The Blair High School boys basketball team was hot from beyond the arc Monday during a Jamboree exhibition game at Arlington.
The Bears hit 11 3-pointers across four periods, including nine during the first half. Altogether, eight different players hit long-range shots for coach Chris Whitwer's team in the strong offensive showing.
“Let's hope that continues,” he said.
BHS and the Eagles didn't keep a game-long score, resetting to 0-0 at the end of each quarter, but the Class B Bears ultimately out-tallied Class C's AHS, 69-26. Junior Easton Bosanek led Blair with three made 3s and 13 points, while Oliver Ladehoff scored nine for coach Jake Polk, who made his debut on the Arlington bench.
Bears roster likes to compete
BHS reached the district finals last season, closing out the campaign 10-13 overall.
Senior Crayton Macholan returns to the starting lineup after averaging 7.6 points and 3.1 assisters per game. Bo Meier, a 6-foot-5 sophomore, returns, too, after 11.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per outing.
Overall, though, six Bears letter winners are back for more, including Bosanek, Nate Wachter and Ben Holcomb. They started Monday's exhibition at AHS alongside Macholan and Meier.
“We've got a group of guys that really like to compete,” Whitwer said after the game, noting their positive attitudes as well.
The team was mentally engaged during the first week of preseason practice, the coach added. It was as Blair reviewed old skills and plays just as it was when the staff taught it new information.
“They've been extremely coachable at the beginning of the season,” Whitwer explained. “That's going to be a huge key as we get going.”
Macholan and Meier are proven commodities after earned All-Eastern Midlands Conference honorable mention a year ago, but the Bears were able to get a chance to see a lot of their less-experienced players log minutes against the Eagles.
“We're trying to figure out who's where still,” Whitwer said.
Bosanek's point total was notable after he averaged 1.9 a game off of the bench last season. So, too, were made 3-pointers by Isaac Field, Chase Cottle, Declan McCabe, Colin McCabe, Aidan Slominski, Holcomb and Lucas Matejka — who Whitwer also credited for playing strong defense in the lane.
“A lot of guys did a really good job of doing those little things right,” Whitwer said.
The BHS varsity boys basketball team officially opens the season 3 p.m. Dec. 2 at Ralston. Its first home game is 7:15 p.m. Dec. 5 against Waverly.
Arlington builds toward season
Arlington lost the first and second periods of Monday's exhibition game against Blair handily. The Eagles dropped the opening 8 minutes 26-2 before a 22-7 second quarter.
As a result, coach Polk had a specific message for his first team at halftime.
“Alright, we're going back out there,” he recalled after the preseason matchup. “It's the third quarter. It's 0-0. How are we going to get better?”
Polk, who previously coached at Centennial High School, said AHS is working together to get comfortable and improve — particularly offensively — before the 7:30 p.m. Nov. 30 season opener at West Point-Beemer.
“We've got some bad habits to break and standing around is one of them,” he said.
Arlington has completed skill work during practice, but is also implementing a new playbook under its new coach. The Eagles are just — flat-out — getting to know Polk, too.
“There's growing pains with that and there's growing pains with me, as the coach, learning to work with new players and new assistants as well,” he said. “So, we've just got to keep building in practice, and working on our chemistry both on and off the court.”
AHS is led by captains Trent Koger and Schuyler Logemann, who combined for nine points against Blair. Koger, a 6-6 junior, averaged 12.8 points per game as a sophomore, earning All-Nebraska Capitol Conference honorable mention.
“They've taken on that leadership role — that senior leadership role that we don't have with no seniors out for the team,” Polk said.
Kieryn Grothe and Ladehoff are back as 2022-23 starters, too, while returner Tim Halley earned a varsity letter last season. Notably, Jaxson Burns and Luke Sharp started Monday's exhibition as well.
At West Point-Beemer on Nov. 30, Arlington starts its attempt to best last season's 6-18 win-loss mark.
HS BASKETBALL LINE SCORES
Monday Exhibition
Scoring: Blair (69 total points) — Easton Bosanek 13, Hayden Daggett 8, Cooper Sorensen 7, Declan McCabe 6, Isaac Field 5, Colin McCabe 5, Crayton Macholan 5, Nate Wachter 5, Aidan Slominski 5, Chase Cottle 3, Ben Holcomb 3, Lucas Matejka 3, Bo Meier 1.
Arlington (26 total points) — Oliver Ladehoff 9, Trent Koger 7, Jaxson Burns 5, Luke Sharp 3, Schuyler Logemann 2.
