The Nebraska High School All-State Basketball Project - Saluting 2009

The

Boys basketball had six classes in 2008-09. Each class qualified eight teams for the Boys State Basketball Tournament held on March 12, 13, and 14, 2009, in Lincoln.

Class A was divided into seven districts with the district champions and one wild-card team selected on the basis of a point system qualifying for the state tournament. Lincoln East was the wild-card team for Class A.

Class B was divided into six districts with the district champions and two wild-card teams, selected on the basis of a point system qualifying for the state tournament. Sidney and Waverly were the Class B wild-card teams.

For the sixth year in NSAA history, Classes C1, C2, D1 and D2 also had two wild-card qualifiers. Classes C1, C2, D1 and D2 were divided into twelve sub-districts and six districts. The winners of the district finals in each class advanced to the state tournament. The two non-district champions with the highest wild-card average received invitations to the state tournament.

The Class C1 wildcard qualifiers were Bennington and Minden. Elmwood-Murdock and Axtell were the C2 wild cards. In D1, Hartington and Mead received the wild cards. Falls City Sacred Heart and Hampton were the D2 wild-card winners.

For the second consecutive season, the NSAA played third-place games, pairing the two teams losing in the semifinal round. Paid attendance: 94,286.

*Class D-2:*

Ewing (Greg Appleby), Falls City Sacred Heart (Doug Goltz), Hampton (Jerry Eickhoff), Hayes Center (Louis Cuellar), Hay Springs (Jeremy Weisler), Litchfield (Dan Bolling), O’Neill St. Marys (Gary Chvala), Sterling (Jimmy Motz).

Quarterfinals:

(19-4) Sterling 50, Falls City Sacred Heart 35 (12-9)

(22-0) Hay Springs 65, O’Neill St. Marys 64 (22-1)

(20-2) Hayes Center 87, Litchfield 40 (21-3)

(19-4) Ewing 54, Hampton 44 (20-5)

Semifinals:

(20-4) Sterling 54, Hay Springs 53 (23-0)

(20-4) Ewing 62, Hayes Center 56 (21-2)

Finals:

(21-4) Sterling 49, Ewing 48 (21-4) (Overtime)

D-2 Champion: Sterling (22-4) - Head Coach: Jimmy Motz.

3rd Place Game - (20-5) Hampton 58, O’Neill St. Marys 35 (21-4)

*The 2009 D-2 All-Tournament team: Austin Kaczor-Ewing (6-4, Jr), Zach Lempka-Sterling (6-5, Jr),

Jake Wirthele-Sterling (5-9, Soph.), Keifer Messersmith-Hayes Center (6-0, Jr.), Matt Gohl-Hayes Center (6-3, Sr)

*The 2009 Class D-2 tournament scoring race was no contest as Ewing’s Austin Kaczor exploded for 89 points during the Tigers three day stay in Lincoln. The remarkable Kaczor scored 33 of Ewing’s 54 points in the opening round win over Hampton. He then went one better by netting 34 of the Tigers 62 total in the semifinal win over Hayes Center, and 22 in Ewing’s 49-48 Finals loss to Sterling.

Lars Backward of Hay Springs was a distant 2nd with his three day total of 50 (31,10, 9 points).

*The 2009 Class D-2 final: Jimmy Motz coached the Sterling Jets to a Class D-2 state championship in just his second year at the school. Motz, who took the head coaching job at Sterling, his first ever, had previously been an assistant freshman coach at Creighton Prep prior to the gig at the southern Nebraska school.

His nearly immediate success came to no surprise to those who knew of his great success at the Division One level playing for the Creighton Bluejays.

Sterling’s Zach Lempka, who banged his way to 20 points in the paint during the Class D-2 title game, found himself open outside that area with 4 seconds left in overtime period. The cool headed senior calmly drained the jump shot to lift the Jets to a nail biting 49-48 overtime win over Greg Appleby’s Ewing Tigers.

Appleby’s Ewing boys basketball squad was trying to win that school’s 4th championship of the 2008/2009 school year after capturing the football and volleyball titles the previous fall, and the girls hoops championship the week before.

It just wasn’t to be, as Sterling’s Lempka and Jake Wirthele combined for 36 points in the win. The Jets stellar defense also survived a 22 point scoring barrage from Ewing star Austin Kaczor to get it done.

