In one of the best seasons of boys basketball in Westside history, led by a starting five of all seniors, Westside fell just short of collecting the school’s first state championship in the sport since 1980, losing 56-50 to Bellevue West in overtime.

In the first quarter of the NSAA Class A Basketball State Championship Game Westside, coming off of an overtime win Friday night against Omaha Benson, missed six of its eight three-point attempts, and went on a four minute and 30 second scoring drought following a pair of free throw makes for senior Mike Kiger with 4:59 remaining in the period. In the meantime, Bellevue West went on a 15-0 run, taking a 17-5 lead with a minute remaining in the first quarter. Heading into the second quarter, Westside was down 17-8 after a three from senior Sam Wilkinson.

The teams played toe-to-toe in the second quarter, with Westside cutting the lead to as little as eight twice and Bellevue West extended its lead to as much as much as 13. With under three minutes remaining, a Bellevue West free throw extended the lead to 26-13, but Westside senior Michael Herrmann responded with an and 1 with 1:42 remaining in the first half to make it 26-16.

Westside senior Kevin Metoyer, who finished the game with 20 points and six assists, brought the lead back to eight with a floater with 1:10 remaining in the half, sending the game into halftime with Bellevue West leading 26-18.

Westside put together a 9-2 run to start the second half, cutting the deficit to one with a Herrmann layup, Metoyer three, and four points from Kiger. Westside then took the lead with 2:11 remaining in the third quarter when Metoyer found Kiger in the lane for easy layups on two straight possessions.

Metoyer then found sophomore Trae Meeks for a layup with a minute remaining to extend the lead to 36-33, before Bellevue West responded with two points of its own. But Metoyer picked up his fourth straight assist as he drove to the lane with under 10 seconds remaining in the third quarter and kicked the ball out to a wide open Meeks, who drained a three-pointer, putting the Warriors up 39-35 heading into the final quarter.

To start the fourth quarter, Bellevue West put together a 6-1 run to take the lead, 41-40, with 6:03 remaining in the game.

But the Warriors responded, as Metoyer scored seven straight points, on a layup; two free throws off of an intentional foul call on Bellevue West’s Malik Hluchoweckyj, who led Bellevue West with 18 points; and a Metoyer three-pointer, his fourth three-pointer of the game, with 4:40 remaining in the game, giving Westside a 47-41 lead.

Then after a split at the free throw line for both teams, making the score 48-42, Bellevue West’s Christian Hatterle, who had five points and six rebounds, hit one of two free throws with 2:53 remaining in the game. Bellevue West cut into the deficit even further when a basket interference on Westside with 2:39 remaining made it 48-45. Bellevue West then tied it when, after a charge was called on Metoyer with 2:31 remaining, Hluchowekyj completed a conventional three-point play to make the score 48-48.

From there, neither team scored, as Bellevue West was called for two five-second violations and Metoyer was called for a charge, sending the game into overtime, Westside’s second straight overtime game.

To start overtime, the teams traded baskets before two Westside turnovers led to two Bellevue West baskets, putting Bellevue West up 54-50. From there, Bellevue West made two free throws and the Warriors couldn’t get a shot to fall, putting the final score at 56-50.

In the game, Westside shot 37.2 percent from the field, 31.8 percent from the three-point line and 61.1 percent from the free throw line. Bellevue West shot 48.8 percent, 23.1 percent and 61.9 percent respectively. The Warriors finished the season 21-6. Bellevue West finished the season 22-6.

Westside Wired would like to congratulate the team on making it to the state championship tournament final and on a successful season. Thank you for making it an exciting season to cover!