12C
BOYS SUMMER BASKETBALL
• SUNDAY, JULY 6, 2014
OMAHA WORLD-HERALD
15-AND-UNDER
16-AND-UNDER
They’re elite, and ready to prove it
Express
looking
for elusive
AAU title
Omaha Elite want to show state’s
talent to the rest of country
BY MARJIE DUCEY
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
Thomas Liechti says his Omaha Elite
15-and-under squad comes pretty close to
being an all-star team.
“People in Nebraska always complain,
if we could get all the best kids on one
team, how well we could compete,” the
coach said. “We really almost have it.”
Well, not all the best players. The
15-and-under class (sophomores to be) is
deep across the state, and several teams
with star players have proven highly competitive on the travel circuit. Some from
the class compete in higher age groups.
But Liechti’s group has its share of talent.
And it has size, with players like 6-foot8 Isaiah Chandler of Omaha Central and
6-7 Nosa Iyagbaye of Lincoln Parkview.
They are also easy to coach, Liechti
said. As with many travel teams, one of
the hardest things is finding time for all
13 of his players — but he said no one
complains about playing time. Team
comes first.
“We keep things real simple for them
and let them play,” he said. “There is no
magic recipe.”
The approach works. His team is 22-2
this spring, including a one-point loss on a
last-second shot to a national top-10 team
Coach hopes talented
squad can win tourney
against top teams from
around the country
BY MARJIE DUCEY
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
RYA N S O D E R L I N / T H E W O R L D - H E R A L D
From left, Aguek Arop, Ayo Baker and Marques Wilson are among the top players for Omaha Elite. Arop plays for Omaha South, Baker for
Papillion-La Vista. Wilson attends Edmond North High School in Oklahoma but has family in Omaha and usually spends summers here.
from the Chicago area. And a tournament
two weeks from now in Milwaukee likely
will be the first time Liechti will have all
of his top-line players together for the
same weekend.
The players are working hard, Liechti
said, because they want people outside
Nebraska to know there is talent in the
state.
“They truly want this to be something
big,” he said. “They want it to be a special
thing.”
Contact the writer: 402-444-1034, marjie.ducey@owh.com
TEAM CAPSULES
BISON-NEBRASKA RED 17S
Coach: Jim Meister (Omaha Roncalli),
assistant Tim Cannon (Millard North)
Roster: Alex Borchers, South Sioux
City; Grant Lahm, Columbus Scotus;
Isaac Frerichs, Freeman; Jason Towery,
KeShawn Wilson, Lincoln High; William
Wallrapp, Omaha Skutt; Cole Meister,
Omaha Roncalli; Ben Hoskins, Wayne;
Logan Strom, Norfolk; Adam Dykman,
Fremont Bergan; Tyler Hagedorn, Norfolk.
Schedule: Jayhawk Classic (2-3 record);
Mullen’s High Profile, St. Louis, July 1113; Best of Summer, Anaheim, Calif.,
July 16-20; Vegas Final, July 23-27.
Who’s hot: Hagedorn is getting some
Division I looks.
Noteworthy: Balanced scoring highlighted the Jayhawk Classic and will continue to be a trademark of the team.
Coaches’ comment: “Will take all 10
to do well.”
OSA CRUSADERS 17S
Coaches: Bob Franzese, Scott Becker
Roster: Tyler Dougherty, Braxton Murphy, Papillion-La Vista; Aaron Rothermund, Papillion-La Vista South; Vance
Janssen, Blair; Pierce Almond, Grand
Island; Johnny Trueblood, Elkhorn
South; Ben Kositzke, Millard West;
Malik Hluchoweckyj, Kael Strawmeier,
Bellevue West; Justin Patton, Omaha
North.
Schedule: Sanford Pentagon Series,
Omaha (4-1); Chicago Basketball Hall
of Fame Championships (4-1); Jayhawk
Invitational (4-1); Sanford Pentagon
Series, Minneapolis (5-0); River
Cities Summer Hoops Tip-Off, Omaha,
through Sunday; Mullen’s High Profile,
St. Louis, July 11-13; Sanford Pentagon Series Finals, Sioux Falls, S.D., July
18-20; Las Vegas Fab 48, July 24-27.
