This week is the 100th state high school basketball tournament, but it's next season that we should be celebrating, both the centennial of the hoops carnival and of the Nebraska School Activities Association.

Centennial means every century, every 100 years. Both the state tournament and the NSAA started in the 1910-11 school year, with the first Board of Control convening a month before 21 basketball teams met in Lincoln to determine an “official” state champion. That's 99 years ago, not 100.

Beatrice won the first state title 99 years ago. The Orangemen can party next year.

That's all right, NSAA. You only were using the “new math” in athletics such as the NFL, celebrating its 75th anniversary of its 1920 founding in 1994. Or the Omaha Royals, formed in 1969 and celebrating 40 years in 2008. The parent Royals, formed the same year, waited until 2009 for their 40th anniversary.

College football and professional baseball got it right with their centennials in 1969, celebrating the first games in 1869. Same for the United States Golf Association in 1995, 100 years after its 1895 formation.

What counts most this week, however, is which six teams will be leaving the Devaney Center on Saturday as state champions. All of last year's winners return except in D-1. Hastings St. Cecilia could be the first three-time champion in Class C-1. Rematches, from this season and from last year's tournament, abound. My goal is somehow to squeeze out three winners, topping colleague Mike Patterson for the second consecutive season this school year. I'd take a push, given the balance in many of these classes.

Class A

Six teams are capable of going all the way, and the other two, Grand Island and Millard South, are capable of being first-round spoilers.

The three deepest teams are Norfolk, Omaha Creighton Prep and Lincoln Southeast, but it's not unfathomable that the Omaha Central-Lincoln High winner or Omaha Bryan could be playing Saturday, either.

When the dust settles, the trophy should have Panther prints on it.

First round: Norfolk over G.I., Prep over Bryan, Southeast over Millard South, Central over Lincoln High.

Semifinals: Norfolk over Prep, Southeast over Central.

Final: Norfolk over Southeast.

Sleeper: Bryan.

Class B

Class A seems much easier to predict than this wide-open class, largely the result of the River Cities Conference teams beating on each other. It's up to Beatrice, which needs payback against Lincoln Pius X after losing to the Thunderbolts in the district final, to create an all-RCC final four.

The other three league schools in the field — South Sioux City, Omaha Skutt and defending champion Ralston — are first-round favorites.

If South Sioux City emerges as champion, the Cardinals could be starting a three-year run as the team to beat.

First round: South Sioux City over Sidney, Ralston over Adams Central, Skutt over Crete, Pius X over Beatrice.

Semifinals: South Sioux City over Ralston, Pius X over Skutt.

Final: South Sioux City over Pius X.

Sleeper: Beatrice.

Class C-1

St. Cecilia is also after its first football-basketball title sweep. And the only team that looks able to pluck the Bluehawks is Chadron and 6-11 Minnesota recruit Elliott Eliason, with a rematch of last year's final very probable.

First round: Chadron over Wilber-Clatonia, Falls City over Minden, St. Cecilia over Tekamah-Herman, Norfolk Catholic over Grand Island Central Catholic.

Semifinals: Chadron over Falls City, St. Cecilia over Norfolk Catholic.

Final: St. Cecilia over Chadron.

Sleeper: GICC.

Class C-2

Defending champion Ravenna was No. 1 until losing in the district final to Axtell, which took over the ratings lead. A rematch would be for the state title, and the Wildcats now have confidence guarding Ravenna's shooters.

First round: Axtell over Dundy County-Stratton, Fremont Bergan over Hartington Cedar Catholic, Ravenna over Sutton, Johnson County over Burwell.

Semifinals: Axtell over Bergan, Ravenna over Johnson County.

Final: Axtell over Ravenna.

Sleeper: Hartington Cedar Catholic.

Class D-1

Two 2009 runners-up are hungry to make it back to the finals: Freeman, in a drop from C-2, and Humphrey St. Francis, also going for a football-basketball double. Although Overton goes into the tournament No. 1 ahead of his team, 6-8 Northwest Missouri State recruit Kyle Schlake and Freeman should get the job done this time.

First round: Freeman over Sandhills/Thedford, Emerson-Hubbard over Humphrey, Overton over Randolph, St. Francis over Exeter-Milligan.

Semifinals: Freeman over Emerson-Hubbard, Overton over St. Francis.

Final: Freeman over Overton.

Sleeper: Randolph.

Class D-2

The smallest class could give the tournament its best semifinals. Ewing with returning All-Nebraska player Austin Kaczor. High-scoring Hay Springs. Defending champion Sterling. Once-beaten Hampton with Trevor Hoegh, its first new coach since 1969.

Sterling beat Ewing in overtime last year. The Tigers turn the tables in the rematch.

First round: Ewing over G.I. Heartland, Hay Springs over Giltner, Hampton over Lynch, Sterling over Hayes Center.

Semifinals: Ewing over Hay Springs, Sterling over Hampton.

Final: Ewing over Sterling.

Sleeper: Giltner.

Contact the writer:

444-1041, stu.pospisil@owh.com

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