Elm Creek's Quin Oberg (1) dunks the ball after the Buffaloes defeated North Platte St. Patrick's, 55-46, in a Class D-1 Nebraska boys state basketball tournament first round game at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, on Thursday, March 12, 2026.
NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD
Elm Creek's Ethan Fries (0) goes up for a 3-pointer against North Platte St. Patrick's Peyton Kramer (55) during the first half of a Class D-1 Nebraska boys state basketball tournament first round game at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, on Thursday, March 12, 2026.
NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD
Elm Creek's Kolten Keim (2) goes up for a layup during the first half of a Class D-1 Nebraska boys state basketball tournament first round game against North Platte St. Patrick's at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, on Thursday, March 12, 2026.
LINCOLN — Elm Creek didn’t start strong, but it sure finished strong Thursday to close out North Platte St. Patrick’s in a first-round game of the boys state basketball tournament.
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The week's Graham Tire Athlete of the Week is Elm Creek’s Kendal Cavenee. The Elm Creek junior scored 44 points in three state tournament games in helping the Buffaloes go 2-1 and a third-place finish in Class D-1. She scored a game-high 13 points during Elm Creek’s 47-21 win over Cross County on Thursday. After scoring only eight points in a 44-31 loss to eventual champion Howells-Dodge, Cavenee scored 23 points in a 56-54 win over Sutton in the third-place game on Saturday. The Buffaloes finished 24-5 on the season.
Elm Creek's Quin Oberg (1) dunks the ball after the Buffaloes defeated North Platte St. Patrick's, 55-46, in a Class D-1 Nebraska boys state basketball tournament first round game at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, on Thursday, March 12, 2026.
Elm Creek's Ethan Fries (0) goes up for a 3-pointer against North Platte St. Patrick's Peyton Kramer (55) during the first half of a Class D-1 Nebraska boys state basketball tournament first round game at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, on Thursday, March 12, 2026.
Elm Creek's Kolten Keim (2) goes up for a layup during the first half of a Class D-1 Nebraska boys state basketball tournament first round game against North Platte St. Patrick's at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, on Thursday, March 12, 2026.
