at Sidney
Previous match-up: None
Key player: Sophia Grantham has worked her entire basketball career to get to this point. A four year starter for the Bears, she has led them to their best season since 1999, and with running mate Mya Larson, they form a dangerous duo for the Raiders to contend with. Sidney does have its own firepower, led by senior Mattie Johnson, who does not want to end her career with a loss on her home court.
Outlook: This is where things get interesting. Sidney has earned home court advantage with a superior record, but you could make the argument that Blair has played the better schedule from top to bottom. Like the Northwest-Mercy match-up, Sidney has played in this environment before, while Blair will be new to a winner take all showdown. Blair’s perimeter players will have to play well for them to win, but I think Sidney will win in a very close contest.
DISTRICT B-6 FINAL: Gross Catholic at Scottsbluff
Previous match-up: None
Key player: There are actually two key players in this game. Yara Garcia is the key to the Bearcats, and she figures to be vitally important to their hopes of returning back to the state tournament, while Mackenna Sidzyik and her perimeter shooting will be important for the Cougars to make it back to the state tournament in six years. Whomever gets the best of this match-up gives their team the best chance to win.
Outlook: Similar to our B-5 final, Scottsbluff has the higher seed, but Gross Catholic may have played the more complete schedule. Gross can sometimes be a difficult team to figure out; are they going to be the team that was up 47-11 against Skutt Catholic in the sub-district, or are they going to be the team that lost to Platteview by 23 the next night. If Gross can keep Garcia out of the lane, they have a good chance of winning.
DISTRICT B-7 FINAL: Norris at York
Previous match-up: Norris 51, York 41
Key player: This could be the best pure match-up of the district championship games. Both teams have talent, and both teams have played a tough schedule. For Norris, Breanna Stai has to be the center of attention. The Central Missouri State recruit must be productive for the Titans to win. York’s Maddie Portwine must be active on offense for the Dukes to be successful.
Outlook: Both teams have been up and down this year, but it seems that Norris is riding a little bit higher wave coming into the postseason, especially since point guard Taryn Tracy has gotten healthy from last spring’s knee injury. Norris won on their home floor earlier this season, and, although it won’t be easy, I look for Norris to complete the season sweep over the Dukes to win their way back to state.
DISTRICT B-8 FINAL: Hastings at Platteview
Previous match-up: None
Key player: Halle Johnson and Jessica Wellman of Platteview have scored the ball well throughout the season, averaging a combined 22 points a game. They are going to need to hit shots agains the Tigers in your face man to man defense, which has led the Tigers to a 11-4 record since the calendar turned 2020.
Outlook: Another tough game to call. They say that defense travels, which works in the favor of the Tigers. Hastings has also probably played a tougher schedule top to bottom, but the Trojans will have home court and passionate fan base to back them. This will be a game of tempo; I like Platteview, but if Hastings can keep the game in the 30’s or low 40’s, they could also win a close one. A true 50/50 game, which is the way the 8-9 game should be.