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.
North Bend Central dropped a 48-41 decision to Bishop Neumann in its season-opener but still rides the state's longest winning streak with 24 wins in a row. Having won its final eight games to claim last season's Class C1 state title, Aaron Sterup's club has now won 32 of its last 33 contests.
Class C1 power Bridgeport is in the midst of a 23-game win streak going into this evening's Class C1-2 District title contest to claim the No. 2 spot this week while Omaha Skutt Catholic, Elkhorn North and Lincoln High have won 22, 21 and 20 contests in a row to round out the Top 5.
Classes A, B, C1, C2 and D2 are all represented in the Top 10 this week. But that does not mean that the Cornhusker State is void of hot Class D1 girls basketball programs. Nebraska Christian represents Nebraska's second smallest classification with a seven-game winning streak heading into its Class D1-2 District Championship match against Centura this evening.
Eleven 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.
Of Nebraska's 281 girls basketball teams, only Class C1 Bridgeport (23-0) and Class B power Omaha Skutt Catholic (22-0) remain unbeaten. Both clubs ended last season with state tournament runner-up trophies.
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 Nebraska 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.
In the event that a basketball program last lost during the 2021-22 season, last season's final ranking of the team to upend the Top 10 member is used.
Nebraska's Top 10 girls basketball winning streaks1. North Bend Central (North Bend) (24-1) – 24 Straight WinsClass C1 No. 1 | Nebraska No. 1
Fell to Class C1 No. 19 Bishop Neumann 48-41 in the season-opener Dec. 1.
2. Bridgeport (23-0) – 23 Straight WinsClass C1 No. 2 | Nebraska No. 5
Fell to Class C2 No. 1 Hastings St. Cecilia 40-38 in the 2022 Class C2 state title game.
3. Skutt Catholic (Omaha) (22-0) – 22 Straight WinsClass B No. 2 | Nebraska No. 3
Fell to Class B No. 1 Elkhorn North 49-36 in the 2022 Class B state title game.
4. Lincoln High (Lincoln) (22-1) – 21 Straight WinsClass A No. 4 | Nebraska No. 15
Fell to Class A No. 5 Bellevue East 74-46 Dec. 3.
5. Elkhorn North (Elkhorn) (21-1) – 20 Straight WinsClass B No. 1 | Nebraska No. 2
Fell to Class B No. 2 Omaha Skutt Catholic 42-35 Dec. 2.
6. St. Mary's (O'Neill) (21-2) – 17 Straight WinsClass D2 No. 2 | Nebraska No. 37
Fell to Class C1 No. 12 Grand Island Central Catholic 45-35 Dec. 30.
7. McCool Junction (23-2) – 15 Straight WinsClass D2 No. 4 | Nebraska No. 61
Fell to Class D1 No. 15 Meridian 39-32 Jan. 5.
8. (tie) Ponca (22-1) – 14 Straight WinsClass C2 No. 4 | Nebraska No. 16
Fell to Division A No. 10 Vermillion (SD) 47-36 Jan. 5.
8. (tie) Millard South (Omaha) (23-2) – 14 Straight WinsClass A No. 1 | Nebraska No. 4
Fell to Class A No. 3 Bellevue West 55-53 Jan. 2.
10. (tie) Adams Central (Hastings) (23-1) – 9 Straight WinsClass C1 No. 3 | Nebraska No. 7
Fell to Class C1 No. 12 Grand Island Central Catholic 50-49 Jan. 21.
10. (tie) Shelton (21-1) – 9 Straight WinsClass D2 No. 3 | Nebraska No. 44
Fell to Class D2 No. 5 Overton 47-37 Jan. 24.