*Class D-1:*

Arapahoe (Bob Braithwait), Bruning-Davenport (Fred Kluck), Burwell (Garrett Mann), Giltner (Matt Drew), Hartington (Scott Miller), Humphrey St. Francis (Eric Kessler), Mead (PJ Quinn), Omaha Nation (Brad Vogt).

Quarterfinals:

(18-2) Giltner 52, Bruning-Davenport 47 (23-2) (Overtime)

(19-4) Humphrey St. Francis 37, Hartington 35 (19-3)

(16-6) Mead 50, Arapahoe 48 (25-1)

(21-2) Burwell 53, Omaha Nation 40 (21-4)

Semifinals:

(20-4) Humphrey St. Francis 70, Giltner 55 (19-2)

(17-6) Mead 68, Burwell 51 (22-2)

Finals:

(16-6) Mead 55, Humphrey St. Francis 51 (23-2)

D-1 Champion: Mead (17-6); Head Coach: PJ Quinn

3rd Place Game - (23-2) Hayes Center 61, Mead 46 (20-4)

*The 2009 D-1 All-Tournament team; Grant Gebhardt-Burwell (6-0, Jr), Derek Classen-Humphrey St. Francis (6-0, Sr.), Drew Ott-Giltner (6-2, FR.), Eric Johnson*-Mead (6-2, Sr.), Jordan Moline-Mead (6-1, Sr.).

*The 2009 D-1 Tournament scoring title went to Burwell junior Grant Gebhardt, who posted games of 20, 17 and 23 points. Gebhardt’s D-1 tournament best 60 points was four better than Eric Johnson of state champion Mead, who had games of 18, 14 and 24 points, saving the best performance for the state final 55-52 win over perennial powerhouse Humphrey St. Francis.

*The 2009 D-1 championship game: The D-1 championship game was as exciting as the D-2 battle between Sterling and Ewing. Mead, who hadn’t won a state basketball championship since 1935, held the mighty Humphrey St. Francis to just 27% shooting from the field in the second half, to claim the 55-52 victory and D-1 spoils.

This D-1 title match featured 10 ties and six lead changes, plus leads no more than five points in the entire contest. The Mead Raiders saved their best game of 2009 until this baby, especially the defensive effort in that second half that saw the Raiders cut St. Francis 52% opening half shooting percentage to nearly half that total through the entire second half.

While still doing the job on defense, the Mead offense kicked it into another gear after trailing the Flyers 29-25 at the intermission. All-Stater Eric Johnson (24 points) and Jordan Moline (10 points), sharpened their shooting skills during the 2nd half, lifting the Raiders from a 9 for 21 (42.9%) first half shot performance, to a much more respectable 9 for 16 (56%) mark during the 3rd and 4th quarters.

Mead took the lead for good at the 2:02 mark of the 4th stanza when the multi-talented Johnson scored an uncontested basket inside, after a slick pass from Jordan Moline.

Both Nate Raver and Moline each connected on two free throws in the final 12.6 seconds to protect the Raider lead, but Mead could not call themselves D-1 Champs until a desperation three point shot at the buzzer by Derek Classen went just wide.

The Classen boys,Trent (17 points) and Derek (16 points) led the way for super coach Erc Kessler’s Flyers.

*Class C-2:*

Axtell (Brent Hinrichs), Elmwood-Murdock (Terry Warner), Freeman (Jim McLaughlin), Fremont Bergan (Chris Paulson), Hartington Cedar Catholic (Matt Steffen), Ravenna (Paul Beranek), Sutherland (Dan Dye), Wilber-Clatonia (Tim Barada).

Quarterfinals:

(23-1) Freeman 71, Hartington 49 (13-9)

(17-5) Fremont Bergan 50, Elmwood-Murdock 41 (19-3)

(19-2) Axtell 50, Wilber-Clatonia 39 (18-5)

(20-5) Ravenna 60, Sutherland 41 (17-6)

Semifinals:

(24-1) Freeman 62, Fremont Bergan 40 (18-5)

(21-5) Ravenna 61, Axtell 53 (20-2)

Finals:

(22-5) Ravenna 57, Freeman 51 (25-1)

C-2 Champion: Ravenna (23-5); Head Coach: Paul Beranek.

3rd Place Game - (24-2) Ravenna 65, Ponca 55 (22-3)

*The 2009 C-2 All-Tournament Team was: Elliott Mencl-Elmwood-Murdock (5-11, Sr), Ryan Busboom-Freeman (6-0, Sr.), Kyle Schlake-Freeman (6-9, Jr), Adam Mingus*-Ravenna (5-11, Sr.), Connor Beranek-Ravenna (6-0, FR).

