Boys basketball season to tip-off tonight

Westside boys varsity basketball will tip off their season at home against Lincoln Southeast tonight. After picking up a scrimmage win against Skutt, the Warriors feel ready to go.

“We feel the scrimmage helped us a lot when it came to watching what we do well and areas we need to improve on,” head coach Jim Simons said. “Lincoln Southeast definitely presents some challenges so we spent some time preparing both offensively and defensively.”

Just last season, Westside cruised through the season with a 24-3 record, putting them at the top of the state entering the playoff in which they’d suffer a first round loss to Creighton Prep. This season, a group featuring a mix of new and familiar talent all have a common goal.

“We want a state championship,” senior forward Tate Odvody said. “I feel like we have as good a shot as anyone.”

Westside lost six seniors this offseason, opening the gates for new players to help the team compete.

“We have some new guys who are going to have to step into roles,” Odvody said. “Once we mesh together as a group I feel like the sky’s the limit.”

With the objective always being a championship, Simons has his own personal hopes for the team this season.

“By the time we finish playing this season I want everybody to be able to look each other in the eye and say that we maxed out our potential, and gave it our all,” Simons said. “As a coach I don’t want my guys to want to take their jerseys off because they enjoyed the experience so much.”