Westside finished out the regular season on a high note as they had an 80-57 win over the Elkhorn South Storm on senior night to finish out the regular season with a five game winning streak and a 21-3 record. The game was a representation of Westside’s season with them getting out to a 22 point lead to end the first quarter and didn’t look back with all but two players who played getting points on the board including all five seniors who started.
This season is one of if not the best regular seasons under head coach Jim Simons as they punched their ticket as a host for the A3 district to start the postseason climb to that elusive state championship. Up to this point the Warriors were dominant winning nine games by 20 or more points including some 30 or 40 point wins on the year.
Westside had only three stumbles throughout the year, two coming against the best team in Class A the Papillion South Titans and a close home loss to the number six Millard North Mustangs. Westside finished out the year with only one loss at home, on the road and at a neutral site.
“We’re good when we play together.” Senior Trell Snoddy said “When things aren’t going our way we try to stick together and compete.”
Other than the three losses it has been win after win for the Warriors including going 2-0 against rival Creighton Prep which both games came down to the wire which the Warriors came out victorious by a combined six point along both games, with other top ten wins the Warriors have shown they can hang with the best. Statistically the Warriors have a top five offense in Class A scoring 70 points per game. Westside is led in scoring by Junior Emre Gedik who has burst onto the Warriors averaging 14.4 points per game along with over four rebounds a game. The other double digit scorer for the Warriors is Lee Robinson. The Jesuit Academy transfer has had a stellar freshman year with 12 points a game and a team leading two steals the biggest moment of the season was when he hit a buzzer beater against Junior Jays to win the Metro tournament semi finals.
Along with Westside’s two leading scorers they have one of the most well rounded teams in the state. Seniors Carson Healy and Tyson Odvody provide the bulk of the rebounds and some extra scoring. The Warriors also have lots of length with eight players at a height of 6 ‘4 and above which allows them to average 33 rebounds a game including 13 offensive rebounds.
“It’s good to peak in March.” Healy said “Like Simons says we need to do good at state and get a chip.”
Along with the Warriors who will have home advantage throughout, the other teams that are in the A-3 district are Lincoln Southwest, Omaha North, Columbus and North Platte. Westside has played and beat both Lincoln Southwest who are the two seed in the district and Omaha North who is the third in the district.
Westside is trying to get over the hump as this could be the third year in a row they make the state championship tournament. The last two times they made it to the state semifinals where both times they lost to top teams in the state, the first to Bellevue West who eventually won the state championship, and a heartbreaking overtime loss to Millard North that could’ve swung Westside’s way.
Still the Warriors are looking ahead and with their most talented roster in a long time this is another great Warriors to win their second state championship in school history and be the first school other than Bellevue West and Millard North to win a state championship since 2019 when Omaha South won.
“We’re all playing our best basketball right now.” Snoddy said “Coming into districts and state were gonna be a tough team to beat.”
Westside tips off postseason play with the semi-finals of district against either North Platte or Columbus at Jim Tangdall court on March 1.
