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    Heartland PrepBasketball Scoop
    Class D1 Boys
    State Tournament

    Class D1 Boys State Basketball Preview

    By Dean Backes
    March 2024
    5 min read

    The Nebraska boys take their turn at center court this weekend and will crown six state champions over the course of the next four days. While many of the same programs are back in the hunt, there are plenty of schools making it on the brackets after missing the chaos for a year or two, or more.

    While there are no rematches scheduled for Wednesday's Class D1 quarterfinal action, there is plenty of basketball excitement on the docket. MaxPreps No. 1 and defending Class D1 state champion Johnson-Brock and ninth-ranked Elmwood-Murdock are set to square off at 9 AM at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

    At 10:45 AM, No. 4 McCool Junction and fifth-ranked Elm Creek will try to advance at the dismay of the other while No. 2 Howells-Dodge will take center court against eighth-ranked Dundy County Stratton at 6 PM at Devaney.

    Picking the Class D1 Field

    Quarterfinals

    No. 1 Johnson-Brock (26-1) over No. 9 Elmwood-Murdock (14-11)
    No. 4 McCool Junction (21-5) over No. 5 Elm Creek (21-4)
    No. 2 Howells-Dodge (22-5) over No. 8 Dundy County Stratton (19-5)
    No. 6 Bancroft-Rosalie (21-4) over No. 3 North Platte St. Patrick's (19-6)

    Championship

    No. 1 Johnson-Brock (28-1) over No. 2 Howells-Dodge (24-5)

    Dark Horse

    Elm Creek

    Top Scoring Leaders

    Quin Oberg
    Elm Creek
    21.4
    534 pts
    Mapieu Kouchinin
    McCool Junction
    21
    399 pts
    Aidan Schmidt
    Elmwood-Murdock
    20.1
    503 pts
    Benjamin Heirigs
    North Platte St. Patrick's
    18.4
    442 pts
    Camden Dalinghaus
    Johnson-Brock
    16.9
    455 pts

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