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Mutual respect and great basketball. What a way to end a Thursday.

Milford had just held on to beat Malcolm 66-64 in a Power 20 heavyweight fight. The Eagles two-point win did little to change our minds that the basketball in Class C-1 is among the best in the state. Eagle coach Bryce Roth took a deep breath in his back hallway training room.

“I need like 25 hours of sleep after that,” he joked. “We have so much respect for that team. It’s just an honor to share the court with them. Both teams just played a great basketball game.”

In a sign that Roth was right, Milford’s Abby Crabtree (32 points!!) and Malcolm’s Payton Dolliver (18 points) shared some photos with each other after the game. The two sophomores delighted a nearly packed Eagle gym.

Dolliver had help from senior sister, Halle; the Omaha pledge had 24 points and 13 rebounds. While Crabtree had help from classmate, and one of the nation’s top volleyball recruits, Shayla Rautenberg, who had 14 points and 11 rebounds.

Neither team gave an inch.

It was 18-18 after one period and 35-33 Milford, at the break. Down 48-47 in the final minute of the third quarter, Crabtree buried a dagger three to end the third (Payton Dolliver almost matched her, watch to the end) that gave the Eagles a 50-48 lead. That shot sparked an 11-0 run that lasted until 4:41 left in the game and allowed Milford to — finally — play from ahead.

Each team picked their poison.

For Malcolm it was a mostly hybrid 1-1-3 zone that tried to slow down Rautenberg and senior post Ashlynn Miller. It gave up the corner three to Crabtree as the Eagles flooded one side of the floor.

Milford went straight man in trying to slow down Malcolm’s Dolliver’s, but using Rautenberg and Miller for heavy help in the paint. It worked, just a little bit more. But, not much.

It was fantastic basketball. The teams had just 15 turnovers total. They combined to shoot 43-for-95 from the field (45.2%) and made 19 three-pointers. The biggest lead was Milford’s 10-point advantage they built early in the fourth quarter before the Clippers clawed back.

We can’t wait to watch more. One to this week’s Power 20.

The Girls Hoops Power 20

1 - Lincoln North Star (8-0): The Gators nabbed a Power 20 win over Lincoln Southwest last Friday night, 59-46 and then topped Columbus on Tuesday. Between now and January 20 they will have added Papillion-LaVista, Millard West and Kearney to their schedule. If they are still here in two weeks they will have earned it. Last week: 1.

2 - Omaha North (8-3): Omaha North has won six in a row and have inserted themselves directly in the Class A championship race after a dominating week that included their 56-43 Metro final win over Omaha Westview. This group is deep and can beat you in multiple ways. How do you beat the Vikings? Handle pressure. If you don’t it’s going to be a long night. Last week: 3.

3 - Millard West (9-1): The ‘Cats tumble a notch with their 64-44 loss to Omaha North in the Metro semifinals. Next Saturday’s date with Lincoln North Star should help clear the picture up a little bit in Class A. Last week: 2.

4 - Bennington (11-0): The Badgers continue to roll in Class B and will likely be 17-0 at their next big test on January 23rd at Norris, who they beat in the Eastern Midlands final and may be the one Class B team that can play with them. Macie Reiner, Haydin Jackson and Harper Bohaboj all average in double figures. Last week: 5.

5 - Kearney (10-0): Ahead of their biggest weekend of the season, it’s time for Drew Danielson’s Bearcats to move into the top-5. They host new Power 20, No. 18 Lincoln High tonight and then the nightcap of the Nebraska Girls Basketball Showcase against No. 14 Gothenburg on Saturday. Kearney’s gym — one of the best in Class A — will be rocking. Last week: 7.

6 - Millard South (7-2): Just when you think you might have it all figured out, the Patriots take down Omaha Westview, 59-42 on Tuesday behind 14 points from Abbi Durrow. The reward? A game tonight with No. 2 Omaha North and on Saturday with No. 20 Lincoln Pius X. Last week: 14.  

7 - Omaha Westview (8-4): No need to panic yet for the Wolverines who need to be blemish free through their February 6th game with Columbus. Then, a Metro semifinal rematch with Millard North on February 12, Elkhorn South and Kearney to close out the regular season. Tuesday’s loss to Millard South was their fifth game in seven days. Last week: 6.