Who’s hot: Patton, a 6-foot-11 seniorto-be, recently committed to Creighton,
and Hluchoweckyj is receiving strong interest at the mid-major level. Trueblood
saw his stock rise with a strong spring.
Noteworthy: Co-champions at the
Chicago Basketball Hall of Fame championships.
Coaches’ comment: “We feel we are
about as good defensively as any team
in the country, can play with and beat
anyone in the country and fully expect
to play at even a higher level in the July
live period.”
NEBRASKA HOOPS ELITE 17S
Coaches: Marlon Polk; Jarron Bradley
Sr.
Roster: Karsten Bailey, Marcus Polk,
Omaha Central; Jarron Bradley, Omaha
Burke; Tanner Breazile, Nebraska City;
Keith Coleman, Highlands Ranch,
Colorado; Jamie Pellan, Travis Sabatka,
Plattsmouth; Zarek Steed, Millard North;
Marshun Stewart, Omaha Benson.
Schedule: Sanford Pentagon Open
(2-2); Midwest Spring Tune Up (1-3);
Sanford Spring Jam (3-2); King of the
Courts (3-2); KC Classic (3-1); River
Cities Summer Hoops Tip Off, Omaha,
through Sunday; 5280 Championships,
Golden, Colo., July 9-11; NY2LA Summer Jam, Mequon, Wis., July 16-20;
Las Vegas Classic, July 23-27.
Who’s hot: Breazile has received
attention from Drake, South Dakota,
South Dakota State and UNO; Steed
has been very effective from the wing
and will be on the radar of several
Nebraska colleges.
Coaches’ comment: “Team has gotten
better each summer. Kids compete
hard and will surprise this summer.”
NEBRASKA SELECT 17S
Coaches: Monte Ritchie (Peru State),
Jordan Hitchcock (Nebraska basketball
student manager)
Roster: Mohammad Elradi, Elkhorn
Mount Michael; Eli Hunter, Grand Island Central Catholic; Cole Klingsporn,
High Plains; Jacob Lewis, Dylan Stouder, Glenwood, Iowa; Brendan Lipovsky,
Sandy Creek; Austin Malone, Falls City
Sacred Heart; Tyler Pace, Fort Calhoun;
LaVontae Richard, Millard West; Conor
Young, Cozad.
Schedule: Gold Crown, Denver, (3-2);
Chi Town Invite, Chicago, July 11-13;
D1 Summer Classic, Minneapolis, July
17-20; Sunflower Showcase, Shawnee,
Kan., July 24-27.
Who’s hot: Lewis, a 6-8 post, gives
team a solid inside presence. Young,
a 6-3 guard, is getting interest from
Northern Colorado.
Coaches’ comment: “Good mixture of
height along with some solid shooters
gives team a chance for success.”
OMAHA STORM 17S
Coach: Jermaine Haynie
Roster: Gueit Chol, Charles Young,
Sam Idra, Jack Miller, Ethan Spires,
Omaha Gross; Aarom Thomas, Aaffarm
Thomas, Omaha Westside; Jeff Collins,
Omaha Central; Isaiah Maxwell, Omaha
Creighton Prep; James Baskin, Omaha
Northwest; Dajuan Baskin, Omaha
Burke; Garwich Lam, Papillion-La Vista;
Goy Lew, Omaha Bryan.
Schedule: VBA Summer Classic (0-3);
Midwest Tune Up, St. Louis, through
Sunday; 17th Annual Meltdown, Branson, Mo.; July 11-13; YSON Invitational, Omaha, July 25-27.
Who’s hot: Collins, Maxwell, Lam,
Spires and Idra are the leading
scorers. They share the ball well, so
everyone will get involved on offense.
Coach’s comment: “Good balance and
hard to stop. Strong rebounders.”
