Nebraska's Top 10 boys basketball games for December

Video: Akol Arop's highlights vs. Lincoln East High School
See the Creighton Prep standout in action from last year.

While many of Nebraska's boys 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 boys 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 boys basketball schedules and came up with our Top 10 boys basketball games for December.

Bennington and Wahoo kick it all off before the calendar even turns to December, while Papillion-LaVista and Norfolk go at it in a rematch of last year's Class A state championship game shortly before the Christmas break. Whether you like the big schools or prefer small-school ball, there is something for everyone in December.

Omaha Burke and Omaha Creighton Prep earn our top billing with a big school classic Dec. 9. Then, look out as a pair of defending state champions take the court when Bishop Neumann travels to Gretna this weekend in our second-ranked contest of the young basketball season. Papillion-LaVista at Norfolk then rounds out our Top 3 basketball games for December.



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

Nebraska's Top 10 boys basketball games for December

1. Class A No. 9 Burke (Omaha) (15-9) @ Class A No. 4 Creighton Prep (Omaha) (21-4), Dec. 9
Creighton Prep always finds a home in the MaxPreps Nebraska Top 25 Computer Rankings and has claimed a pair of state championships over the past decade or so. Omaha Burke had a solid year a year ago as well. Returning Class A All-State selections Shereef Mitchell and Akol Arop will lead the Bulldogs and the Junior Jays in this juggernaut battle, respectively.

2. Class C1 No. 1 Bishop Neumann (Wahoo) (26-3) @ Class B No. 1 Gretna (27-2), Dec. 1
Two terrific basketball programs will take the court in this round ball battle. Oh, did we mention that the Cavaliers and the Dragons each won a state basketball title a year ago in Classes C1 and B respectively?

3. Class A No. 1 Papillion-LaVista (Papillion) (24-5) @ Class A No. 2 Norfolk (23-4), Dec. 21
This big school tussle simply features the same two schools that battled for the Class A state championship a year ago. Norfolk won last March, but the Monarchs return All-State selectee Ed Chang. Will the Panthers be able to reload in time to knock off Papillion-LaVista once again, or will the Monarchs get a little payback?

4. Class B No. 12 Bennington (15-11) @ Class C1 No. 5 Wahoo (22-6), Nov. 30
Bennington lost to eventual Class B state champion Gretna in the opening round of last March's state basketball tournament, but returns another talented roster. Wahoo, on the other hand, is loaded once again after falling to cross-town rival Bishop Neumann in last year's Class C1 state championship contest.



5. Class C2 No. 2 Ponca (27-4) @ Class B No. 14 Irene/Wakonda (Irene, S.D.) (15-8), Dec. 9
Defending Class C2 state champion Ponca returns more than 80 percent of its state tournament scoring from a year ago as it heads north to take on a very good hoops squad from South Dakota. The Eagles, on the other hand, lost just 13 points a game from last year's 15-8 squad.

6. Class D2 No. 2 Riverside (Cedar Rapids) (24-5) @ Class D2 No. 8 St. Francis (Humphrey) (21-7), Dec. 7
Although this rivalry is only in its fourth year, it is a good one between two small school powers. Both programs have reached their respective state tournament fields in each of the last three seasons, with St. Francis pulling out the only state tournament battle between the Chargers and the Flyers in 2015-16. Riverside and St. Francis each lost an all-state selection from a year ago, but both programs return plenty of talent once again.

7. Class D1 No. 18 Kenesaw (18-6) @ Class C2 No. 6 Amherst (23-4), Dec. 12
This is just a good basketball game between what should be two very good basketball teams in 2017-18. Kenesaw will be led by Will Gallagher, while Amherst counters with Holden Eckhout.

8. Class D2 No. 14 Garden County (Oshkosh) (17-7) @ Class D2 No. 10 Crawford (24-1), Dec. 9
A year ago, Crawford was rolling along and appeared to be headed to the state tournament with a perfect record. That is until Garden County knocked off the Rams in district play. It's doubtful that Crawford has forgotten that season-ending loss. Both squads have the talent to gear up for another run at postseason play.

9. Class C2 No. 14 Sutton (15-8) @ Class C2 No. 1 St. Cecilia (Hastings) (23-6), Dec. 15
St. Cecilia, one of Nebraska's Top 10 dominant basketball programs over the past decade or so, claimed the consolation championship at the Class C2 state basketball tournament a year ago. The Bluehawks return most of their scoring from last season, including All-State pick Blane Boyd. Sutton, meanwhile, had a solid season in 2016-17 and returns plenty of talent to improve on its 15-8 mark.

10. Class C2 No. 5 Centennial (Utica) (22-4) @ Class D1 No. 15 Heartland (Henderson) (14-9), Dec. 19
Simply put – both of these programs made their respective state tournament fields a year ago. And both return the bulk of their scoring from those opening round state basketball tournament losses. Now that the Broncos and the Huskies have earned state tournament experience, postseason success is the expectation of these two fine basketball programs.