The second battle between the number one Westside Warriors and number two Papillion La Vista South Titans has the opportunity to be the game of the year in Nebraska. Westside’s one blemish on their stellar 12-1 record has come against the Titans and they are looking for revenge and to hold on to the number one rank in the state.
Papio South is coming into the game at a solid 9-2 with big wins over Westside who was ranked number one when the Titans beat them, Norris who is currently ranked number one is class B and Millard North who is a top five team in class A. The Titans’ losses have come against two top-ten teams in Millard South and Papillion in their most recent game. The Warriors and Titans squared off in the Metro Holiday Tournament final where it was a back and forth battle that came down all the way to the end where the Titans squeaked out a 60-59 win.
The Titans were led in that game by sophomore Levi Webb who scored 27 on the Warriors in the Titans biggest win yet. But coming into this game both teams have gone on different paths after the holiday tournament. Westside has gone 3-0 since the loss, including a big overtime road win over rival Creighton Prep which was the biggest win of the season so far for the Warriors. Included in that streak were also wins over Omaha Northwest and Lincoln Southwest. The Titans have gone 1-1 after the tournament with a big win over Burke and a crushing loss in their last game against the Monarchs. They only scored four points in the second quarter in that loss.
Westside comes into the game with one of the most well rounded and tallest lineups in the state. Their leading scorer is 6’7 Emre Gedik who is averaging nearly 15 points per game and five rebounds per game. The Warriors are also led by standout freshman Lee Robinson who is averaging 12 points per game and leads the team with nearly five assists per game. Westside has eight out of their 13 players who are 6 ‘4 or taller which allows them to average 34 rebounds a game and gives them an advantage in the paint.
The Titans are led in points by Bryson Bahl who averages a whopping 25 points per game which is currently second in class A and fifth in the state. The dual sport athlete also leads the Titans with nine rebounds per game even with his 6’ 3 height. The Titans are also led by double-digit point scorers Levi Webb, Jayden Herrera, and Reece Kircher. Kircher also leads the team with seven assists per game. Defense will also be a big part of this game.
Westside is coming off their best offensive performance this season scoring 93 in their last win while the Titans scored a season low 52 in their last outing. Both offenses average around 70 points per game and both defenses have only given up 70 in one game, which both teams each still won.
“We needed to come out after that loss,” Warrior forward Donnie Barfield said. “Coming back strong and playing hard and that’s about it.”
Overall this will be one of the games of the year in the state of Nebraska. According to Maxpreps, Westside is 81st in the country and they are the only team from Nebraska ranked on that list. Even with their national ranking, Westside is still looking to get revenge against the Titans and keep the number one spot firmly in their grasp, while the Titans look to beat the Warriors for the second time this season and reclaim their spot back at number one. The game will be hosted at Papillion La Vista South on Jan. 17.