PANHANDLE EXPLOSION 17S
Coach: Tony Siske (Scottsbluff)
Roster: Jonah Wright, Dru Kuxhausen,
Dillon Hernandez, Landon Walker,
Austin Clarkson, Matthew Richardson,
Ashley Jones, Eseah Ingram, Matthew
Holloway, Scottsbluff.
Schedule: Rocky Mountain Invite (40); Big Mountain Jam (2-2); Kearney
Exposure, through Sunday; Vegas Final,
July 23-27.
Who’s hot: Kuxhausen can shoot from
anywhere on the floor and is receiving
looks from several schools. Walker,
a 6-6 forward, is versatile and is also
receiving looks.
Noteworthy: Started the season off
strong, winning the Rocky Mountain
Invitational.
Coach’s comment: “Learning to play
when we are facing adversity will be
the No. 1 thing we are working on this
summer.”
CSS RED 17S
Coach: Austin Wubbels
Roster: Austin Wubbels, Waverly;
Nathan Derr, Friend; Skyler Werger,
Elwood; Schuyler Sutter, Fremont;
Brook Brown, Grand Island Northwest;
Dalton Engelbart, Malcolm; Dalton
McGerr, Lincoln Christian; Timothy
Brock, Fidady Kuwa, Lincoln High;
John Timmerman, Millard North; Adam
Olson, Lincoln Pius X.
Schedule: Gym Rats Summer Brawl
(4-1); MAYB Lincoln (3-2), River
Cities Summer Hoops Tip Off, Omaha,
through Sunday; Midwest Summer
Slam, Ames, Iowa, July 11-13; MAYB
Lincoln, July 18-20, KC Hardwood Classic, Kansas City, Kan., July 24-27.
Who’s hot: Derr and Timmerman playing good all-around basketball.
Noteworthy: First year together.
Coach’s comment: “Team has shown
great improvement.”
TEAM NEBRASKA ALL STARS 16U
Coach: Jerry Eickhoff (Nebraska high
school all-time winningest coach.
Coached at Hampton for 40 years before retiring in 2009. Current volunteer
assistant at Lincoln North Star.)
Roster: Triston Simpson, Logan Cale,
Lincoln North Star; Sam Morris,
Lincoln Southeast; Tanner Hudson, Riverside; Jared Bubak, Lincoln Christian;
Nate Netz, Lincoln East; Austin Murray,
Kearney; Ben Warner, Waverly; Ryan
Williams, Fremont; Jake Teichmeier,
Ravenna.
Schedule: River Cities Summer Hoops
Tip Off, Omaha, through Sunday; Midwest Summer Slam; Ames, Iowa, July
11-13; D1 Summer Classic, Minneapolis, July 18-20; KC Hardwood Classic,
Kansas City, Kan., July 25-27.
Noteworthy: The Nebraska All Stars
went 20-4 during their spring season.
They won two tournaments in Omaha
playing in the 18U division and finished
in the top four out of 50 teams in the
Kings of Court Classic in Ankeny, Iowa.
Coach’s comment: “They are a hardworking group that play well together.
Some have been playing together since
third grade.”
OSA CRUSADERS 16S
Coach: Jim Simons (Omaha Westside),
assistant Andy Timm (Yutan)
Roster: Cade Johnson, Bellevue West;
Travis Miller, Council Bluffs St. Albert;
Drew Homa, Will Schenken, Omaha
Creighton Prep; Trae Meeks, Omaha
Westside; Bart Hiscock, Bennington;
Zach Bussard, Andrew DiGiacomo,
Papillion-La Vista South; Noah Fant,
Omaha South.
Schedule: Sanford Pentagon Series,
Omaha (5-0); Chicago Basketball
Hall of Fame Championships (2-2);
Jayhawk Invitational (2-2); Sanford
Pentagon Series; Minneapolis (4-1);
River Cities Hoops Summer Tip Off,
Omaha, through Sunday; Mullen’s High
Profile, St. Louis, July 11-13; Sanford
Pentagon Series Finals, Sioux Falls,
S.D., July 18-20; Las Vegas Fab 48,
July 24-27.
