State Boys Basketball Tournament - D-1/D-2 Views

[Bobby Mills Jr. (1000 Yard Guy)]

GICC Assistant Coach, Rob Micek contributed to this article.

If you’re a high school basketball aficionado, this week has to be at the top of your list. Nebraska Boys State Basketball time is upon us. Even if your favorite team didn’t make the Big Show in Lincoln, this Thursday through Saturday will be special.
We will be previewing all the Classes but “A” this week, giving you a little insight from Coach’s view and also some tips on who to watch. Might even venture out on a limb and make a prediction or two.

CLASS D-2
Players Who Can Score:
Austin Kazcor-6-4-Jr.-Ewing………….28.1 (10.7 Boards/Game)
Lars Backward-6-1-Jr.-Hay Springs…..20.1
Zach Sibbel-O’Neill St. Marys-6-3-Sr...19.8 (12.3 Boards/Game)
Cody Eiler-O’Neill St. Marys-5-11-Sr…17.5
Keifer Messersmith-6-0-Jr……………..16.1

Well, it’s safe to say the masses are leaning toward a St. Marys-Ewing Finals match-up, which would be the rubber game in a 3 game series. Might be a good prediction at this point, but there are 6 remaining teams that just may other ideas. First of all, there is a Jimmy Motz coached group at Sterling that has not faced one D-2 school during the regular season except Falls City Sacred Heart…….you guessed it, they meet again in the opening round Thursday. Then, the invaders form the West, that talented group from Hayes Center, led by returning All-Stater Matt Gohl, who averages a double-double for the season.

And………..here’s a peak at those First Round games:
#1 Sterling (19-4)
#8 Falls City Sacred Heart (12-9)
*Teams have faced each other 3 times this season, and as most know, the Irish have cut the margin of victory down each time. Goltz is one of the best, but Motz is doing one heck of a job with the Jets and is just fresh enough to relate to the kids and get them ready. No doubt about the height advantage, Sterling has it big time, but the Irish won the whole deal last season and Santo and Vonderschmidt were part of that Championship crew. 6-5 Junior Zach Lemka could hurt inside if the Irish don’t collapse on him.

#5 O’Neill St. Marys (22-1)
#4 Hay Springs (22-0)
*Unbeaten with 3 Sophomore starters is awfully impressive for the Springs, but Sibble and Eiler are probably a cut above what they have faced anytime this year. The Hawks average margin of victory is 34 points and they pour in almost 75/game, but even with the better competition, St, Marys still beats their opponents by 27 a contest.
This well seasoned Senior starting 5 will pose a difficult task for Hay Springs. Last season the Cardinals beat Ewing in the first round, then suffered two losses the next two days, but this O’Neill bunch could pull away from the young Hay Springs team in this one if the aura of the deal gets to the Western bunch. A word of warning though: The Hawks have only one Senior and Jr. Lars Backward is a dandy and will be a great leader next season. Win or lose, this experience is of great value to this team.

#2 Hayes Center (20-2)
#7 Litchfield (21-3)
*Hayes Center advanced to the Semi’s in D-1 last season, beat this year’s C-2 State qualifier Sutherland, beat North Platte St. Pats, and Cambridge, both of whom are nice C-2 squads. Litchfield has not faced that kind of competition, but has quickness in the likes of 2-year 1000 Yard Rusher, Blake Siegel. Kevin Unick can drain the trey and will not hesitate to shoot from NBA range. Hayes Center’s 6-5 All-State Center, Matt Gohl averages a double/double, but will not go uncontested in the lane with the Trojan’s 6-5 Sophomore Adam Kucera. Kucera has great bloodlines, has some things to improve on, but has nice skills for a youngster. The Cards experience will probably be the difference here, but former hoops standout and 1000 Yarder, Coach Dan Bolling has the kids believing.

#3 Hampton (21-2)
#6 Ewing (23-1)
*Swan song for the King of Victories, Hampton’s Jerry Eickhoff, who will hang it up after Saturday. Too bad they had to draw Ewing, who appears to be sooooo strong inside with the State’s leading scorer, Austin Kaczor. If there is any magic left in the Hawks tank, Eickhoff would be the man to bring it to the surface, but my gosh this Ewing team is battle tested and even though 6-1 Dwayne Wall can jump to the moon, he will have a rough time stopping the Tigers in the paint. This town of Ewing is riding a high that most communities will never experience in both boy’s and girl’s athletics, and superior athleticism of guys like Brett Kaczor, Beau Fry, Josh Switzer, and crew might be too big an obstacle for Eickhoff’s Hampton team to overcome. Remember though, Hampton plays a mighty stingy defense that has allowed 33/per this season. Jerry Eickhoff, you are one of the best there ever was, win or lose!