*Class 2009 C-2 Tournament scoring title easily went to runner-up Freeman ace, Elliott Mencl. The 5-11 senior had games of 23, 28 and 15 points during the three day stretch to reach his 66 point total. Ravenna held Mencl to that 15 point output in the title game, one reason the Bluejays of the late, great Paul Beranek were able to win the Class C-2 crown.

Ravenna freshman Connor Beranek tallied 42 points in the tournament (10, 21, 11 points) to finish second.

*The 2009 C-2 championship game: Adam Mingus was determined to erase the bitter memory of a missed shot at the buzzer against GICC that could have sent Ravenna to the C-2 finals in 2008. Mingus did just that in 2009, as the slick playmaker and is Ravenna cohorts held off Freeman for a 57-51 win in the 2009 Class C-2 championship game.

It wasn’t easy though, as Ravenna watched a 15 point third quarter lead turn into a one point Freeman advantage. But the Bluejays finally regained momentum with 4 minutes left in the game to gain the victory over a fine Freeman squad.

Jordan Pella’s putback bucket with 5 minutes left in the game gave Freeman its first lead (39-38) since the opening moments of the contest, but freshman Connor Beranek then went to work, draining a pair of gut-punching NBA range 3 pointers to give Ravenna the lead for good.

The Bluejays were led by the balanced scoring of Mingus and Eric Johnson, who had 12 points apiece. Connor Beranek followed with 11, but it was the all-around play of Adam Mingus that took front and center, as it had all season.

The 5-11 senior displayed his sharp, precision cuts and the ability to take charges in this game, as he had during past two seasons for Paul Beranek’s forces…..a true floor leader.

In the end, I thought it was also Ravenna’s depth that spelled the difference in the game. They had six players score at least 5 points and and 9 players that played at least 6 minutes in the game.

Freeman was led by Elliott Mencl’s 15 points. Ryan Busboom added 12.

*Class C-1*:

Bennington (Larry Klaus), Boys Town (Tom Krehbiel), Chadron (Craig Nobiling), Hastings St. Cecilia (Kevin Asher), Minden (Dave Mroczek), North Bend Central (Fred Ladhoff), Pierce (Mike Emory), Syracuse (Mark Hrabik).

Quarterfinals:

(23-0) Pierce 61, Boys Town 41 (21-5)

(20-2) Hastings St. Cecilia 59, North Bend 51 (17-4)

(19-2) Chadron 53, Syracuse 40 (11-10)

(23-0) Bennington 64, Minden 45 (23-1)

Semifinals:

(21-2) Hastings St. Cecilia 46, Pierce 39 (24-0)

(24-0) Chadron 58, Bennington 45 (20-2)

Finals:

(22-2) Hastings St. Cecilia 61, Chadron 58 (25-0)

C-1 Champion: Hastings St. Cecilia (23-3). Head Coach: Kevin Asher

3rd Place - (20-3) Bennington 64, Pierce 63 (24-1)

*The 2009 C-1 All-Tournament Team: Jake Hamburger*-Hastings St. Cecilia (6-3, Sr.), Blake Wright*-Hastings St. Cecilia (6-3, Sr.), Denver Klaus*-Bennington (6-3, Sr.), Elliott Eliason*-Chadron (6-11, Jr.), Zac Bargen-Chadron (6-5, Jr.).

*The 2009 C-1 tournament scoring race was won by Chadron junior Zac Bargen, who scored 55 big ones during the Cardinals three day run to a runner-up finish. Bargen was rolling along the first two days, scoring 19 versus Syracuse, and 27 points against Bennington in semifinals until he ran into a stingy St. Cecilia defense that limited him to just 9 points in the title game.

Jake Wolslager of Pierce finished second with a tournament total of 47, thanks to a 26 point scoring outburst in the Bluejays 64-63 loss to Bennington in the C-1 3rd place game.

*The 2009 C-1 championship game: Hastings St. Cecilia overcame a 38-36 halftime deficit to win their second straight Class C-1 state basketball championship, this time under first year head coach Kevin Asher.

The O’Neill St. Marys grad challenged his team to tighten up its defense during his halftime speech, denying the passing lanes and putting more pressure on the ball.