Who’s hot: Homa, Fant and Hiscock
were the team’s leading scorers in the
spring. Homa is receiving some mid- to
low-major Division I attention along
with strong D-II interest. Fant is receiving high major D-I football interest
along with significant basketball looks
as well.
Coaches’ comment: “Ended the spring
on a high note by playing well in Minneapolis. Led the 16s division of the
Sanford Pentagon League and have
shown an ability to compete with some
of the top teams in the region.”
TEAM NEBRASKA EXPRESS 16S
Coach: Marty Levinson
Roster: Ramsey Adams, K’Zahn Jimerson, Ricky McCants, Omaha Central;
Ja’Chai Baker, Council Bluffs Lewis
Central; Tony Bonner, Council Bluffs
Abraham Lincoln; Anthony Bratton,
AJ Meeks, Omaha Westside; Emmitt
Knight, Gretna; Jake Lenagh, Millard
North; Darnell Mitchell, Wanjang Tut,
Omaha Burke; Ethan Morrison, Millard
North.
Schedule: Real Deal in the Rock (4-2);
Nike Spring Showdown (4-1); River City
Roundup, through Sunday; Mullen’s
High Profile, St Louis, July 11-13; NY2LA Summer Jam, Mequon, Wis., July
16-20; Sunflower Showcase, Shawnee,
Kan., July 24-27.
Who’s hot: Tut has been a handful
for opponents. He has the ability to
dominate games with his shot-blocking
ability. A great defender and rebounder.
He and Jimerson are receiving Division
I attention.
Coach’s comment: “With six players
6-6 and over, this is the tallest team the
Express has ever had. They are long
and the guards are very disruptive.”
NEBRASKA SELECT 16S
Coaches: Jason Ahrens (Conestoga),
Brian Delimont (Ainsworth)
Roster: Makoor Arop, Omaha South;
Nick Bouda, Michael White, Omaha
Skutt; Brady Delimont, Ainsworth;
Jonas Dumasius, Lincoln Parkview; Ray
Dorsey, Elkhorn Mount Michael; Matt
Miller, Norfolk Catholic; Ben Simons,
Jaxon Simons, Wahoo Neumann;
Brevin Sloup, Seward.
Schedule: Gold Crown, Denver, (2-2);
Chi-Town Invite, Chicago, July 11-13;
D1 Summer Classic, Minneapolis, July
17-20; Sunflower Showcase, Shawnee,
Kan., July 24-27.
Who’s hot: Could be one of the better
16-and-under teams in Nebraska, with
a ton of state tournament experience.
Noteworthy: Made it deep into a
couple of tournaments last year and
aiming higher this summer.
Coaches’ comment: “Nebraska, South
Dakota, North Dakota State and other
D-I schools are looking forward to
watching team this summer.”
BISON-NEBRASKA WHITE 16S
Coach: Tyler Struck (Beatrice), assistant Andy Coan (Norfolk)
Roster: Alec Cromer, Landon Zarybnicky, Beatrice; Gunner Fuelberth,
Brandon Villalpando, Norfolk; Morgan
Karloff, Hastings; Zach Kitten, Hastings St. Cecilia; Chad Lechtenberg,
Papillion-La Vista; Brady McDonald,
Lincoln Southeast; Jared Samuelson,
Gretna; Ryan Williams, Fremont.
Schedule: Jayhawk Classic (4-1); Mullen’s High Profile, St. Louis, July 11-13;
D1 Summer Classic, Minneapolis, July
16-20; Vegas Final, July 23-27.
Who’s hot: Zarybnicky, a 6-1 point
guard, and Cromer, a 6-6 post, are
starting to get some looks from lower
D-II schools.
Noteworthy: Strong start with 4-1
showing at Jayhawk Classic.
Coaches’ comment: “Can put 10 players on floor who can shoot the ball.”