CLASS D-1

LEADING SCORERS:
Delmar Parker-6-2 Sr.-Omaha Nation………19.0
Ivan Simic-6-5 Sr.-Arapahoe………………..18.5 (11 Rebounds/Game)
Derek Classen-6-0 Sr. Humphrey St. Francis.17.9
Derek Snyder-6-1 Sr.-Burwell………………16.9
Caleb Lammers-6-4 Sr.-Hartington…………16.3
Eric Johnson-6-2 Sr.- Mead…………………16.0

Fremont Bergan has moved up a Class, so this class will be assured a new title holder this season. Only Mead and St. Frans are back from last year, although Bruning-Davenport qualified in D-2 in ‘08 and Hayes Center is in the D-2 field THIS year after making it in this group a season back. The B-D Storm would likely be considered the frontrunner here, but this field is loaded with some nice talent and should make for an interesting 3 days.

Bruning-Davenport (23-2)
Giltner (18-2)
*B-D is rated Numero Uno in D-1 and is on a 19 game winning streak, having lost 2 games before Santa Claus arrived. The Storm’s losses came at the hands of C-1 Kearney Catholic, and D-2 power Sterling by 3 and 4 points respectively. This team is loaded with experience and will pose big problems for Giltner, who likes to drive to the hoop. Big 6-7 Brett Houchin will plug the middle and on offense averages close to a double/double. Garrett Hoins is not far behind in scoring, averaging over 13/game.
Giltner is young, but has three players scoring in double figures per game. Brock Hinrichs and Nate Most will have to fire threes to compete. It’s been 14 years since the Hornets have been to Lincoln. A score that does not show up on their record is a very close call to GICC’s reserves in a Holiday Tournament……concern? Giltner has a future multi-sport star in Freshman Drew Ott, especially in Football. Remember that name.

Humphrey St. Francis (19-4)
Hartington (19-3)
*Well, dang it, the Flyers just beat Hartington by 21 a week ago, but I’m just guessing the ‘Cats are going to do something about that margin on Thursday. It’s been almost 30 years since Hartington has been here and sometimes these guys just get lost in the shuffle with Cedar grabbing all the headlines. Don’t kid yourself, this public school is not going down easy, but man this St. Francis team is just so battle tested with schools on the schedule like NORFOLK CATHOLIC, BATTLE CREEK, HARTINGTON C.C. AND Aquinas. The Classen boys are excellent and the gridiron talent always seems to carry over to the maple for the Flyers. The Lammers kid from Hartington will be a player a BB fan will enjoy seeing, but not St. Frans.

Arapahoe (25-1)
Mead (16-6)
*Might look like a fairly easy game for Arapahoe, but Mead played a schedule with C-2 competition. These kids know how to play at State evidenced by the 51-39 lost to powerful Fremont Bergan in last year’s D-1 Semis. Eric Johnson is a dandy for the Raiders, who like to keep it in the 50’s. Arapahoe boasts the kid from across water, Ivan Simic who can fill it up from inside. What I remember most about Arapahoe is the “Fab Five” from 1999-2001. Remember when they qualified for State back in ’99 with those five Sophomores: Adam Lambert, Brad Braithwait, Jon Urbom, Anthony Fisher, and Chase Crawford? That bunch only won ONE game in three years at State and I’m guessing this group would like to better that era in just 2009 alone. This puppy could be a smokin' game, me thinks!

Omaha Nation (21-4)
Burwell (21-2)
*This baby might be the one a WHOLE bunch of folks are waiting for. Watch for the Macy backers in the rafters with the big Tom Toms…quite a sight if they still do it. The Chiefs, led by high scoring Delmar Parker, will run you to death if you let them.
If you are into scoring, this might be the game to catch, because Burwell has the speed and athleticism to play that kind of a game if Coach Garrett Mann wants to do that gig.
The Longhorns would like to make amends for an unexpected exit in the football playoffs and players like Snyder, N-L Scotia transfer, Grant “Speedy” Gebhardt, and Jake Homquist could lead this bunch to a Title game on Saturday.