NTL GIRLS BASKETBALL: NEB KEEPS ROLLING IN 2025-2026 (March 17, 2026)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
It was another banner raising year for NEB girls basketball, but it just wasn’t the banner they were hoping to raise. The Panthers finished with another 20-win season, claimed their seventh straight NTL Small School title, but came up short in their quest for district gold.

“It was another successful season, if not ending the way we would like,” said NEB coach Ben Beebe. “But when you have the success that we have had the expectations are always high. It was a great year, and the experience that the girls have gained will be beneficial for the future.”

Amazingly, they went on a 19-game win streak during the regular season, not losing game in 2026 until the NTL Showcase semifinals.

They opened with a win over Blue Ridge (51-37), but then lost to Wyalusing and Troy in back to back contests.

They bounced back with a win over Milton (37-27), as they wound up sweeping Canton (37-33, 41-32), beat large school foes Athens (42-33) and Towanda (47-45), while getting big non-league wins over playoff teams South Williamsport (48-37), eventual district champions Muncy (35-30), and Bloomsburg in overtime (41-40).

Unfortunately, they went 1-3 the rest of the season, falling to Towanda in the NTL Showcase semifinals. 

After beating Montgomery in the first round of districts, they lost to eventual final four bound Southern Columbia in the semifinals, and then dropped the consolation finals to Northwest.

The Panthers were led by quick and heady point guard Leah Beebe, who, despite her size, who score inside and out, and finished with over 1,000 career points.

Behind her were a strong quartet of juniors in Mallorie Maynard, Kara Dughi, Aurelia Kolesar, and Katrina Russell.

Maynard stepped up as the second leading scorer on the team, Dughi found her stride the second half of the season as Beebe’s backcourt running mate, Kolesar did a little bit of everything for the Panthers, while Russell provided defense and rebounding inside.

Senior Izzy Kapr came out this year to provide help off the bench.

They’ll say good-bye to Beebe, who was their starting point guard for the last three seasons.

“Losing a great leader and a true teammate in Leah, they will have a hole to fill but with this group of girls I think they will be great,” Beebe said. 

They return four of five starters, their entire bench, and will welcome an incoming freshman group.

“The group of juniors have so much potential,” Beebe said. “And the younger girls are a hard working group. They wonderful young ladies and I don’t see any let down to come.”

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