2026 Class B Boys State Basketball Preview
The Nebraska boys take their turn at center court when it comes to putting on the show that decides which basketball programs take home the championship hardware. While many of the same programs are back in the hunt, there are no guarantees when it comes to March Madness.
Omaha Skutt Catholic kicks off its Class B state title defense when the SkyHawks hit the court against Lincoln Pius X Thursday at 1:30 pm at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Led by Charlie Morrow, the Thunderbolts hope to flip the script on George Ziebell and Skutt after falling to the SkyHawks twice during the regular season.
The Class B quarterfinal featuring Elkhorn North and Wahoo is a No. 1 vs No. 2 battle of sorts. The Wolves are led by Sutton Piatkowski, the Class B field's leading scorer, while No. 2 scorer Cody Hesser leads the Warriors in their quest for another hoops title.
Led by Blaize Jung and Landon McCarville, Bennington hopes to right one of its eight regular season losses when the Badgers tip off against Norris at 6 pm at PBA. Chris Garner, Jr. will lead a balanced attack against Bennington as the Titans look to advance through the bracket.
Scottsbluff and Gretna East round out Day 1 action in Class B at 7:45 pm at PBA. The Bearcats, who are led by Rylee Meininger's 17 points a game, upended Gretna East 71-53 in their only matchup of the year. Drayke Brown and the Griffins hope to pull the rug out from under another Scottsbluff state tournament run and make some history of their own.