8 - Norris (10-1): The Titans moved to 10-1 with a win over Lincoln Standing Bear and face “Watching You” Gretna East tonight and Class B, No. 6 Blair next Friday. Take care of business to stay here. Last week: 9.

9 - Milford (11-1): The Eagles vault into the top-10 after a weekend win over North Bend Central (tougher than you think) and last night’s scintillating 66-64 victory over then No. 8 Malcolm. Sophomore guard Abby Crabtree was special scoring 32 points (with seven rebounds, three assists and three steals) for the winners. Last week: 16.

10 - Malcolm (10-1): Clippers drop two spots. If they get Milford again it will likely be in March. And, if the points work out maybe for all the marbles. Two wonderful teams playing high level basketball. Halle Dolliver scored 24 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. Last week: 8.

11 - Millard North (7-3): Millard North hangs on to beat Papillion-LaVista 48-46 on Tuesday and now we get to figure out if the Power 20 thing is even worth doing on Saturday when they face Class C-2, No. 1 and No. 16 Pender in Kearney. We can’t wait. Last week: 4.

12 - Lincoln Christian (12-0): The Crusaders will have had a full two weeks to prepare for No. 20 Pius when they meet next Saturday afternoon. That can’t be a bad thing. Last week: 11.

13 - Omaha Westside (9-4): The only Nebraska losses for Omaha Westside are to Omaha North and Millard West. Steamrolled Omaha Marian 50-28 on Thursday night and have No. 19 Lincoln Southwest on Saturday. Last week: 12.

14 - Papillion-LaVista (7-4): Junior Jayda Richardson is averaging just over 13 points and three assists per contest for the Monarchs, who have rival Papio South tonight. Then North Star, Pius and Westside over the next two weeks. Last week: 13.

15 - Gothenburg (8-1): The Swedes have been off since winning the Chadron State College Holiday Tournament. They face McCook tonight before tomorrow’s Power 20 matchup with Kearney. Last week: 15.

16 - Pender (10-1): The Pendragons got a big 56-22 win over Class D-2, No. 5 Wynot on Tuesday, but the big one awaits on Saturday against No. 10 Millard North. Last week: 17.

17 - Lincoln Northeast (6-2): An impressive 6-2 start that should be 8-2 for the Rockets when they travel to Lincoln Southwest next Friday. We’ll see if the rankings move by then. Last week: not ranked.

18 - Lincoln High (7-2): Links make a move into the rankings for the first time this season off a 41-39 win over Lincoln Southwest on Tuesday. Freshman Adrienne Ross is averaging 9.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists heading into tonight’s game at Kearney. Last week: not ranked.

19 - Lincoln Southwest (6-3): Silverhawks tumble after a 41-39 loss to Lincoln High on Tuesday, but have a chance at redemption with games tonight and tomorrow against Lincoln Southeast and Omaha Westside. Last week: 10.

20 - Lincoln Pius X (7-2): Pius squeezes out the final spot this week, as they seem to be playing better than early in the season. Despite a head-to-head loss to Gretna East, Bolts get the bill after GE lost to Oakland-Craig, who in turn lost to Omaha Nation on Tuesday, 70-65. Kind of makes a guy not want to do these rankings. (wink emoji) Last week: 19.

Watching You (listed alphabetically by class): Elkhorn South (4-4), Lincoln Southeast (5-3), Gretna East (7-4), Central City (10-0), Ogallala (10-0), Omaha Nation (11-1), Elkhorn Valley (9-0), Oakland-Craig (9-2).

📈📉 Rank ‘Em

The full nepbreps.com Coaches Poll rankings are here for BOYS and GIRLS. Those polls are released Sunday (boys) and Monday each week.

🏀🏀 Coming Up

Our Chris Basnett will tackle the Lincoln City boys scene tonight with a full report from the game between No. 1 Lincoln Southwest and No. 4 Lincoln Southeast. We’ll have that for subscribers tomorrow plus a preview of Saturday’s Nebraska Girls Basketball Showcase that tips off at 8:50 AM at Kearney High School.

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