OMAHA THUNDER 16S
Coaches: Brandon McGary (Omaha
South), Sean McGary
Roster: Marcellis Minor, Omaha
Central; Karlon McSpadden, Caleal
Walker, Anthony Naimie, Monte’ McGary, Omaha South; Dillan Wolfgram,
Laurel-Concord; Goy Lew, Tyler Nekola,
Omaha Bryan.
Schedule: OSA Pentagon League (4-1);
Nike Spring Showdown (4-1); Kansas
City Classic (4-1); Battle of the Arch,
St. Louis, July 18-20; KC Hardwood
Classic, Kansas City, Kan., July 25-27.
Who’s hot: The 6-7 Naimie adds versatility at the center position with his
shooting behind the 3-point line and is
a consistent scorer in the paint. McGary, 6-1, has excellent ball handling
and penetration at the point. Sees the
floor very well and is able to create his
own shot off the dribble. Walker, 6-4, is
a force on the defensive end. Provides
toughness and athleticism at the small
forward position. All three drawing
recruiting interest.
Noteworthy: Reached championship
game in the Pentagon League and the
Kansas City Classic and made the semifinals at the Nike Spring Showdown.
BISON-NEBRASKA CAPITAL GOLD 15S
Coach: Turner Trofholz (Shelby/Rising
City), assistant Kyle Fletcher (Norfolk)
Roster: Austin Allen, Tommy Leininger,
Aurora; Carter Larson, Millard North;
Travis Larson, Lane McCallum, Norfolk;
Cody Mroczek, Dalton Taylor, Columbus
Scotus; Jacob Ruzicka, Wahoo; Noah
Vedral, Wahoo Neumann.
Schedule: Jayhawk Classic (2-2); Mullen’s High Profile, St. Louis, July 11-13;
D1 Summer Classic, Minneapolis, July
16-20; Vegas Final, July 23-27.
Noteworthy: Balanced scoring
highlighted the Jayhawk Classic and
will continue to be a trademark of the
team.
BISON-NEBRASKA METRO GOLD 15S
Coach: Tim Leuschen (Millard South),
assistant Travis Linder (Papillion-La
Vista)
Roster: Christian Banker, Omaha
Skutt; Jack Begley, Andrew Wine,
Millard North; Anthony Bratton, Omaha
Westside; B.J. Deng, Papillion-La Vista;
Ty Duin, Zachary Imig, Gretna; Jaxon
Harre, Millard South; Simon Hay, Millard
West; Andrew Henrich, Omaha Burke.
Schedule: Jayhawk Classic (1-2); Mullen’s High Profile, St. Louis, July 11-13;
D1 Summer Classic, Minneapolis, July
16-20; KC Prep Invitational, July 25-27.
Who’s hot: Team leader Bratton played
well to start but has injured his knee
and will be out for the summer.
Noteworthy: Three players with varsity
experience: Duin, Imig and Harre.
Coaches’ comment: “Great team
basketball will allow Gold to compete
with elite squads.”
OSA CRUSADERS 15S
Coach: Dan Archie; assistants Daniel
Archie, Justin Wayne, Scott Blackwell
Roster: Weston Behlen, Elkhorn; Theo
Blum, Wahoo Neumann; Mo Druliner,
Bennett Hellman, Omaha Westside;
Malcolm Lee, Colin Richards, Bellevue
West; Eric Lenear, Bellevue East; Jordan Nash, Omaha North; Omid Sidiqi,
Millard West; Anthony Laravie, Omaha
North.
Schedule: River Cities Hoops Summer
Tip Off, Omaha, through Sunday; Mullen’s High Profile, St. Louis, July 11-13;
Sanford Pentagon Series Finals, Sioux
Falls, July 18-20; Las Vegas Fab 48,
July 24-27.
Who’s hot: Lenear averages 14.5
points on 53 percent shooting. Nash
leads in assists with five a game.
