SBLive Nebraska Top 25 boys basketball rankings (Feb. 14)

By Nathan Charles

It’s the final week of the regular season and while there are some clear favorites, it also seems East has seized the title as the best team in Lincoln. Millard North goes back up to No. 2 after an overtime win against Gretna. Southwest and North Star picked up some easy wins and leapfrogged a bunch of teams that suffered losses.

1. Bellevue West (22-0, Last Week #1)

Last Week: Won 75-57 at Southeast, Won 74-33 at Bellevue East, Won 80-69 vs. Bishop Walsh

The highly anticipated matchup at Southeast started that way but quickly turned when the Bell West defense locked down and used turnovers and easy buckets for a 26-5 second quarter. The T-Birds shot 50% against Bell East then played in their closest contest since Gretna on Jan. 19. Josiah Dotzler had a career-high 30 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in the Heartland Hoops Classic win over a team from Maryland.

This Week: Friday vs. Millard North (18-2), Saturday at Westside (13-6)

2. Millard North (18-2, Last Week #3)

Last Week: Won 59-58 vs. Gretna (OT), Won 52-51 vs. Papio South

It was a week of survival for the Mustangs. They shut out Gretna in the second quarter and climbed back into the game after falling behind by seven in the first. Millard North started to pull away in the second half but Gretna made a fourth-quarter run. An Alex Gaeth three with less than three seconds remaining earned the win. Millard North then trailed by 10 late in the third against Papio South. Gaeth hit another big three to tie it late in the fourth. The Mustangs made plays the rest of the way.

This Week: Tuesday at Southwest (13-7), Friday at Bellevue West (22-0)

3. Gretna (16-3, Last Week #2)

Last Week: Won 62-46 at Papio, Lost 59-58 vs. Millard North (OT)

The Dragons held Papio to 36% shooting and gave up fewer than 10 points in each of the first two quarters while building a 14-point halftime lead. The defense was good again in the matchup with Millard North, but Gretna went scoreless in the second quarter and saw a seven-point lead turn into a nine-point deficit. The Dragons forced overtime by holding the Mustangs to just nine points in the fourth quarter and had a lead late in OT. A three-pointer with less than three seconds remaining handed Gretna its first loss in six games.

This Week: Tuesday at Burke (6-17), Saturday at Southwest (13-7)

4. Creighton Prep (17-6, Last Week #4)

Last Week: Won 76-40 vs. Benson, Won 40-37 vs. Rockhurst (MO)

Prep shot 52% vs. Benson thanks in larger part to 14 offensive rebounds. The Junior Jays led by five after the first quarter then gave up a total of just 12 over the next 16 minutes. Against Rockhurst was a rock fight. Prep never scored double digits in any quarter until the fourth when the Jays put up 16 and put it away late with stops and free throws.

This Week: Friday at Millard South (7-13)

5. Lincoln East (16-4, Last Week #6)

Last Week: Won 66-50 at Westside, Won 58-53 at Pius

As different teams have made a case for the capital city’s best at different times this season, East has remained steady and run its winning streak to seven in a row. But last week might have been two of its best considering both came on the road. Four players scored in double digits and the Spartans shot 53% at Westside while holding the Warriors to 33%. East overcame 37% shooting with nine threes and 13 offensive rebounds at Pius. The current winning streak includes three teams in the top 10 and four in the top 15.

This Week: Tuesday vs. North Star (15-6), Friday at Papio South (12-8)

6. Lincoln Southwest (13-7, Last Week #8)

Last Week: Won 69-56 at Norfolk, Won 52-45 vs. Millard South

Southwest jumped out with a 22-point first quarter, led by 15 at half and won the rebounding battle 34-25. A four-point third quarter made things interesting against Millard South but Southwest led by 12 at that point and eventually finished it off thanks to forcing 19 turnovers. After a few weeks of games the Skyhawks have played as favorites, the schedule ramps back up with three top-25 teams this week.

This Week: Tuesday vs. Millard North (18-2), Thursday vs. Kearney (15-6), Saturday vs. Gretna (16-3)

7. Elkhorn South (13-6, Last Week #9)

Last Week: Won 85-42 vs. Burke, Won 74-66 (OT) at Millard West

Alec Noonan and Evan Werner both scored 21 and Elkhorn South started out with a 21-7 first quarter against Burke. Millard West was coming off just its second back-to-back wins of the season and had some momentum. Elkhorn South trailed by five to start the fourth and fell behind by as much as nine in the final quarter before forcing overtime and outscoring the Wildcats 11-3 in the extra four minutes.

