It’s about more than just a trophy. If you were sitting in the stands at Pinnacle Bank Arena this past March, you felt it. The air in Lincoln gets different during the state tournament. It’s heavy with the smell of popcorn and the desperate energy of small towns that basically shut down for four days just to watch their kids play on the big floor.
The nebraska state boys basketball 2025 tournament wasn’t just another set of games; it was a weekend defined by massive "firsts" and some of the most dominant "three-peats" we’ve seen in decades.
Honestly, everyone was talking about Bryson Bahl before the tournament even started. There’s a lot of pressure when your sister is a national softball phenom like Jordy Bahl, but Bryson lived up to every bit of the hype. He didn't just play; he delivered on a literal promise.
The Historic Breakthrough for Papillion-La Vista South
For 22 years, Papillion-La Vista South had been searching for that elusive Class A title. They’ve had great teams. They’ve had heartbreaking exits. But 2025 was the year the drought finally broke.
Under the guidance of Joel Hueser—the only head coach the school has ever known—the Titans survived a gauntlet. Their path wasn't easy. They had to outlast a physical Millard North squad in the semifinals just to earn a spot in the Saturday showcase against Omaha Westside.
The final was a 61-58 thriller that came down to the absolute wire. Westside, hunting for their first title since 1980, surged in the third quarter behind Lee Robinson and Emre Gedik. They actually grabbed a 47-46 lead early in the fourth. But Jayden Herrera answered with a personal 5-0 run that shifted the momentum back to the Titans.
Then came the moment everyone will remember. With 9.8 seconds left, Bryson Bahl stepped to the line. He had been 17-for-17 from the charity stripe during the tournament up to that point. He drained three more under the highest pressure imaginable to finish 20-for-20.
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"I'm not going to lie and tell you I wasn't nervous," Bahl said afterward. He finished with 21 points in the final, capping off a 75-point tournament performance. For Coach Hueser, it was a career-defining win. After two decades of building the program from scratch, he finally got to hoist the gold.
Omaha Skutt and the Three-Peat Club
While Papio South was celebrating their first, Omaha Skutt was cementing a dynasty. Their 64-49 win over Scottsbluff in the Class B final was a masterclass in wearing a team down.
For 24 minutes, Scottsbluff hung tough. Nate Kelley and John Boswell had the Bearcats roaring early, even leading 16-9 after the first quarter. But Skutt is just... big. You can’t teach 6'9", and having two of them in George Ziebell and Brock Scholl is almost unfair at the high school level.
The Skyhawks opened the fourth quarter with a devastating 11-0 run. Scottsbluff didn't even score a basket in the final period until there were less than three minutes left. By that point, the "three-peat" was a foregone conclusion. This run by Skutt is the longest in Class B history since the legendary Wahoo teams of the late 80s and early 90s.
Class D1: Johnson-Brock’s Defensive Masterclass
Speaking of three-peats, Johnson-Brock did the same in Class D1. They beat Howells-Dodge 61-46, but the score doesn't quite tell the whole story of how suffocating their defense was.
Camden Dalinghaus was the engine. He put up 20 points in the final and surpassed 1,500 career points in the process. But look at this stat: during their entire three-year championship run, Johnson-Brock never allowed an opponent to score more than 46 points in a state tournament game. That is fundamentally insane.
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The Underdog Story: Archbishop Bergan’s Miracle Run
If you love a Cinderella story, Class C2 was your bracket. Archbishop Bergan entered the tournament as the No. 8 seed. Usually, the eight-seed is just happy to be there. They typically get bounced on Wednesday and head home.
Not Bergan.
They became the first eight-seed to win a state title in Nebraska since 2009. They finished the season with nine losses—the most ever for a C2 champion—but they got hot at the exact right moment. They took down No. 1 seed Freeman in the opening round and eventually out-toughed Cross County 53-43 in the final. Trey Mooney and Gavin Baker simply refused to lose.
Class C1 and D2 Results at a Glance
- Class C1: Ashland-Greenwood returned to the top of the mountain with a 53-39 win over Omaha Concordia. It was their third title in four years. Derek Tonjes was a beast inside, averaging over 17 points and 9 rebounds. The real story here was Cooper Westerhold, who returned to play after having a bone tumor removed from his femur over the summer.
- Class D2: St. Mary’s (O'Neill) dominated Wynot 63-51. Ben Barlow and Gage Hedstrom provided a one-two punch that Wynot just couldn't solve. It was a wire-to-wire performance that proved St. Mary's was the class of the field all season long.
Why the 2025 Tournament Felt Different
There’s a misconception that high school sports are becoming too "corporate" or "AAU-focused." If you watched the nebraska state boys basketball 2025 finals, you know that’s not true.
You saw Scottsbluff fans drive seven hours across the state to fill half the arena. You saw kids from Johnson-Brock playing for their neighbors and cousins. The nuance of Nebraska basketball is in the geography. When a team from the Panhandle like Scottsbluff makes a run, it’s a regional event.
The 2025 tournament also highlighted the "Bahl Effect." Having a high-profile recruit like Bryson Bahl (who signed with South Dakota State) stay at his local public school instead of heading to a prep academy matters. It keeps the local stakes high.
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Lessons for the 2026 Season
If you're a coach or a player looking at these results, there are a few clear takeaways.
First, defense still wins in Lincoln. Ashland-Greenwood and Johnson-Brock didn't win because they had the best shooters; they won because they were physical and disciplined. They "bought in" to a defensive identity that frustrated more talented offensive teams.
Second, the "Big Man" isn't dead. Omaha Skutt utilized their length to completely shut down the paint in the fourth quarter of the Class B final. If you have size, you have a chance at PBA.
Finally, don't sleep on the seeds. Archbishop Bergan proved that the regular season is just a dress rehearsal. Once you get to Lincoln, the records go out the window.
Next Steps for Nebraska Basketball Fans:
- Keep an eye on Omaha Westside for 2026; they return a huge chunk of their rotation and will be the favorites in Class A.
- Check the NSAA's upcoming classification changes, as several C1 powerhouses might be shifting based on enrollment numbers.
- Watch the development of junior standout Hunter Luther at Howells-Dodge, who is expected to be a top player in the state next season.