Nebraska's Top 10 toughest boys basketball sub-districts

With the Nebraska boys sub-district basketball tournaments for Classes B, C1, C2, D1 and D2 fast approaching, and district competition beginning for Class A shortly thereafter, we have decided to take a look at which sub-districts could be the Waterloo for some very good Nebraska boys basketball teams in 2021-22.

Using the average MaxPreps power ranking for the teams assigned to each Sub-District, we determined that the B-3 Sub-District, featuring Class B's top-ranked Omaha Skutt Catholic and No. 2 Omaha Roncalli Catholic, is the toughest in Nebraska. No. 20 Ralston will also compete against the class' top two programs in hopes of moving on to the Cornhusker State's state basketball tournament March 7-12.

Class C1's C1-3 and C1-2 Sub-Districts rank second and third in strength respectively while the B-1 and C1-4 Sub-Districts sit in the No. 4 and No. 5 spots respectively in this week's Top 10. Leading the way for the C1-3 are No. 6 Omaha Concordia and No. 8 Fort Calhoun while No. 2 Ashland-Greenwood is the only Top 10 squad in the C1-2 Sub-District.

Class B No. 6 Beatrice should be the B-1 Sub-District's favorite when sub-district action tips off Feb. 23 while Class C1's top-ranked Wahoo Warriors sit in the driver's seat in the state's fifth toughest sub-district.

Classes B, C1 and C2 are all represented in this week's Top 10. Class A's district assignments are scheduled to be announced Feb. 22 and Classes D1 and D2 were unable to launch a sub-district into the Top 10. However, the D1-10 and D2-4 Sub-Districts calculate to be the toughest in Nebraska's smallest classifications.

Class D1's top-ranked North Platte St. Patrick's is the big name in the D1-10 Sub-District while Class D2 No. 6 Osceola and No. 8 Parkview Christian are the favorites in the D2-4 Sub-District at this time.

When it comes to collective winning percentage, the C2-5 Sub-District takes the top spot of those sub-districts that are listed in this week's Top 10. Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family, the top club in Class C2, and No. 3 Norfolk Catholic are Top 10 teams there.

If the Class A seedings came out Thursday evening, Millard North (17-2), Bellevue West (20-2), Omaha Westside (19-1), Omaha Central (15-4), Omaha Creighton Prep (14-4), Lincoln Northeast (14-5) and Gretna (13-5), the top seven seeds in Class A according to district points, would be the top seeds and each would host one of the seven Class A districts.

Below, listed under each sub-district, is that sub-district's collective winning percentage and each school that will compete in that tournament. To the left of each school is its MaxPreps Class ranking, as of Tuesday, with its record through last weekend in parenthesis on the right.

Nebraska's Top 10 toughest boys basketball sub-districts

1. B-3 Sub-District
Collective Winning Percentage (.679)
Class B No. 1 Skutt Catholic (Omaha) (17-0)
Class B No. 2 Roncalli Catholic (Omaha) (12-4)
Class B No. 20 Ralston (7-13)

2. Class C1-3 Sub-District
Collective Winning Percentage (.671)
Class C1 No. 6 Concordia (Omaha) (16-2)
Class C1 No. 8 Fort Calhoun (Fort Calhoun) (14-4)
Class C1 No. 15 Douglas County West (Valley) (14-6)
Class C1 No. 31 Boys Town (5-12)

3. Class C1-2 Sub-District
Collective Winning Percentage (.585)
Class C1 No. 2 Ashland-Greenwood (Ashland) (16-1)
Class C1 No. 14 Lincoln Christian (Lincoln) (13-6)
Class C1 No. 24 Lincoln Lutheran (Lincoln) (10-9)
Class C1 No. 29 Louisville (8-12)
Class C1 No. 39 Conestoga (Murray) (8-11)

4. Class B-1 Sub-District
Collective Winning Percentage (.500)
Class B No. 6 Beatrice (11-5)
Class B No. 15 Nebraska City (9-10)
Class B No. 17 Norris (Firth) (7-12)

5. Class C1-4 Sub-District
Collective Winning Percentage (.554)
Class C1 No. 1 Wahoo (17-2)
Class C1 No. 25 Yutan (10-9)
Class C1 No. 34 Arlington (Arlington) (8-11)
Class C1 No. 38 Bishop Neumann (Wahoo) (6-11)

6. Class C2-5 Sub-District
Collective Winning Percentage (.742)
Class C2 No. 1 Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family (Humphrey) (20-0)
Class C2 No. 3 Norfolk Catholic (Norfolk) (16-3)
Class C2 No. 11 Lutheran-Northeast (Norfolk) (15-3)
Class C2 No. 19 Elkhorn Valley (Tilden) (17-4)
Class C2 No. 52 Madison (4-15)

7. Class C2-1 Sub-District
Collective Winning Percentage (.646)
Class C2 No. 2 Freeman (Adams) (19-2)
Class C2 No. 10 Tri County (DeWitt) (15-5)
Class C2 No. 16 Johnson County Central (Tecumseh) (13-8)
Class C2 No. 17 Southern (Wymore) (12-7)
Class C2 NO. 46 Pawnee City (5-13)

8. Class C1-8 Sub-District
Collective Winning Percentage (.557)
Class C1 No. 10 O'Neill (15-5)
Class C1 No. 16 Boone Central (Albion) (13-7)
Class C1 No. 28 Pierce (9-10)
Class C1 No. 32 Battle Creek (7-13)

9. Class B-4 Sub-District
Collective Winning Percentage (.481)
Class B No. 10 Elkhorn (10-7)
Class B No. 14 Elkhorn North (Elkhorn) (7-11)
Class B No. 19 Mount Michael Benedictine (Elkhorn) (9-10)

10. Class B-8 Sub-District
Collective Winning Percentage (.558)
Class B No. 4 Scottsbluff (15-4)
Class B No. 9 Sidney (14-7)
Class B No. 21 Gering (9-9)
Class B No. 27 Alliance (5-14)