This Week: Thursday vs. Bellevue East (7-13), Saturday at Norfolk (3-17)

8. Lincoln North Star (15-6, Last Week #12)

Last Week: Won 64-45 vs. Grand Island, Won 87-49 vs. Omaha South

The Navigators are the beneficiaries of having a relatively easy week and a bunch of losses ahead of them in the ratings. It’s the first time they’ve cracked the top 10 and, outside of a loss to Kearney, have only suffered defeats to teams currently inside the top six. North Star shot 53% against Grand Island then matched that number against Omaha South.

9. Omaha Westside (13-6, Last Week #7)

Last Week: Lost 66-50 vs. Lincoln East, Won 74-54 vs. Bryan, Won 62-56 vs. Salt Lake Academy

The Warriors have struggled on the road but suffered just their second loss when East came in and held Westside to 33% shooting. The defense focused on Tate Odvody and locked him down to just 1 for 9 shooting and four points. The Warriors went 0 for 15 from three. The offense came back around with 29 first-quarter points against Bryan and shot 50% in the win over Salt Lake Academy in the Heartland Hoops Classic.

This Week: Tuesday vs. Millard West (7-13), Saturday vs. Bellevue West (22-0)

10. Lincoln Northeast (13-8, Last Week #13)

Last Week: Won 51-47 vs. Omaha Central, Won 50-48 at Omaha North

The Rockets won their winning streak to three in a row for the first time in a month but had to squeak by in both. Regardless, Northeast jumps back into the top 10 after several teams ahead on the list suffered losses. The game against Central included an eight-point halftime deficit before a 15-point turnaround in the third. The offense struggled against North but the defense held the Vikings to 35% shooting.

11. Lincoln High (14-7, Last Week #11)

Last Week: Lost 60-52 at Papio South, Won 83-41 at Omaha Northwest

It was an ugly game all around at Papio-South – the two teams combined for just six points in the second quarter. The Links jumped out to a 15-point lead against Northwest.

This Week: Tuesday vs. Pius (13-9), Thursday at Fremont (5-13)

12. Omaha Central (12-8, Last Week #10)

Last Week: Lost at Lincoln Northeast 51-47, Won 65-55 vs. Norfolk

The loss at Northeast made it back-to-back defeats by a margin of just five total points. The Eagles have suffered five of their eight losses by a combined total of just 18. Central had the ball down two with under a minute to go but turned it over. The Eagles bounced back by shooting 53% against Norfolk.

This Week: Tuesday at North (10-10), Friday at Millard West (7-13), Saturday vs. Benson (6-13)

13. Lincoln Southeast (12-9, Last Week #5)

Last Week: Lost 75-57 vs. Bellevue West, Lost 70-66 vs. Kearney

It’s been a season of feast or famine for the Knights who are now in the midst of a three-game losing skid after winning seven in a row. Those seven straight were preceded by another three-game skid. The Knights started well but faded to just a five-point total in the second quarter against Bell West and led by nine after the first eight minutes against Kearney but never built on that advantage.

This Week: Tuesday vs. Columbus (5-15), Friday at North Star (15-6)

14. Papillion-La Vista South (12-8, Last Week #16)

Last Week: Won 60-52 vs. Lincoln High, Won 68-32 vs. Burke, Lost 52-51 at Millard North

The Titans hit 11 three-pointers against the Links then hit 13 more against the Bulldogs. Papio South led by eight late in the third quarter at Millard North but scored just eight in the fourth.

This Week: Friday vs. Lincoln East (16-4), Saturday vs. Omaha South (2-17)

15. Lincoln Pius X (13-9, Last Week #14)

Last Week: Lost 53-58 vs. East, Lost 65-60 at Fremont

The Thunderbolts are in the midst of a four-game skid and dropped their most surprising result of the year at Fremont. The Tigers hit 12 three-pointers in that one and went 15 for 18 at the line while Pius was 11 for 21.

This Week: Tuesday at Northeast (13-8), Saturday vs. Lincoln High (14-7)

16. Omaha Bryan (11-8, Last Week #15)

Last Week: Lost at Westside 74-57, Won at Benson 53-44

Bryan fell behind by 17 in the first quarter at Westside then overcame 31% shooting and 4 of 16 from three-point range at Benson by earning 33 free throws, making 21 to go with 17 offensive rebounds.