OMAHA ELITE 15S
Coach: Thomas Liechti (Omaha North);
assistants Scottie Davis, Tony Williams
Roster: Ayo Baker, Papillion-La Vista;
Aguek Arop, Omaha South; Aguir Agau,
Omaha Creighton Prep; Isaiah Chandler,
Jordan Flowers, Omaha Central; Jordan
Strong, Zion Williams, Justin Jackson-Williams, Omaha North; Jackson
Livingston, Davon Wells-Ross, Omaha
Burke; Nosa Iyagbaye, Lincoln Parkview;
Marques Wilson, Edmond (Oklahoma)
North; Jay Small, Hinton (Iowa).
Remaining schedule: Mullens High
Profile, St. Louis, July 11-13; NY2LA
Summer Jam, Mequon, Wis., July 1620; KC Hardwood Classic, Kansas City,
Kan., July 24-27.
Who’s hot: Great size on this team,
which plays above the rim.
Noteworthy: Finished the spring
session 22-2, with both losses by one
point in championship games.
Coaches’ comment: “Team with enormous amount of talent and potential.
Team chemistry is what puts this team
over the top.”
NEBRASKA HOOPS ELITE 15S
Coaches: Ken Moreano, Omar Bynum
Roster: Desmond Edwards, Omaha
Benson; Jacob Hansen, Harlan (Iowa);
Armando Jackson, Ralston; Matt Wellendorf, Ben Johnson, Omaha Creighton Prep; Noah Moreano, Elkhorn; Jack
Shafer, Omaha Westside; Donovan
Warren, Ralston; Jaxon Harre, Millard
South; Carter Larsen, Millard North.
Schedule: Midwest Spring Tune Up
(1-3); Spring Jam (2-2); Kings of the
Courts (1-3); KC Classic (2-3); River
Cities Summer Tip Off, Omaha, through
Sunday; 5280 Championships, Golden,
Colo., July 9-11; NY2LA Summer Jam,
Mequon, Wis., July 16-20; Las Vegas
Classic, July 23-27.
Who’s hot: In Sioux Falls Spring Jam,
Wellendorf was 6 of 8 from 3-point
range against the Dakota Schoolers.
In the KC Classic, Moreano had 21
points in a win over the Missouri Flight.
Noteworthy: Whole lineup can score in
double figures.
Coaches’ comment: Solid group, which
in its first year of traveling has shown
significant development and growth.
90 SELECT 15S
Coach: Roger Brown
Roster: Patrick Pelini, Lincoln Pius X;
Hunter McPhail, Lincoln East; Jaidon
Policky, Milford; Tate Mazour, Doniphan-Trumbull; Trey Brown, Gretna; Crew
Charlton, Lincoln Southeast; Stephen
Hillis, Hartington Cedar Catholic; Ben
Lingenfelter, Neligh-Oakdale; Caleb
Rihanek, West Boyd.
Schedule: Midwest Summer Slam,
Ames, Iowa, July 11-13; D1 Summer
Classic, Minneapolis, July 17-20; KC
Prep Invitational, July 25-27.
Who’s hot: Team is led by Pelini (son
of Nebraska football coach Bo Pelini)
and McPhail. Great size in Lingenfelter
and Brown, both 6-6. Good 3-point
shooter in Charlton.
Coach’s comment: “Athletic and we
have size, signs of a team that could
be good.”
NEBRASKA SELECT 15S
Coaches: Dierk Dorsey, Larry Kelberg
Roster: Justin Costello, Zane Anderson,
Elkhorn South; Giel Riak, Millard North;
Reid Jurgensmeier, Brandon Bruening,
Wahoo Neumann; Isaiah Laughlin,
Lincoln Southeast; David Wingett, Winnebago; Jordan DeLeon, Omaha South;
David Bohlen, Adams Central; Henry
Tankersley, Lincoln Parkview.
Remaining schedule: Chi Town Invite,
July 11-13; Minneapolis D-1 Classic,
July 17-20; Adidas Hoosier Shootout,
Indianapolis, July 23-27; MAYB Nationals, Wichita, Kan., July 31-Aug. 3.
Noteworthy: Won Mile High Classic
in spring with 32-point victory over
Chauncey Billups Select. Went 5-0.
