Final Nebraska Storylines and Lingering Questions Before GJNC
This is it. USAV Nationals. I’ll be keeping tabs on all the Nebraska happenings in Las Vegas–and it all starts tomorrow. 16s and 17s are entering the spotlight alongside so many top competitors from the Great Plains Region. Let’s represent…
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Continue ReadingThis is it. USAV Nationals.
I’ll be keeping tabs on all the Nebraska happenings in Las Vegas–and it all starts tomorrow. 16s and 17s are entering the spotlight alongside so many top competitors from the Great Plains Region. Let’s represent the Cornhusker State well.
What will be looking for amidst all the drama and chaos? It’s time to lay out a few final storylines and lingering questions before this year’s season finale.
Which teams have their breakout moment?
A few Nebraska squads tend to exceed expectations at every iteration of USAV Nationals. Which team rises to the occasion this time?
2023 offered some stark examples of Great Plains Region overachievement. Nebraska ONE 16 Synergy’s third-place finish in 16 Open comes to mind. This group of Lincoln-area athletes sparred with some of the most physical frontcourts in the nation and reached the podium through grit and ball control. We won’t soon forget this high-profile triumph.
What about last year’s South Central NE 15 Black team? We documented this small-town squad’s rise to the semifinal round in 15 Liberty, capping off a brilliant season on the USAV circuit. It’s one of many GJNC “underdog” stories.
Both of the aforementioned teams are back for more in 2024–though they may not be considered dark horse squads anymore. Who is next to carry the banner?
Eyes on Open
USAV’s Open divisions always draw some extra scrutiny. Nebraska will be there.
Nebraska ONE 17 Synergy is accompanied by VCNebraska 17 Elite in the 17 Open field. 17 Elite drew plenty of attention for its dramatic run to an Open bid at April’s Salt Lake City Showdown. Another trip out west is on the docket as VCNebraska starts its journey in Pool 5. Challenging contests against MiElite, MAVS KC, and MKE Sting will kick off the Vegas proceedings. 17 Synergy, meanwhile, will start with familiar foes like Dallas Skyline, OTVA, and AVA.
Premier Nebraska 16 Gold is the long ranger in 16 Open. This squad, which earned a runner-up finish at the Show Me Qualifier, will meet COAST, OP2, and A5 in Wednesday’s opener. 16 Gold is seeded as an underdog but has a major opportunity to climb the ladder early.
Storylines abound in 15 Open. We have the extraordinary trinity featuring Premier Nebraska 15 Gold, VCNebraska 15 Elite, and Nebraska Elite 15 Revolution. Both Premier Nebraska and VCNebraska are slotted at the #2 seed in their six-team pools, so expectations will be high from the beginning. Nebraska Elite will climb from Pool 2 and start its upset bid right away. 15s are notoriously unpredictable!
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The Rankings Rise
Which players will boost their stock through the year’s biggest club event?
GJNC can quickly transform our scouting report on top players, under-the-radar athletes, and everyone in between. We plan to roll out our next rankings updates once the club season concludes. USAV Nationals will be fresh on our minds and help inform various rankings movements among every class we update.
This is especially vital for the Class of 2027, which will soon receive its first initial rankings. We’ve been building up to this update for a while, so USAV Nationals won’t be the sole determining factor for our list. However, players can still make big final impressions at GJNC and stake their claim as a late-season stock riser. Nothing is set in stone yet!
Next in Line
The Class of 2028 is on deck. Let’s get a sneak peek.
The 14s divisions will accompany the 15s for Wave 2 in Las Vegas. We have the usual suspects in this age group: VCNebraska , South Central NE, and a pair of Premier Nebraska squads. If you’re looking for the next impact freshmen on Nebraska’s high school season, this will be the place to look.
And we hope to see some of these athletes at the Nebraska Freshman Showcase later this month!
Use code KingsleyDig2024 for a discount on the entry fee to the Nebraska Stock-Up Showcase or Nebraska Freshman Showcase.
This is it. USAV Nationals.
Access all of Prep Dig
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