Putting together a talent-heavy roster generally goes a long way toward producing deep postseason runs and claiming the hardware that goes along with winning high school basketball state championships. However, there are no guarantees.
Sometimes the hardware is attained simply because the champion gets hot at the right time, sneaks up on the rest of the field and steals the show.
While the usual hombres are once again favorites to win it all in Nebraska, so long as they survive the chaos that is Nebraska girls district basketball, MaxPreps is taking a look at those Cornhusker State teams that are hot at the moment. Some of the names on our Nebraska Top 10 girls basketball winning streaks post won't surprise our readers — but some may.
Millard South is the only unbeaten team left in Nebraska and riding the state's longest winning streak of 24 games. Fremont was the last team to knock off the Patriots, claiming a 70-64 triumph in last year's Class A state semifinals. Having won 15 games going into last year's semifinal against the Tigers, Bryce Meyers' club has now won 39 of its last 40 contests.
Class D2 power Falls City Sacred Heart has won 15 in a row to claim the No. 2 spot this week while Bridgeport, Guardian Angels Central Catholic and Humphrey St. Francis are all tied for the No. 3 spot with 14 game winning streaks.
Subdistrict action has ruffled the feathers of a couple of Nebraska teams already this year. Omaha Skutt Catholic, which had knocked off Elkhorn North 63-54 in early January, fell to the Wolves 62-60 in the Class B-2 Subdistrict title contest to have its 23-game winning streak snapped. Clinging to a 15-game winning streak, South Loup dropped a 52-37 decision to Southern Valley in the Class C2-10 Subdistrict championship game.
Classes A, B, C2, D1 and D2 are all represented in the Top 10 this week, but that does not mean the Cornhusker State is void of hot Class C1 girls basketball programs. Class C1's Syracuse will carry an 8-game winning streak into its Class C1-8 District Championship match against Malcolm this evening.
Ten girls basketball programs have won nine straight games, or more, to find a spot in our latest Nebraska Top 10 — and they are ready for the rip-roaring postseason basketball fun coming their way at the end of February and hopefully into March.
On the first line we have provided the school with its won-loss record and the winning streak the school is currently on through Wednesday's action. The second line lists each school's MaxPreps Rankings as of Thursday — locally and nationally – and the third line informs the reader which school handed the hot team its last loss and when.
Millard South owns Nebraska's longest active win streak at 24 games.
Photo by Samuel Mfinanga
1. Millard South (Omaha) (24-0) — 24 straight wins Class A No. 1 | No. 2 Nebraska | No. 25 Nationally
Fell to Fremont 70-64 in last year's Class A state semifinal, Mar. 5
2. Sacred Heart (Falls City) (23-3) — 15 straight wins Class D2 No. 1 | No. 30 Nebraska
Fell to Elmwood-Murdock 34-24, Jan. 4
3. (tie) Bridgeport (23-1) — 14 straight wins Class C2 No. 4 | Nebraska No. 16
Fell to Hastings Adams Central 50-46, Jan. 8
3. (tie) Guardian Angels Central Catholic (West Point) (24-1) — 14 straight wins Class C2 No. 1 | Nebraska No. 3
Fell to North Bend Central 41-33 at the North Bend Holiday Tournament, Dec. 29
3. (tie) St. Francis (Humphrey) (22-3) — 14 straight wins Class D2 No. 2 | Nebraska No. 43
Fell to Norfolk Catholic 45-39, Jan. 4
6. Ponca (23-1) — 13 straight wins Class C2 No. 5 | Nebraska No. 17
Fell to Crofton 41-37, Jan. 4
7. Shelton (24-1) — 12 straight wins Class D1 No. 4 | Nebraska No. 35
Fell to Centura 40-37, Jan. 13
8. (tie) Elkhorn North (Elkhorn) (22-1) — 10 straight wins Class B No. 1 | Nebraska No. 1
Fell to Omaha Skutt Catholic 63-54, Jan. 7
8. (tie) Lincoln High (Lincoln) (19-2) — 10 straight wins Class A No. 3 | Nebraska No. 7
Fell to Millard South 77-68, Jan. 15
10. Nebraska Christian (Central City) (19-5) — 9 straight wins Class D1 No. 11 | Nebraska No. 88
Fell to Humphrey St. Francis 47-44, Jan. 22
