Nebraska's Top 10 girls basketball games for December

Video: Season Recap — Jaden Ferguson 2016-2017
See the Lincoln Southwest All-State selection in action.

While many of Nebraska's girls basketball programs are sure to ease into their 2017-18 schedules, produce chemistry and then build momentum down the stretch in an attempt to be playing their best basketball in February and March, plenty of the Cornhusker State's girls basketball programs will be going full steam ahead in the winter sports season's first month.

We have spent the last few days looking over many of the Nebraska girls basketball schedules and came up with our Top 10 girls basketball games for December.

Columbus Scotus and Hastings St. Cecilia kick it all off before the calendar even turns to December, while Mitchell and Alliance conclude Nebraska's first month of top-notch basketball with a western Nebraska classic just before the new year. Whether you like the big schools or prefer small school ball, there is something for everyone in December.

Lincoln Southeast and Lincoln Southwest earn our top billing with a big-school classic coming up in mid-December. The Knights have done it all over the years, and, regardless of the talent she may have lost from the previous year, Kara Graham seems to come up with a quality team. Jeff Rump, on the other hand, is set to defend his squad's state title with a roster full of talent.

Crofton and Guardian Angels Central Catholic, two programs that have competed at a very high level over the past decade and beyond, claim our No. 2 slot, while Norris at Seward earns our third selection. But there is still plenty of great basketball on our list and beyond, so get out there and cheer on your respective teams.

As you browse through the Top 10 below, we have included each team's MaxPreps Class Ranking from a year ago and last year's record in parenthesis.

Nebraska's Top 10 girls basketball games for December

1. Class A No. 13 Lincoln Southeast (16-9) @ Class A No. 2 Lincoln Southwest (23-5), Dec. 15
Lincoln Southeast has been one of the dominant girls basketball programs in Nebraska with 10 state titles in all, and 27 state tournament appearances. Lincoln Southwest, on the other hand, won the Class A title a year ago and returns sophomore All-State selection Jaden Ferguson. The defending state champs also reeled in former Lincoln Christian All-Stater Taytem Coleman for her senior season. The Knights handed the defending champions one of their five losses a year ago.

2. Class C2 No. 2 Crofton (23-3) @ Class D1 No. 1 Guardian Angels Central Catholic (West Point) (24-2), Dec.9
Crofton has come out victorious in four of the seven games these two powerhouses have played over the past five seasons. Between them, the Warriors and the Bluejays have claimed seven state titles since 2012.

3. Class B No. 4 Norris (Firth) (19-7) @ Class B No. 5 Seward (19-7), Dec. 15
Norris bumped Seward from last year's state tournament with a 46-39 Class B semifinal triumph on its way to a runner-up finish. Norris came within a couple of wins of winning a state championship, while the Bluejays are looking for their first state title since 2012.

4. Class D2 No. 25 Wauneta-Palisade (Wauneta) (13-10) @ Class D1 No. 3 Dundy County-Stratton (Benkelman) (27-1), Dec. 21
This tussle promises to be a classic battle between two small schools with big-time talents in Kami Porter of Dundy County-Stratton and Wauneta-Palisade's Faith Simpson.

5. Class C1 No. 7 Scotus (Columbus) (16-8) @ Class C2 No. 4 St. Cecilia (Hastings) (17-7), Nov. 30
Columbus Scotus returns darn near their entire roster from last year's 16-8 campaign, while Hastings St. Cecilia is, well, St. Cecilia. A great battle to kick off the 2017-18 season.

6. Class C1 No. 2 Bishop Neumann (Wahoo) (22-4) @ Class B No. 6 Gretna (18-7), Dec. 1
Both of these programs have high hopes for the upcoming season and are looking for an early test. They don't come any bigger than this one.

7. Class C1 No. 4 Mitchell (23-2) @ Class B No. 17 Alliance (13-11), Dec. 29
Mitchell is itching to get back out on the court after last March's disappointing opening round state tournament loss to Ord. Alliance, meanwhile, brings back nearly everybody from last year's 13-11 squad.

8. Class C1 No. 6 Ord (22-6) @ Class C2 No. 3 Ravenna (23-5), Dec. 7
Ord and Ravenna both played for a consolation championship at last year's state tournament and bring back All-State talents in Ali Smith and Jordyn Fiddelke, respectively.

9. Class C2 No. 11 Superior (19-5) @ Class B No. 3 York (23-4), Dec. 12
Kalynn Meyer is just a sophomore at Superior, but she is a big-time talent. York, meanwhile, counters with Lauren Riley. Both players are sure to be on everybody's All-State lists come March, once they've guided their respective teams into postseason play.

10. Class A No. 1 Lincoln Northeast (24-3) @ Class A No. 10 Omaha North (17-7), Dec. 9
Omaha North wanted what Lincoln Northeast earned last season — a berth in the state tournament. The Rockets, however, wanted more after falling in the semifinals as the No. 1 seed. A terrific early season battle featuring Super-State and All-Nebraska talents McKenna Minter of Lincoln Northeast and Omaha North's Dariauna Lewis.