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The Season Moves Along

The calls from Broken Bow coach Kelly Cooksley usually come in late March or early April for teams to participate in the next Nebraska Girls Basketball Showcase. Cooksley feeling out coaches from around the state on if they may want to participate and what kind of game they were looking for.

Most coaches are looking to challenge their team. Clearly. And, they generally want something that will help their cause in the next 30-45 days.

So, Pender coach Jason Dolliver and Kearney High coach Drew Danielson went looking. With a little prodding from Cooksley — the event organizer — they both got a perfect match.

For Dolliver and his top-ranked, three-time defending state champion Pendragons it was playing all they way up. The draw was Class A, No. 7 Millard North. They jump from 16th to sixth in our latest Power 20 below.

“(Kelly) called about the end of March last year,” Dolliver said. “I told him I thought we’d be pretty good. We are coming off three state titles and he asked if there was anyone we wouldn’t play.

“I might be a little bit ignorant, but I told him we’d play anybody and he said what about Millard North? Sure, why not. There was not anything to lose for us.”

Fort Hays State pledge — in our mind a first-team Super State player — Hadley Walsh scored 12 of her 17 points in the first half and the Pendragons never trailed in the game. A perfect shot of confidence for a team that might not need much more.

“Going in to any game we have left, I can look at our girls and tell them they can win the game,” Dolliver said. “And, it’s the truth. No one we see the rest of the year will have that size, that depth and that talent. And we will play really good teams (GACC, Oakland-Craig, Lincoln Christian), but they know we can go toe-to-toe with anyone.”

Kearney coach Drew Danielson took a slightly different approach.

After his team advanced to the district final round last year in Class A, he was looking to add another fast and physical test because he thought the Bearcats didn’t have enough of them in the regular season during 2024-25.

He found it in Power 20, No. 17 Gothenburg who will be a likely state tournament qualifier in a loaded Class C-1. Kearney was efficient on offense and their multiple defensive looks caused a ton of problems for the Swedes, who suffered their first Nebraska loss of the year.

“From they day I took of this program,” the second-year coach said, “we have just found out that these girls are so dang tough.”

The Bearcats have found a “perfect marriage” with their seven returning players and freshman guard Hallie Garner, who poured in 22 points in the Saturday win. Junior Libby Province had 20 and Kearney is now 12-0 with games against Fremont tonight and Scottsbluff tomorrow.

Power 20, No. 2 Lincoln North Star (11-0) looms in a game on Tuesday that will possibly feature the last two unbeatens in Class A. The Navigators have No. 3 Millard West on Saturday afternoon.

“We wanted to pick up some quad one style games this year,” Danielson said. “We didn’t care if it was Class A or B or out of state. We added Cheyenne East this year, too. It makes you better and then it gives our kids confidence that they can play with anyone that we go up against.”

The Nebraska Girls Basketball Showcase again proved that it’s been a great addition to the basketball calendar. The evidence may show up soon at the state tournament in Lincoln.

The Girls Hoops Power 20

1 - Omaha North (9-3): An impressive win over Millard South last Friday and a big game tonight against “watching you” Elkhorn South (6-4). The Vikings jump past North Star based on the Gators last second win over Papillion-LaVista on Tuesday. Last week: 2.

2 - Lincoln North Star (11-0): LNS got a Kendall Anderson bucket late to beat the Monarchs, but it’s just enough for the drop. How do they get back to the top? Beating No. 3 Millard West tomorrow and No. 5 Kearney on Tuesday would probably do it. Last week: 1.

3 - Millard West (9-1): The ‘Cats have righted the ship a bit after the 64-44 loss to Omaha North in the Metro semifinal. A big week awaits: North Star, Omaha Benson, Millard South and Iowa unbeaten Bishop Heelan. Last week: 3.

4 - Bennington (15-0): Coaches will worry about the two games in between now and next Friday (they should), but the Newsletter doesn’t have to. They travel to Norris on Friday for a second game of the season. The third might be for all the marbles. Last week: 4.

5 - Kearney (12-0): See above. Really impressed with the Bearcats last Saturday. A win on Tuesday would shake up the rankings. Last week: 5.

