The 2025 NSAA boys basketball state championship tournament is underway in Lincoln Opening round games in Classes C1, D1, and Class A took place on Wednesday. The Cozad Haymakers fell to Ashland Greenwood in the opening round of the Class C1 tournament. Cozad trailed by just three at the half but Ashland Greenwood outscored Cozad 15-7 in the third quarter and pulled away in the second half for a 60-45 win. Cozad leading scorer for the season, Noah Shoemaker, was held to just five points for the game. Chayden Hoffmaster led the Haymakers in scoring with a team high 12 points. Cozad finishes the season at 24-4. Ashland Greenwood advances to the semifinals on Friday where they will face top seed Lincoln Lutheran who cruised past Fillmore Central in the opening round 64-26. Lutheran was led today by Jacob Diutsman who finished with a game high 27 points. In other C1 action on Wednesday, Doniphan-Trumbull knocked off the #2 seed Ogallala 57-45. DT knocked down ten 3’s in the game and was a perfect 13-13 from the free throw line. Ogallala was 5 of 16 from the 3 point line and 2 of 6 from the free throw line. Ogallala ends the season at 24-2. Doniphan-Trumbull will face Omaha Concordia in the semifinals. Omaha Concordia edged Sidney 49-45.
In Class D1, top seed Johnson Brock defeated Elmwood Murdock 73-32. JB shot 50% from the field and were led by Camden Dalinghaus who finished with 19 points. JB advances to Friday’s semifinals where they will face McCool Junction. McCool Junction jumped out to a 17-5 lead over Elm Creek in the first quarter. Elm Creek closed to within 9 at the half but McCool Junction outscored the Buffaloes 22-6 in the third quarter to pull away for a 65-34 win. Elm Creek concludes the season at 21-5. On the other side of the bracket, Howells-Dodge defeated Dundy County Stratton 54-40 and Bancroft-Rosalie defeated North Platte St. Pat’s 59-53.
In Class A action Wednesday, top seed Papillion La Vista South advanced to the semifinals with a 76-58 win over Papillion La Vista. La Vista South will face Millard North in the semis. North defeated Bellevue West 62-44. On the other side of the Class A bracket, Omaha Westside defeated Lincoln Southwest 87-49 and Lincoln Southeast knocked off Lincoln North Star 58-57.