It worked like a charm as players like Dalton Sealey applied some wicked “D”, limiting the hot shooting Chadron Cardinals to 20 second half points, enroute to a 61-58 victory over the tall and talented Western Nebraska powerhouse.

It was a blistering shooting display by both teams in the first half. Chadron scorched the Devaney Sports Center’s nets with 12 of 21 shooting from the field, including 6 of 12 from beyond the arc. St. Cecilia was not to far off Chadron’s pace, going 15 of 25 from the field, including 5 of 7 from three point land. But it was that Bluehawk defense in the final half that made the difference.

While St. Cecilia’s defense was limiting Chadron to 6 of 17 shooting in the final 16 minutes, it was Dalton Sealey’s long three pointer with 54 seconds left in the 3rd quarter that ignited a critical 8-0 run. That key run culminated with Sealey’s 15 foot jumper at the 5:48 mark of the 4th stanza, giving the Bluhawks a 54-46 advantage.

Still, Chadron would not go away, eventually fighting back from a 7 point deficit to pull within 49-48 with 42 seconds left in the game. The final three points of the Cardinals run, which came from the charity strip, were courtesy of Alec Holmquist, who was fouled while attempting a three point shot.

But, St. Cecilia would put it away on it’s very next possession when they broke the Chadron press and found Blake Wright all alone for a layup, producing the final score count of 61-58.

Jake Hamburger led the Bluehawks scoring with his 18 points. Blake Wright was close behind with 16 big ones. Elliot Eliason led the Chadron charge with 19 points. The 6-11 post also pulled down 9 rebounds in the Cardinals loss.

*Class B:*

Beatrice (Jim Weeks), Columbus Lakeview (Tom Nelson), McCook (Tim Garcia), Omaha Skutt (Jon Burt), Ralson (Bill Heard), Scottsbuff (Tony Siske), Waverly (Gary Nunnally).

Quarterfinals:

(24-3) Scottsbluff 51, Omaha Skutt 40 (11-14)

(18-2) Beatrice 33, Waverly 32 (17-5)

(20-4) Ralson 68, McCook 57 (15-12)

(15-7) Sidney 51, Columbus Lakeview 44 (19-3)

Semifinals:

(19-2) Beatrice 48, Scottsbluff 40 (25-3)

(21-4) Ralston 59, Sidney 42, (16-7)

Finals:

(22-4) Ralston 61, Beatrice 49 (20-2)

Class 2009 B Champion: Ralston (23-4). Head Coach: Bill Heard.

3rd Place - (18-7) Gretna 52, Lincoln Pius X 47 (16-7)

*The Class B All-Tournament Team: Greg Smith-Ralston (6-7, Sr), Dwight Smith-Ralston (6-4, Jr), Grant Smith-Beatrice (6-6, Sr), Trevor Menke-Beatrice (5-10, Jr), Tim McDavid-Scottsbluff (6-1, Sr).

*The 2009 Class B State Tournament scoring title went to Ralston’s Greg Smith, who compiled 67 points (30, 14, 23 points) in the Rams run to the Class B state championship. Younger bro Dwight Smith was second behind Greg, scoring 47 (15, 21, 21 points) during the title run.

The Smith brothers, no relation to the famous cough drop Smith Brothers, were the best sibling duo I had seen in many seasons. At 6-7, and 6-4, the talented tandem posed a lethal threat to any and all opponents during the 2008/2009 season.

*The 2009 Class B final: Ralston’s Smith brothers were at their finest in the Rams 61-49 Class B championship win over Beatrice. Ralston senior Greg Smith scored 23 points and pulled down 10 boards, while junior brother Dwight added 21 points and 9 rebounds, accounting for 44 of the Rams 61 points and 19 of their 22 total boards.

I recall Beatrice coach Jim Weeks telling me after the game that his defense did everything they could to stop the deadly brother combination but “when they play like that, we’re not going to beat them.”

I saw glimpses of that “Smith Brothers Show” a month earlier when I doing the PA in Ralston’s 65-64 loss to Hastings St. Cecilia in the Heartland Hoops Classic in Grand Island.

Ralston, who beat Beatrice twice during the regular season by identical 48-47 scores, did not lead this one from wire to wire by any means. Beatrice actually sprinted to a 16-10 first quarter lead before Greg Smith heated up for 10 second quarter points, part of a lethal 17-0 run by Bill Heard’s Rams squad.

