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Oak Hill Academy in 2013, then who for Omaha Central?

The Eagles have a two-year deal to appear in the Heartland Hoops Classic in Grand Island, in February 2013 and 2014, and the follow-up to Oak Hill in 2014 could be another of the nation's best-known prep programs, either St. Anthony's in New Jersey with legendary coach Bob Hurley or Findlay Prep from suburban Las Vegas.

Heartland Classic organizer Tino Martinez said both schools were interested in next year and he'll try to get one signed for 2014. In the latest MaxPreps Freeman computer rankings, Oak Hill is first, St. Anthony third, Central seventh and Findlay 10th.

Central thus has the challenges that it isn't getting this year and maybe not next year, either, from instate competition. Just look at its game Saturday against No. 3 Papillion-La Vista. The Monarchs came within five points of Central early in the fourth quarter — no team has been closer this season — and lost by 18.

Central coach Eric Behrens said he tried unsuccessfully to line up a national opponent for this season. The state scheduling rules that restrict teams to 18 games plus two tournaments limit his options. Central has to play in the Omaha Public Schools Jamboree on opening weekend and in the Metro Conference holiday tournament, so Behrens said additional tournaments aren't possible.

There's a chance, however, that next year's schedule may have more than Oak Hill on it.

"We've had a couple people contact us,'' Behrens said. "There might be something else."

Oak Hill will be the fourth national or regional power Central has played since 2006. The Eagles lost 81-70 to Reserve (La.) Christian in 2006 and 75-41 to Montverde (Fla.) Academy in 2007 as part of the now-defunct Omaha Shootout and beat Linn-Mar (Iowa) 66-65 in 2008 at UNO.

No Nebraska team that I know of has played a national No. 1-ranked team or, from the 1920s, a team that went on to win the national interscholastic tournament at the University of Chicago. The closest was 1922 state champion Sutton, which lost in the second round in Chicago to the eventual national runner-up.

None of the out-of-state teams Omaha promoter Jim Huffman brought in to Pershing Center in Lincoln for his Nebraska Holiday Prep Classics in the 1990s was in that category, either.

Who's hot, not: Omaha Bryan has won eight of nine, the loss a two-pointer to South Sioux City, and is the healthiest it's been since December with a rematch in store Thursday night at Central. The Bears were five points down to Central with 3:45 left in the OPS Jamboree final before losing by 14, still the closest game of the season for the Eagles.

Lincoln High has won seven of eight, with the loss a blowout by South Sioux. Lincoln North Star and Lincoln Southwest each has won six of seven, Bellevue West five of six. All are in this week's Class A Top 10.

On the flip side are Lincoln Southeast, which has lost three straight, and Omaha Benson, on a four-game skid. Both are unable to stay in the new rankings. Southeast dropped overtime games last week to Papillion-La Vista and Class B Lincoln Pius X after losing the previous week to Lincoln High. Benson followed narrow losses to Omaha Burke and Omaha North (in overtime) with losses last week to Bryan and Southwest.

Here's an oddity — the Bunnies have lost to all six of their OPS rivals (1-6 overall) but are 10-3 against the rest of their schedule.

Saw them both: My colleague, Mike Patterson, had a pair of Page One stories last week on the pink-uniform flap in the Columbus-Omaha Burke girls game and on flawed basketballs.

So what happens at the first game I cover after those stories appeared? It's a Pink-Out night at South Sioux City, with the Cardinals boys displaying their support for breast cancer research in permissible fashion by donning pink shooting shirts. Then at tipoff, referee Steve Farlee of Norfolk checks the game ball, says it's no good and asks for a replacement.

A salute, too, from that game goes to Omaha Gross, which had school officials buy 50 of the $5 pink T-shirts for their students.

Top games this week:

Class A—Monday: Millard West at Omaha Bryan. Tuesday: Lincoln SW at Omaha Westside. Thursday: Omaha Bryan at Omaha Central, Grand Island at Kearney. Friday: Kearney at Lincoln High, Millard North at Millard West, Norfolk at Elkhorn South, Omaha Benson at Omaha Creighton Prep. Saturday: Lincoln High at Lincoln North Star, Lincoln SE at Norfolk, Omaha Westside at Millard North, Prep at Millard West, Omaha North at Omaha South.

Class B—Tuesday: Gretna at Omaha Skutt, Sioux City North at South Sioux City. Thursday: Elkhorn at Elkhorn South. Friday: Scottsbluff vs. Gering at WNCC-Scottsbluff, Grand Island NW at McCook. Saturday: Aurora at Grand Island NW.

Contact the writer:

402-444-1041, stu.pospisil@owh.com

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