Ryly Jane Hambleton: Omaha Central showed its versatility

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By RYLY JANE HAMBLETON / Lincoln Journal Star

Omaha Central wound up its three-peat in the Class A state boys basketball championship with a display of versatility and diversification.

The Eagles handled the slower tempo of their first-round game against Kearney for a 56-43 victory. Central then picked up the pace with an 80-66 run-and-gun win against Bellevue West.

And in the title game against Bellevue East, the Eagles had to contend with a powerful big man in Jarrell Crayton and a team that was greatly improved over the first time the two squads met this season. Central held on for a 59-58 win Saturday after handing the Chieftains an 82-47 shellacking in January.

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Omaha Central's bench cheers in the last few seconds of their win over Bellevue East during the Class A championship match-up of the state basketball tournament at the Devaney Center. (Heidi Hoffman)

Omaha Central's bench cheers in the last few seconds of their win over Bellevue East during the Class A championship match-up of the state basketball tournament at the Devaney Center. (Heidi Hoffman)

“Playing Kearney is totally different than Bellevue West, and Bellevue East is different again,” said Central coach Eric Behrens. “It’s basketball. You have to be able to play every style and win at all levels.

“I think that’s something that maybe at Central we’ve gotten better at over the years. There were certain teams that beat us because of style of play.”

Central had six state tournament appearances from 1986 to 2004 in which the Eagles were one-and-done. The Eagles finally got a win in 2005 before falling in the semifinals and then swept to the last three championships. They won the first two with overtime victories against Bellevue West, a team the Eagles beat in the semifinals this year.

“When you have a Josh Jones and guys at that level, it certainly makes it easier because they can just come out and make shots and are confident,” Behrens said. “That’s just something you have to do in the state tournament.”

Jones, Chris Griffin, Lorenzo Wilson and Ronnell Grixby played major roles in all three state championships.

“I love these guys. It will be hard to replace them,” Behrens said. “Through good times and bad — a lot of good, but there’s always bumps in the road.”

Central won its three consecutive titles after a 30-year drought for the school, which has six championships. Bellevue East was trying for its first title.

“Bellevue East has a great team. It’s a shame, like the other two years, that someone had to lose,” Behrens said. “Bellevue East is so well coached and they do such a good job running their stuff. Talk about improvement — (Coach) Jason (Ryan) did a heck of a job this year.”

Like Central, Beatrice won the sixth title in school history and three have come in the last 10 years.

Hastings St. Cecilia and Archbishop Bergan each won their  third championship. St. Cecilia won Class C-1, but it was the Bluehawks’ first state title in almost 40 years. For Bergan, which  won Class D-1, it’s been 20 years since the Knights took home a trophy.

Class D-2 Falls City Sacred Heart won its eighth state title, all in the last 20 years under coach Doug Goltz, who has never lost in a championship game.

Class C-2 Elmwood-Murdock took home the school’s first basketball state championship.

Bergan (27-0) was the only team to have a wire-to-wire run at the top of the ratings and finished as the only undefeated team in the state.

Central was the preseason No. 1 pick, Beatrice and Hastings St. Cecilia were both No. 2, Sacred Heart was fourth and Elmwood-Murdock was eighth.

The format change to three two-game sessions the first two days of the tournament appeared to be a boon to attendance, which topped the 100,000 mark. The raucous, nearly full Devaney Sports Center on Friday night for the Class A semifinals was a change from recent years.

While some coaches are unhappy with the new third-place games, it would seem that the games are exactly the kind of teaching situation that proponents of high school athletics say is a big reason for their very existence.

Learning life skills is an important part of high school activities. Coming back to play in third-place games after the disappointment of losing a chance for a state title gives coaches the opportunity to help young men and women overcome adversity and go back to work the next day.

Reach Ryly Jane Hambleton at 473-7314 or rhambleton@journalstar.com.