And, of course there was a classic Jim Weeks comment after the game. “They played above the rim and we played below the rim. We couldn’t stop them. No answers. (It’s) that simple.” Weeksie always tells it like it is.

*Class A:*

Bellevue West (Doug Woodard), Creighton Prep (Josh Luedke), Lincoln East (Ed McPherren), Lincoln High (Russ Uhing), Lincoln Southeast (Jeff Smith), Lincoln Southwest (Duane Baack), Norfolk (Ben Ries), Omaha Central (Eric Behrens)..

Quarterfinals:

(21-2) Lincoln Southwest 60, Bellevue West 49 (14-9)

(19-6) Omaha Bryan 42, Lincoln East 41 (16-7)

(18-5) Lincoln Southeast 63, Norfolk 49 (15-7)

(19-5) Creighton Prep 61, Lincoln High 41 (14-7)

Semifinals:

(22-2) Lincoln Southwest 60, Omaha Bryan 58 (20-6)

(20-5) Creighton Prep 61, Lincoln Southeast 41 (19-5)

Finals:

(21-5) Creighton Prep 34, Lincoln Southwest 31 (23-2)

Class A Champion: Creighton Prep (22-5). Head Coach: Josh Luedke.

3rd Place - (24-3) Bellevue West 78, Lincoln High 77 (20-5)

*The 2009 Class “A” All-Tournament Team: Jake Marvin-Lincoln SW (6-7, Sr), Ben Imig-Omaha Bryan (5-11, Jr), Matt Hagerbaumer-Lincoln SE (6-7, Jr), Brett Potter-Creighton Prep (6-5, Sr), Taylor Stormberg-Creighton Prep (6-2, Sr).

*Class A Tournament scoring honors? Maybe we shouldn't even talk about it in Class A, where a three day total of 39 points took the cake. Omaha Bryan’s D.K. Augustine games of 7, 14, and 18 points were enough to outscore Lincoln Southeast’s Taylor Price, who scored 8, 11 and 14 points during the three day affair.

*The 2009 Class A championship game: When you read the fact that the 34-31 final score was the lowest combined point total in Class A since Omaha Benson beat Columbus 13-10 in 1944 (65 years before), it pretty much tells the story about Creighton Prep’s win over Lincoln Southwest.

But you know what, despite the mumbling and grumbling and a media person saying they should have brought a can of deodorizer to spray down Devaney after the game, Prep still owned the coveted, sought after hardware and had its name etched in history as the 2009 Class A State Champion.

Now to the game. Lincoln Southwest’s Jake Marvin put up a third quarter buzzer beating deuce to give the Silverhawks 27-25 lead entering the money quarter. Creighton Prep head man Josh Luedke then went to a high-low offense with big Brett Potter at the top of the lane and Wyoming football recruit Scott Criss down low.

Worked like a charm.

The sequence that put the Junior Jays ahead to stay went like this;

*Brett Potter feeds a breaking Max Huerter on a back door play. Hueter scores to tie the game at 27.

*Scott Criss tips an offensive rebound out to Caleb Steffensmeier, who drains a three to put Prep up 30-27.

*Potter lobs the ball back to Criss, who lays in in. Prep leads 32-27.

*Brett Potter hits the reset button and finds Huerter for another back door bucket. Prep leads 34-27.

With just 2:40 remaining and the scoring going the way it had in the 4th quarter, Lincoln Southwest simply had too much ground to make up, although the Hawks did pull to within 34-31 with 44.9 seconds left.

Prep’s Caleb Steffensmeier had a chance to ice the game with 5 seconds left, but missed the front end of a one and one free throw opportunity. Southwest’s Devin Douglass-Wiley grabbed the rebound and called time out with 3.7 ticks left.

Lincoln Southwest did get a last shot opportunity when Jake Marvin fed Drew Edmund, but the Silverhawk All-Stater’s shot from the arc came up short.

**The 2009 All-Class, All-Tournament Team; Greg Smith-Ralston (6-7, Sr), Brett Potter-Creighton Prep (6-5, Sr), Matt Hagerbaumer-Lincoln SE (6-7, Jr), Trevor Menke-Beatrice (5-10, Jr), Jake Marvin-Lincoln SW (6-7, Sr).

