By Marisa Dawson
The Bennington Badgers girls basketball team advanced to the Class B semifinals of the 2026 NSAA State Tournament with a 62-42 victory over the Scottsbluff Bearcats on Thursday night at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln.
The undefeated Badgers (now 26-0) overcame a slow start and some early challenges to pull away, showcasing their defensive prowess and composure in a physical matchup. Scottsbluff (17-9), a tough and physical squad, tested Bennington early, but the Badgers refocused defensively in the second half to secure the win and move on to the Final Four.
Head Coach John O’Connor reflected on the game and the grit his team displayed.
“A lot of respect to Scottsbluff, they’re a very good team,” O’Connor said to start. “We knew coming down to the state tournament, obviously you’re going to play tough teams and close games. I thought our girls weathered some foul trouble and how to keep our composure again. Scottsbluff is a very physical team, so we had to answer that physical part of it. I thought our girls did a good job in the second half.”
O’Connor highlighted the halftime adjustments that sparked the turnaround. “It was a refocus on the defensive end and going back to what we are good at and what’s got us here. Then focusing a little bit more on the defensive and rebounding part,” he explained. Looking ahead, he kept it simple: “Obviously it’s going to get even tougher and I have a lot of respect for Beatrice and Pius- whoever comes out of that is going to be really tough and we’ll try to get ready for it.”
Sophomore player Allie John (pictured below) expressed gratitude for the team’s journey and resilience after not playing for over two weeks. “Honestly, we just have to keep going and take every team seriously. We worked really hard for this moment all season, and it really means a lot to get this far already,” she said. “Depending on each other and pushing each other to get better every single day is how we’ve gotten this far, and I’m just grateful for every opportunity we have,” John said.
Looking forward, John added she is looking forward to the challenge of tonight’s game, “Pius is a good team, really. I’m excited to see what happens and how we play and how we execute and just excited to see what’s next.”
Fellow sophomore Macie Reiner shared the excitement of returning to state and aiming higher than last year’s Final Four appearance. “It’s honestly just awesome. It’s been a dream my whole life. Last year was so cool, going to the final Four. We lost last year, so we’re just trying to move on forward and keep going and win,” Reiner said. We asked what it would mean to her and the team to make it to the finals tomorrow. “It’d mean everything. I mean, we lost last year in the final four, so if we keep going, it’ll be the farthest Bennington girls have made it. It’d just be awesome being able to go and it’s so exciting.”
She credited the team’s unity for how far she has come as a player and their undefeated season so far. “The teamwork here has been amazing work. Everyone has put in throughout the season, off season, and our coaches have helped out so much and it’s just been awesome. Such a great season.”
Reiner (pictured below) also touched on the atmosphere and contributions from the roster: “There were definitely some nerves, but it was awesome because we were here last year, so it’s nice having that experience,” she said, touching on the atmosphere leading up to last night’s game. “We were nervous, but we were excited and ready to go, ready to win… It was nice because we got to see a bunch of freshmen that haven’t played yet play in state. And then our seniors got a bunch of playing time, which was awesome for everyone.”
The win sets up an exciting semifinal matchup tonight against No. 3 Lincoln Pius X (who advanced with a 38-24 win over Beatrice in their quarterfinal). Tip-off is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln.
Bennington fans, let’s pack the arena and turn it into a sea of blue! Cheer on the Badgers as they chase a historic run and a shot at the state championship game.
