1000 Yard Guy's Prep Basketball Ratings

This project is a first for a football guy like myself although Ifve followed high school basketball closely for the past 50 years. Hoops ratings before the first of the year are a virtual crapshoot for any prep rater, especially for one who has no pre-season prospectus sheets from coaches. Letfs give it a whirl every week until sub districts and see how we fare.

I will rate all classes with the exception of Class A. Wefll leave that to the experts like Stu Pospisil of the Omaha World-Herald and Ryly Jane Hambleton of the Lincoln Journal-Star.

Class B

1. South Sioux City..6-2

2 Beatrice..........7-0

3. Scottsbluff.......9-1

4. Omaha Gross.......7-2

5. Elkhorn...........6-1

6. Omaha Skutt.......6-2

7. Gretna............4-3

8. Lincoln Pius X....5-4

9. Waverly...........3-3

10 Gering.............8-1

*Considered: York 6-2, McCook 6-3, Plattsmouth 6-3, Bennington 4-3

Comments: Tony Siskefs Scottsbluff squad is a scary bunch, indeed. They played Norfolk to within 7 points (77-70) in the championship game of the GNAC Tourney last week. Beatrice heads to South Sioux City in two weeks (Jan. 14th) and then could meet the Cardinals again in the River Cities Tournament the following week. Lincoln Pius is a shocking 5-4 thus far and should improve as the season progresses.

Class C-1

1. Boys Town.............6-0

2. Minden................7-0

3. Wahoo.................9-0

4. Hastings St. Cecilia..6-3

5. Norfolk Catholic......5-3

6. Bishop Neumann........4-3

7. Lincoln Christian.....6-3

8. Kearney Catholic......6-2

9. Columbus Lakeview.....6-2

10 Adams Central..........6-2

*Considered: Milford 7-0, Pierce 6-2, Omaha Roncalli 5-3, Gothenburg 7-1.

Comments: Tom Krehbielfs Boys Town team looks very strong and may be a cut above the rest. How about St. Cecilia, Adams Central, Kearney Catholic, and Minden all being grouped in C-1 Sub-District 9? Yes, I may be crazy not to rate unbeaten Milford. Incidentally, Omaha Roncalli is a dangerous team. Big games this week include: St. Cecilia @ Gretna (Thur), Bishop Neumann @ Boys Town (Fri), Crete @ Lincoln Christian (Fri), Lin. Christian @ St. Cecilia (Fri), Wayne @ Norfolk Cath. (Fri) and Norfolk Catholic @ Pierce (Sat)

Class C-2

1. Ravenna................7-0

2. Sutton.................7-1

3. Ponca..................8-1

4. Lutheran High NE.......9-1

5. Hartington C.C.........6-0

6. Fremont Bergan.........7-2

7. North Platte St. Pats..6-2

8. Doniphan-Trumbull......4-2

9. Oakland-Craig..........6-3

10 Johnson Co. Central.....6-0

*Considered: Creighton 8-0, Stanton 7-1, Elmwood-Murdock 7-2, David City Aquinas 4-4, Burwell 7-1, Shelton 7-1.

Comments: Creightonfs schedule kept them out of the ratings. Ravenna looks very strong at this point, but could they encounter problems with teams like Kearney Catholic (who they could meet twice), or North Platte St. Pats, or Sutton because of their pressure defenses? However, it appears the Bluejays can outscore most. Oh by the way, circle Tuesday, Jan. 10th on your calender. Class C-1 power, Minden visits Ravenna that eveningccget there early. Ravenna also gets a visit from Doniphan-Trumbull this Tuesday. Sutton will get a shot at Ravenna when the eJays visit the friendly confines of the Mustangsf very cool facility on January 17.

Class D-1

1. BDS....................8-1

2. Pawnee City............6-0

3. Humphrey St. Francis...6-0

4. OfNeill St. Marys ccc..8-0

5. West Point GACC........5-4

6. Paxton.................8-0

7. High Plains............5-3

8. Overton................5-2

9. Randolph...............5-2

10 Kenesaw..................5-3

*Considered: Exeter-Milligan 6-1, Humphrey 7-2, Deshler 6-3, Bancroft-Rosalie 8-2

Comments: Talk about circling a date on the calenderc..This Friday, Jan. 6th, Class D-2Œs number 1 Giltner pays a visit to Class D-1 number 1, BDS. Clash of the Titans to say the least. Expect a ton of defense. Two of the top players in the state will be on display in Giltnerfs Drew Ott, and Bruning-Davenport-Shickleyfs Ryan Tegtmeier. West Point GACC is rated highly because of a brutal schedule that includes 10 Class C-1 teams and 4 C-2 squads. Still remaining on their schedule are Norfolk Catholic, Bishop Neumann, Pierce, Lutheran High NE, Boone Central, and Wayne. They are also in the Mid-States conference tournament, which includes 4 of the aforementioned teams. The only class D team left on their schedulecccc.Howells. Out West, Paxton has literally buried everybody they have played, outscoring their opponents by an average of 70-28 per game.

Class D-2

1. Giltner..................8-0

2. Howells..................6-1

3. Sterling.................7-2

4. Wynot....................8-1

5. GI Heartland Lutheran....6-2

6. Falls City Sacred Heart..6-3

7. Loomis...................6-2

8. Pleasanton...............6-3

9. Brady....................8-1

10 Dodge.....................6-1

*Considered: Wausa 6-3, Clarkson 7-2, Lewiston, 5-2, Lindsay Holy Family 3-5, Hayes Center 5-3.

Comments: Could Giltner and Howells be headed for a meeting at the State tournament? Pleasanton is waiting for all their football injuries to heal. They will be a force to be reckoned with when that transpires. Howells will travel to Humphrey St. Francis this Friday and GI Heartland Lutheran is in Seward this weekend for the Concordia tournament where they could play C-2Œs #4 Lutheran High NE or class C-1Œs Lincoln Lutheran, who has beaten both GICC and Aquinas.

The gTakes Some Courageh award thus far goes to Falls City SH, who played in the Doane College Holiday Tourney last week. They disposed of Class B Mt Michael Benedictine 37-21 before dropping a 62-36 game to Class Bfs #5 Elkhorn Antlers.