Girls hoops: A closer look at the Capital City's high school basketball teams

Once again, the city of Lincoln will have a wealth of basketball talent, and state tournament contenders from Class A to Class D-2. Here’s a look at the teams.

Lincoln East

Coach: Alex McCleary. Last season’s record:Key returners: Regan Barnard, 5-6, sr., G; Keatyn Musiel, 5-9, sr., G/F; Madison Adams, 5-9, sr., G/F; Brooklyn Rasmussen, 5-8, sr., G. Outlook: The Spartans have two starters back from last year’s team that made it to a district final, and add Keatyn Musiel, who missed her junior year after averaging eight points and five rebounds per game as a sophomore. Add in three returning senior letterwinners, and East appears to have the pieces to make another deep postseason run.

Lincoln High

Coach: Jeff Rump. Last season’s record:Key returners: None. Outlook: After a spectacular two-year run, the Links will be starting over with a new coach and a largely new roster after the graduation of eight seniors. Jeff Rump, who coached at Lincoln Southwest for seven years before retiring in 2021, is returning to the bench to take over for Dominique Kelley, who stepped down in October to take over as CEO and executive director of the Boys and Girls Club of Lincoln/Lancaster County.

Lincoln Northeast

Coach: Matt VanEngen. Last season’s record:Key returners: Doneelah Washington, 6-1, sr., C; Serena Heeren, 6-0, sr., F; Khadijah Phillips, 5-7, sr., G; Yelaniya Bradley, 5-6, sr., G. Outlook: Four starters return for first-year coach Matt VanEngen, who takes over for Charity Iromuanya after coaching the Rockets junior varsity program. VanEngen will have one of the best frontcourts in Class A at his disposal, with Illinois State commit Doneelah Washington and fellow 6-footer Serena Heeren anchoring the paint. Six seniors have Northeast hoping to return to state for the first time since 2017.

Lincoln North Star

Coach: Tommy Johnson. Last season’s record:Key returners: Sarah Gatwech, 6-0, jr., G; Ani Leu, 6-0, so., G; Kendall Anderson, 5-10, so., G. Outlook: The Gators were a feel-good story last season, downing Lincoln Pius X in overtime to qualify for their first-ever state tournament. Now North Star will be among the top teams in Class A, with a good chunk of a young roster back from a squad that won 14 of its final 17 games in 2023. Gatwech and Leu were both all-city selections last season and should lead the way this year.

Lincoln Pius X

Coach: Ryan Psota. Last season’s record:Key returners: Keeleigh Knobbe, 5-11, jr. ,G; Sara Iburg, 5-11, sr., G. Outlook: It should be another good Bolts team, and one that’s motivated, too, after last season’s district final loss to North Star snapped a string of six straight state appearances. Knobbe and Iburg give Pius X good size at the guard spot, and eight other letterwinners return as well.

Lincoln Southeast

Coach: Isaiah Dell. Last season’s record:Key returners: Nyaluak Dak, 6-2, sr., F; Kya Branch, 5-7, sr., G; Catrice Olds, 5-9, sr., F; Kaitlyn Freudenberg, 5-9, jr., G/F; Mya Montoya, 5-4, jr., G. Outlook: Five starters return for Southeast, led by 6-foot-2 Texas A&M Commerce commit Nyaluak Dak. Can that experience help the Knights find a way to get over the hump against the top teams on their schedule? Eight of Southeast’s 14 losses last season came against opponents that finished with at least 17 wins.

Lincoln Southwest

Coach: Tim Barada. Last season’s record:Key returners: Kennadi Williams, 5-3, sr., G; Emma Dosta, 5-5, jr., G; Hayden Rathe, 5-6, jr. G; Elanor Griffin, 6-0, so., F. Outlook: Just one senior on the roster, but she’s an important one a fully healthy Kennadi Williams returns after missing all but five games last season with a knee injury. The Husker commit averaged 11.3 points per game in limited minutes. Dostal, Rathe and Griffin also return as starters and will be counted on to lead a roster with eight freshmen and sophomores.

Lincoln Northwest

Coach: Tamara Gerlach. Last season’s record: N/A. Key returners: N/A. Outlook: The Falcons will play their first season of varsity basketball this season after competing at the junior varsity level last year. Gerlach was named head coach in May.

Lincoln Standing BearCoach: Jordan Haag. Last season’s record: N/A. Key returners: N/A. Outlook: In its first season as a program, Standing Bear will play a primarily reserve schedule this season before adding varsity hoops in 2024-25. The team includes 11 freshmen and two sophomores.

Lincoln Christian

Coach: Scott Klein. Last season’s record:Key returners: Annie Hueser, 5-8, sr., G; Kena Ailes, 6-1, jr., F; Mattea Kassebaum, 5-8, jr., G; Jessa Hueser, 5-8, so., G; Maci Pittenger, 5-7, so., G. Outlook: The Crusaders are on the short list of C-1 state title contenders. Four starters return from last season’s 22-4 squad that lost a close game to Bridgeport at state, including Ailes, who averaged 17.2 points and 11 rebounds during an all-state season as a sophomore. If Christian can develop some bench depth, look out.

Lincoln Lutheran

Coach: Andrew Broders. Last season’s record:Key returners: Jenna Luebbe, 5-8, sr., G; Ava Stroud, 6-1, sr., C; Sophie Wohlgemuth, 5-10, sr., F. Outlook: First-year coach Andrew Borders is hoping the state championship volleyball pedigree of Luebbe, Stroud, and Wohlgemuth can rub off on the hoops team. The Warriors lack experience outside of their three returning starters, but the athleticism is there.

Parkview Christian

Coach: Chris Newton. Last season’s record:Key returners: Merryl Paul, jr., F; Jada Smith, sr., G/F; Maria Pastrelo, sr., G; Priscila Cabrales, sr., G; Mikeyla Rivera, so., G. Outlook: Four starters return from a team that was oh-so-close to making the program’s first state tournament, falling to Brady in the D2-4 district final. New coach Chris Newton has a good senior nucleus to build around as the Patriots try again to make history.