CSS CRAVE 15S
Coaches: Dan Lesoing, Paul Keeney
Roster: Thomas Robertson, Lincoln
Christian; Tanner Wubbels, Waverly;
Brenden Gerlach, Milford; Corby
Brigham, Wahoo; Cole Homer, Gavin
Druse, Garett Widholm, Lincoln Southwest; Taylor Keeney, Cedar Bluffs;
Wyatt Bodfield, Crete; Jacob Olson,
Lincoln Pius X.
Schedule: Jayhawk Invitational (2-3);
King of the Court (4-1); Gym Rats
Summer Brawl (4-1); MAYB Lincoln
(3-2); Midwest Summer Slam, Ames,
Iowa, July 11-13; MAYB Lincoln, July
18-20; KC Hardwood Classic, Kansas
City, Kan., July 24-27.
Who’s hot: Robertson, Keeney, Wubbels and Bodfield are playing well.
Coaches’ comment: “Working hard
and improving at each tournament.”
Marty Levinson is coaching what many consider to be
the most talented 16-and-under summer boys basketball
team in the area.
Yet Team Nebraska Express still can’t get over the
hump at the big-time AAU
events they travel to in the
summer.
“I want to win a tournament,” Levinson said.
That’s why in Levinson’s
perfect world, Nebraska
would sponsor a super team
to chase down those top
programs, some he’s seen
with eight major Division I
players on one team. Nebraska had such a statewide team
in the 1980s and early 1990s
sponsored by the Nebraska
Basketball Development
Association.
Those are the kinds of
squads that bring in big-time
coaches — like Louisville’s
Rick Pitino, Kentucky’s John
Calipari and North Carolina’s
Roy Williams — to watch
them play instead of their
assistants.
“Have we ever had eight
(D-I prospects) in a year
from Nebraska?” Levinson
asked.
That’s not to say there isn’t
talent in the state. As proof,
Levinson’s team was handled
62-44 Friday morning in the
River Cities Tip Off by the
Nebraska All-Stars, a team
coached by Jerry Eickhoff
made up of players primarily from Lincoln, with a few
from smaller cities as well.
Label Levinson as disappointed, but not completely
surprised. He can reel off a
long list of players he considers top-notch at every high
school age group.
And he raves about the
young talent that he sees
coming up the ranks.
“If you can get the best
teams in Nebraska together,” he said, “you can maybe
make some runs.”
Even though that won’t
happen this summer, Levinson isn’t throwing in the
towel. He’s got six players
6-foot-6 or taller, the tallest
team he’s ever had.
He has enough talent that
he thinks TNE can make a
run at winning an elusive
tournament title.
“Play hard, play smart,
play together. Basketball never changes,” Levinson said.
“We have to play well and
together as a team if we want
to have success in a July like
this.”
After competing this weekend in the River Cities Tip
Off in Omaha, the Express
head to the Mullen’s High
Profile event in St. Louis, followed by the NY2LA Summer
Jam in Mequon, Wisconsin,
and the Sunflower Showcase
in Kansas City, Kansas.
It’s in Wisconsin that
Levinson expects to see the
highest-level programs such
as the D.C. Assault from
Washington, D.C., and the
Mean Streets and the Mac
Irvin Fire from Chicago.
He still remembers a tournament when he was in high
school and playing for the
Godfather’s Pizza squad. A
teammate was guarding Mike
Dunleavy Jr. while he tried
to stop Gilbert Arenas, both
future pros. That could be the
kind of player his team sees
at the NY2LA Summer Jam.
But Levinson has a few
players of his own he expects
to play in college.
Omaha Burke’s Wanjang
Tut has a chance to be a
major Division I prospect.
He can play the 1 through 4
positions, he’s versatile and
he’s smooth for being 6-6,
Levinson said. Several others
are on the brink.
“It comes down to the personal commitment,” Levinson
said, “and the time they’re
willing to put in.”
Contact the writer:
402-444-1034, marjie.ducey@owh.com