Nebraska High School Basketball : Week 1 Notes

<p>Nebraska boys high school basketball is back and did not disappoint this past week. Lots of big time matchups, some new faces, underclassmen stepping into new roles. Should be another fun years of boys high school basketball. Here are just a few notes I took away from week 1 of the season. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Bellevue West Depth</strong></p> <p>The Thunderbirds have been dominant in class A the last few years with Chucky Hepburn leading the charge. With Hepburn and Fidler gone, look for [player_tooltip player_id="1013209" first="Josiah" last="Dotzler"] and [player_tooltip player_id="1018806" first="William" last="Kyle"] III to step into those leadership roles. Both were dominant last winter and took there games to the next level this summer. Bell West is a favorite for most to win state this year and after watching there game on Saturday against Southeast I can see why. The Thunderbirds have arguably the best depth in class A. They have a solid 10 or 11 players that can come in and produce for them. With the likes of [player_tooltip player_id="1013209" first="Josiah" last="Dotzler"], [player_tooltip player_id="1018806" first="William" last="Kyle"] III, [player_tooltip player_id="1031436" first="Evan" last="Inselman"],  [player_tooltip player_id="1013231" first="Jaden" last="Jackson"], and [player_tooltip player_id="1013217" first="Jaxon" last="Stueve"], opponents will already have a lot to handle. You then have [player_tooltip player_id="1253967" first="Eldon" last="Turner"], [player_tooltip player_id="1018723" first="TK" last="Barnett"], [player_tooltip player_id="1300999" first="Jadyn" last="Cascio Jensen"], Robert Garcia, Creighton High School transfer John Mitchell and [player_tooltip player_id="1253972" first="Jacob" last="Arop"]. Look for this years Bell West team to make another deep run at the state title.</p> <p><strong>Millard North Shoes to Fill</strong></p> <p>Everyone in the state knows how talented that Millard North team was last year graduating Sallis, Thomas, and Johnson. This years Mustangs seem to have kept that momentum from last year. [player_tooltip player_id="787647" first="Jasen" last="Green"] has turned his game up a notch over the summer and was dominant against Lincoln High this past week. Some other key players for the Mustangs this year are [player_tooltip player_id="1018812" first="David" last="Harmon"], who is living up to the #5 jersey this year, Omaha Central transfer [player_tooltip player_id="890581" first="Jakson" last="Page"], and sophomore trio [player_tooltip player_id="1131121" first="Neal" last="Mosser"], [player_tooltip player_id="1253971" first="Elijah" last="Gaeth"], and [player_tooltip player_id="1253989" first="Isaiah" last="McMorris"]. With how they played against Lincoln High and there 80-67 win over Westside in Columbus on Saturday watch for the Mustangs to have another great season. </p> <p><strong>Lincoln Southeast Young Talent</strong></p> <p>This young squad is going to be scary in the next year or two and I have been saying that seen I watched them in the summer and at the OSA Fall League. The Knights starting lineup consists of 2025 D’marius Shumaker, 2024 [player_tooltip player_id="1253988" first="Taye" last="Moore"], 2023’s [player_tooltip player_id="1023546" first="Bangot" last="Dak"] and [player_tooltip player_id="1018714" first="Wade" last="Voss"] and then the lone senior on the roster Jackson Martin. Experience is the only thing the Knights lack with several other underclassmen getting major minutes including another 2025 BJ Bradford. This will be a big year for them getting varsity experience but look for this young Knights squad to make noise in the next year or two.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Here are keys games to highlight across the state this week:</p> <p>Class A</p> <p>12/9 Omaha South @ Pius X</p> <p>12/9 Omaha Westside @ Omaha North</p> <p>12/10 Bellevue West @ Papillion La-Vista</p> <p>12/11 Omaha South @ Lincoln Southwest</p> <p>12/11 Pius X @ Bellevue West</p> <p>Class B</p> <p>12/7 Waverly @ Blair</p> <p>12/7 Elkhorn @ Platteview</p> <p>12/10 (A) North Platte @ Omaha Skutt Catholic</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>