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*2009 Class D-2 All-State Team*

Austin Kaczor*-Ewing - 6-4, Junior (28.3 ppg/10/7 rpg) 6

Zach Sibbel-O’Neill St. Marys - 6-3, Senior (19.8 ppg/12.3)

Cody Eiler-O’Neill St. Marys - 5-11, Senior (17.5 ppg/8.6)

Zach Lempka-Sterling - 6-5, Junior (14.8 ppg/9.8 rpg)

Lars Backward -Hay Springs - 6-1, Junior (20.1 ppg/4.1 rpg)

2nd Team:

Brett Kaczor**-Ewing - 5-11, Senior (19.0 ppg/4.7 rpg)

Dwayne Wall*-Hampton - 6-1, Senior (11.0 ppg/6.5 rpg)

Elijah Zwiener -Pleasanton - 6-7, Senior (15.8 ppg/10.7 rpg)

Matt Gohl*-Hayes Center - 6-3, Senior (13.7 ppg/6.1)

Luke Thiele-Clearwater - 6-3, Senior (16.3 ppg/7.1 rpg)

*2009 Class D-1 All-State Team:

Brent Houchin*-Bruning-Davenport - 6-7, Senior (15.5 ppg/10.0 rpg)

Derek Snyder*-Burwell - 6-1, Senior (17.0 ppg/8.0 rpg)

Delmar Parker*-Omaha Nation - 6-2, Senior (19.1 ppg/8.2 rpg)

Eric Johnson-Mead - 6-2, Senior (16.4 ppg/4.3 rpg)

Ivan Simic-Arapahoe- 6-5, Senior (18.3 ppg/10.8 rpg)

2nd Team:

Jordan Moline-Mead - 6-1, Senior (11.4 ppg/4.9 rpg)

Derek Classsen-Humphrey St. Francis - 6-0, Senior (17.9 ppg/5.7 rpg)

Brandon Bruha-Dorchester - 6-2, Senior (19.2 ppg/10.3 rpg)

Dalen Hall-McCool Junction - 6-1, Senior (19.0 ppg/4.5 rpg)

Landon Hayes-Osceola - 6-3, Senior (12.8 ppg/4.0 rpg)

*2009 Class C-2 All-State Team*

Ryan Busboom-Freeman - 6-0, Senior (15.9 ppg/5.3 rpg)

Jens Scholl-Deshler - 6-4, Senior (21.2 ppg/10.9 rpg)

Elliott Mencl-Freeman - 5-11, Senior (14.3 ppg/4.0 rpg)

Ryan Dolezal-East Butler - 6-3, Senior (22.4 ppg/5.4 rpg)

Adam Mingus-Ravenna - 5-11, Senior (13.0 ppg/6.0 rpg)

Zach Paulman-Sutherland, 6-5, Senior (14.3 ppg/8.1 rpg)

2nd Team:

Jim Wilmes-Fremont Bergan - 6-2, Senior (14.8 ppg/2.8 rpg)

Tyler Brothers-Elmwood-Murdock - 6-0, Senior (15.0 ppg/3.0 rpg)

Ben Knobbe-West Point Central Catholic - 6-4, Senior (16.9 ppg/8.5)

Riley Cidlik-East Butler - 6-5, Junior (17.3/ppg/6.8 rpg)

Pat Campbell-Stanton -6-0, Senior (11.2 ppg/4.6 rpg)

*2009 Class C-1 All-State Team*

Isaiah Gandy*-Boys Town - 6-2, Senior (19.5 ppg/7.1 rpg)

Elliott Eliason*-Chadron - 6-11, Junior (14.8 ppg/9.1 rpg)

Jake Hamburger*-Hastings St. Cecilia - 6-3, Senior (13.1 ppg/3.4 rpg)

Denver Klaus-Bennington* - 6-3, Senior (16.4 ppg/3.9 rpg)

Eric Koehlmoos**-Pierce - 6-0, Senior (15.0 ppg/2.0 rpg)

2nd Team:

Spencer Fahey*-Grand Island Central Catholic - 6-0, Senior (18.9 ppg/7.0 rpg)

Brett Wells-St. Paul - 6-4, Senior (17.0 ppg/10.7 rpg)

Zac Bargen-Chadron - 6-4, Junior (13.8 ppg/5.2 rpg)

Taylor Murren-Wahoo - 5-11, Senior (21.4 ppg/2.5 rpg)

Nick Reed-Syracuse - 6-4, Junior (16.6 ppg/5.0 rpg)

*2009 Class B All-State Team*

Greg Smith*-Ralston -6-7, Senior (17.0 ppg/10.0 rpg)

