Emre Gedik has come onto the hardwood with a scoring flurry. This has been Gedik’s breakout season as his first full season on the varsity team, and the 6 ‘7 Junior has been a big part in the team’s success over the first half of the season. Westside is sitting comfortably in the top five in the class A standings at 14-2 with big wins over top teams like Creighton Prep and Millard South, with the only losses coming to Papillion South. Other than these two games Gedik and the Warriors have been a well oiled machine coasting their way through the competition.
“We’re playing unselfish basketball,” Gedik said. “We’re finding the open teammate and we are hitting our shots.”
In the Warriors 16 games this season Gedik ranks in the top three in most counting stats, including leading the team in points with 15 points per game. He has scored double digits in every game except for five, including four 20 point performances. Gedik is also second on the team with a 49% field goal percentage including shooting 60% from two and just about 40% from three-point range. He has attempted over 50 threes this season, which is pretty uncommon for a 6 ‘7 power forward. Gedik also puts that size to good use putting up five rebounds a game which is second on the team which averages 33.5 rebounds a game.
Gedik’s recent game against Papillion La Vista has probably been the best in his young career. He went seven of nine from the field en route to a career high 26 point outing along with six rebounds and three assists in the Warriors sixth 20+ point win of the season.
“Everyone played well,” Gedik said. “We had a good week of practice, we played at a higher intensity level and we had fun.” Westside also had a season-high 17 assists in that game.
Along with the career high against the Monarchs another big game for Gedik was a 17 point, five rebound and five steal performance in an overtime win against Creghtion Prep. In this game he went six of six from the free throw line with some clutch free throws down the stretch. He also came back from an injury to play the final minute in the Warriors biggest win of the season so far on the road.
“They were crazy up and we had to keep them out,” Gedik said in an interview with Hurrdat sports after the game. “I was running on the sideline and I felt good to come back in.
Westside is currently ranked number three in class A, only behind Papillion La Vista South and a red hot Omaha Westview team. The rest of the Warriors’ schedule is easier than the beginning of the season with roadblocks coming up against Millard North and Lincoln Southeast, both top-ten teams in their own right. Included with the end of the season as well is district placements. Westside is number three is that regard to and they still have a shot to become number one if they win out and both teams ahead of them lose a game or two.
Gedik and the Warriors are still about a month from districts and the state tournament and the rest of the games matter down the stretch no matter if it’s against the best teams in the state or the worst. If Gedik and the Warriors can play at the pace they are running and shooting, Westside will be a team to feared once the calendar turns to March and districts are here.
“We need to have good practices and lock in,” Gedik said. “We got to watch film, scout and go from there.”