This Week: Tuesday vs. Omaha Northwest (3-17), Friday vs. Buena Vista (0-19), Saturday vs. Norris (12-9)

17. Kearney (15-6, Last Week #17)

Last Week: Won 70-66 at Southeast, Won 59-27 vs. Columbus

Kearney has picked up a pair of quality road wins the last month, winning at North Star on Jan. 27 before going to Southeast and overcoming a nine-point first-quarter hole. Ben Johnson scored 35, went 14 of 15 from the line and put together a double-double with 13 rebounds.

This Week: Tuesday vs. Fremont (5-13), Thursday at Southwest (13-7)

18. Skutt Catholic (18-2, Last Week #18)

Last Week: Won 67-39 vs. Norris, Won 88-61 vs. Ralston

The SkyHawks have won four in a row since losing back-to-back games - holding Norris to just 11 first-half points while building a 32-point lead then pouring in 33 first-quarter points against Ralston.

This Week: Tuesday at Sioux City Heelan (15-5), Thursday at Aurora (15-7)

19. Ogallala (22-0, Last Week #19)

Last Week: Won 77-33 vs. Mitchell

The Indians had just one game and used the time off to blast the Tigers with a 22-9 first quarter then a 32-2 second quarter. All that stands in the way of a perfect regular season is 11-9 Gothenburg.

This Week: Friday vs. Gothenburg (11-9)

20. Wahoo (20-1, Last Week #20)

Last Week: Won 76-49 vs. Plattsmouth, Won 58-51 vs. North Platte (Grand Island)

The Warriors extended the streak to 15 in a row and shot 58% against Plattsmouth then showed they have more quality than just Class C-1 by taking it to North Platte and earning 21 trips to the foul line with 17 makes.

This Week: Friday at Malcolm (16-6)

21. Ashland-Greenwood (21-1, Last Week #21)

Last Week: Won 74-30 vs. LVSS, Won 58-33 at Nebraska City, Won 36-26 at Pierce

AG held Logan View/Scribner-Snyder to single digits each of the first three quarters, had an 11-2 start against Nebraska City then struggled to find offense against Pierce but led throughout after giving the Bluejays just five points in the first quarter and three in the second.

This Week: Tuesday vs. Bishop Neumann (11-9)

22. Omaha North (10-10, Last Week #22)

Last Week: Won 94-20 vs. Buena Vista, Lost 50-48 vs. Northeast

Each of the Vikings' past five losses have come by a total of just 18 points. So it must have felt pretty good to put one on Buena Vista with four players in double digits and a 27-2 start to the game. It was heartbreak again against Northeast when shots wouldn’t fall

This Week: Tuesday vs. Omaha Central (12-8), Saturday vs. Westview (6-15)

23. North Platte (13-7, Last Week #23)

Last Week: Won 55-54 at Scottsbluff, Lost 58-51 vs. Wahoo (Grand Island)

North Platte led by nine in the fourth quarter against Scottsbluff before the Bearcats hit some late shots to close the gap and make it appear like a last-second result. The loss to Wahoo is a defeat against an opponent two divisions lower, but the Warriors have been above the Bulldogs in the ratings nearly all season.

This Week: Tuesday at Gering (12-9), Saturday vs. Elkhorn (13-7)

24. Platteview (18-4, Last Week #24)

Last Week: Won 73-60 vs. DC West, Won 54-37 vs. Grand Island

Connor Millikan returned after missing an ugly double overtime win against Hastings and flirted with a triple-double on 26 points, 17 rebounds and seven assists. The Trojans hit 11 three-pointers at Grand Island and had 18 assists on 20 made buckets.

This Week: Friday vs. Crete (17-4)

25. Freeman (22-1, Last Week Unrated)

Last Week: Won 58-50 vs. Johnson-Brock, Won 61-47 vs. Central City

The Falcons crack the top 25 for the first time this season and take the place of Doniphan-Trumbull after the Cardinals saw a 20-0 run come to an end. Freeman dropped a 43-35 loss to 20-3 Tri-County in the MUDECAS Tournament but has won every other game before and since. The win over Central City was the seventh time this season Freeman has taken down a team from a larger division.

This Week: Friday vs. Sterling (8-12)

Next 5: Doniphan-Trumbull (21-1), Crete (17-4), York (14-5), Central City (20-3), Omaha Concordia (18-3)

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