6 - Pender (13-1): Some might think this is too much. Maybe they are right. But in Hadley Walsh, Pender may have the best player on the floor against any team in Nebraska except the top three above. Fort Hays State is stealing. And, the cast around her is fantastic and fearless. Last week: 16.

7 - Omaha Westview (10-4): Big winning streak remains in play for the Wolverines. To stay here, it’s seven more wins until a February 12 game with Millard North. Then, Elkhorn South and Kearney to close out the regular season. Last week: 7.

8 - Omaha Westside (11-4): Re-evaluated the Warriors who have just two Nebraska losses — Omaha North and Millard West. Good enough for us to see them move up. Last week: 13.

9 - Norris (11-1): A sneaky one tonight with Blair (7-2), but the Titans have done everything they have been asked to do except beat Bennington. They get another chance in a week. Last week: 8.

10 - Milford (14-1): How are you guarding the Eagles? Pack it in so Rautenberg and Miller don’t rough you up? Better have the height and you might get Abby Crabtree’s 32-point night against Malcolm. Try to play them straight up the best you can like Ogallala tried to last Saturday? Rautenberg and Miller go for 32 points and 26 rebounds. Don’t ask us for any answers. Last week: 9.

11 - Malcolm (12-1): Clippers nearly equal to Milford in our eyes and two of the highest basketball IQs in the whole state. Last week: 10.

12 - Lincoln Christian (12-0): Why not just make this a Class C-1 trio in the middle? How does Christian hop Milford and Malcolm, or maybe just one of the two? Add a Lincoln Pius feather to your cap on Saturday afternoon. Last week: 12.

13 - Lincoln Pius X (9-2): The Bolts might be playing as well as anyone in Class B right now after last week’s 50-45 win over then, No. 6 Millard South. Omaha pledge Ava Markowski is averaging 13.1 points per game and scored 19 in the win over the Patriots. No. 16 Papillion-LaVisata tonight before Lincoln Christian on Saturday. Last week: 20.

14 - Millard South (7-5): In the middle of a three-game losing streak, the Patirots would love to break it up against their rivals tonight. Last week: 6.  

15 - Millard North (8-4): Despite a loss to Pender in the Nebraska Girls Basketball Showcase, the Mustangs stay here having escaped Papillion-LaVista last week. Freshman Mia McKenzie is a wonderful talent. Last week: 11.

16 - Papillion-LaVista (8-5): Off a heartbreaker to then, No. 1 Lincoln North Star the Monarchs get a big chance tonight when they host Pius. Last week: 14.

17 - Gothenburg (11-2): Gothenburg loses to Kearney 59-46 last Saturday in the Showcase and you’d think they might fall out. What impressed us was the 32 minute effort and that they managed just two triples on 30 attempts. Make just a couple more and it’s even closer. A lot of those missed shots were caused by Kearney defense, too. Last week: 15.

18 - Lincoln Northeast (8-2): Rockets appear to be the third best team in the HAC right now but that conference tournament in two weeks will test the bottom of our top-20. One of the final three teams likely won’t be a semifinalist. Junior Alijah Stabler is averaging 17 points per contest. Last week: 17.

19 - Lincoln High (8-3): Links hold steady despite a 44-37 loss to Kearney last Friday. Should be 10-3 when they play Lincoln Northeast next Friday before the HAC the last week of the month. Last week: 18.

20 - Lincoln Southwest (8-4): Silverhawks have lost three of the past five and would desperately love to have tonight’s big game with Northeast. No one really pushing them for this final spot at the moment. Elkhorn South, Gretna East and Sidney the next in line. Last week: 19.

Watching You (listed alphabetically by class): Elkhorn South (6-4), Beatrice (9-2), Blair (7-2), Gretna East (7-4), Sidney (11-1), Central City (13-1), Ogallala (10-1), Omaha Nation (13-1), Elkhorn Valley (13-0), Oakland-Craig (12-2).

“Discipline, drive, and dedication. Competitive spirit. A commitment to constant improvement. These qualities make great athletes and coaches. They also make great financial advisors. Northwestern Mutual advisors educate clients to make important decisions to live differently and achieve their goals of financial security. Learn more about joining our team. Karges Financial Group and the Great Plains District are proud supporters of Nebraska high school athletics.