Dwight Smith-Ralston - 6-5, Junior (12.8 ppg/7.0)

Trevor Menke-Beatrice - 5-10, Senior (15.8 ppg/2.8 rpg)

Tyler Evans*-Waverly - 6-2, Junior (19.7 ppg/4.2 rpg)

Tim McDavid-Scottsbluff - 6-1, Senior (17.7 ppg/8.7 rpg)

2nd Team:

Trent Miller*-Gretna - 6-1, Senior (8.0 ppg/5.0 rpg)

Andrew Mitteis-Plattsmouth -6-1, Junior (20.2 ppg/4.1 rpg)

Mike Gesell-South Sioux City - 6-0, Freshman (15.9 ppg/4.7 rpg)

Grant Smith-Beatrice - 6-6, Senior (15.0 ppg/6.0 rpg)

Evan Kucera-Waverly - 6-6, Junior (13.9 ppg/11.0 rpg)

*2009 Class A All-State Team:

Jarrell Crayton*-Bellevue East - 6-7, Senior (19.8 ppg/10.7 rpg)

Drew Sankey-Lincoln East - 6-5, Senior (16.7 ppg/9.7 rpg)

Dol Kutey-Lincoln Northeast - 6-6, Senior (16.7 ppg/7.7 rpg)

Jake Marvin-Lincoln Southwest - 6-7, Senior (11.3 ppg/9.1 rpg)

Deverell Biggs-Omaha Central - 6-0, Junior (16.5 ppg/4.0 rpg)

2nd Team:

Taylor Price-Lincoln Southeast - 6-1, Senior (13.0 ppg/2.2 rpg)

Taylor Stormberg-Creighton Prep - 6-3, Senior (11.7 ppg/3.2 rpg)

Tobin Reinwald-Lincoln High - 6-3, Junior (13.4 ppg/4.7 rpg)

Matt Hagerbaumer-Lincoln Southeast - 6-7, Junior (7.4 ppg/9.6 rpg)

Drew Edmond-Lincoln Southwest - 5-10, Junior (7.5 ppg/4.0 rpg)

*2009 Super-State 1st Team:

Greg Smith*-Ralston -6-7, Senior (17.0 ppg/10.0 rpg)

Jarrell Crayton*-Bellevue East - 6-7, Senior (19.8 ppg/10.7 rpg)

Elliott Eliason*-Chadron - 6-11, Junior (14.8 ppg/9.1 rpg)

Isaiah Gandy*-Boys Town - 6-2, Senior (19.5 ppg/7.1 rpg)

Austin Kaczor*-Ewing - 6-4, Junior (28.3 ppg/10/7 rpg)

*2009 Super-State 2nd Team:

Dwight Smith-Ralston - 6-3, Junior (12.8 ppg/7.0)

Jake Marvin-Lincoln Southwest - 6-7, Senior (11.3 ppg/9.1 rpg)

Trevor Menke-Beatrice - 5-10, Senior (15.8 ppg/2.8 rpg)

Tyler Evans*-Waverly - 6-2, Junior (19.7 ppg/4.2 rpg)

Jake Hamburger*-Hastings St. Cecilia - 6-3, Senior (13.1 ppg/3.4 rpg)

*2009 Super-State 3rd Team:

Drew Sankey-Lincoln East - 6-5, Senior (16.7 ppg/9.7 rpg)

Deverell Biggs-Omaha Central - 6-0, Junior (16.5 ppg/4.0 rpg)

Tim McDavid-Scottsbluff - 6-1, Senior (17.7 ppg/8.7 rpg)

Denver Klaus-Bennington* - 6-3, Senior (16.4 ppg/3.9 rpg)

Eric Koehlmoos**-Pierce - 6-0, Senior (15.0 ppg/2.0 rpg)

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2009 NSAA Record Entries (These are current figures as of January 1, 2020)

Most Rebounds, Career

Lance Juelfs-Potter-Dix-898 (18th)

Most Rebounds, Game

Cole Kowalski-Grand Island Heartland Lutheran-26 (Tied for 7th)

Consecutive Free Throws Made

Josh Reinertson-Gibbon-55 (3rd All-Time)

Three Point Goals, Game

Connor Larson-McCook-10 (Tied for 5th)

Three Point Goals by a Team, Game

Cambridge-18 (Tied for 4th)

Three Point Goals by a Team, Season

Ravenna-198 (Tied for 20th)

Chadron-188 (Tied for 31st)