This past week has been up-and-down for #2 Creighton Prep varsity basketball. Entering the week at #4, the Junior Jays had a strenuous schedule with #1 Omaha Westside, #7 Lincoln North Star, and Millard West on the radar. Despite the hard schedule, the Junior Jays won two of three, suffering a loss to the Warriors. Even with the loss, the Junior Jays advanced to the #2 rank in Class A.
The Westside game was an instant classic. It feels like I say that every time Prep and Westside play basketball, but it’s true. The Warriors led the Junior Jays 25-20 after a high-paced, scrappy first half. Westside guard Emre Gedik scored 13 of his game-high 17 in the opening half.
Facing a 12-point deficit with under 4 minutes left, the Junior Jays needed a spark. Enter Torran Carter-Brown. The junior guard was in foul trouble for most of the half but scored 9 of his team-high 16 points in a minute, piloting a 13-1 run to end regulation and force overtime.
In overtime, Lee Robinson’s heroics pushed the Warriors to victory. After hitting a walk-off three to sink the Junior Jays earlier in the year, the freshman guard scored or assisted on eight of the Warriors’ ten overtime points, leading Westside to a 64-60 victory. Robinson finished with 16 points, along with 6 rebounds and 4 assists, both team highs.
After falling to the Warriors, the Junior Jays traveled to Lincoln to take on Lincoln North Star. The Navigators entered 9-2, having their best season this decade. Despite that, the Junior Jays were able to take home a 50-46 victory, putting their Westside loss behind them. The Junior Jays outscored the Navigators in the first three quarters and held off a late push from the Navigators.
The defense was the driving force behind the Junior Jays’ victory. Lincoln North Star’s offense, which had scored 70 or more in four of the last five games, was held to 46 points on just 32% shooting. The offense only shot 37%, but it was enough to secure a victory for the Junior Jays. Forward Trinell Parker and guard Sam Bohnet led the Junior Jays in scoring, scoring 12.
The Junior Jays ended their stretch of three games in five days by hosting Millard West. Millard West entered unranked at 4-5 but gave the Junior Jays a scare. Despite leading 39-29 at the half, the Junior Jays were caught on their heels, as the Wildcats exploded for a 31-point quarter. The Junior Jays were able to escape with a 74-71 victory, but not without a furious fourth-quarter comeback. Guard Cooper Knight scored 10 of his team-high 17 in the fourth quarter, while guard Connor Peters scored 8 of his 16 in the final frame.
Three amazing games have given insight into improvements and potential problems that the Junior Jays could face.
The biggest improvement the Junior Jays have seen comes at the free throw line. The Junior Jays shot 66% from the charity stripe in their first 10 games, but have raised that to 75% over the last three. Free throws have been crucial in these last few games, which have all come down to the final minutes. This has helped the Junior Jays secure close matchups, including against Millard West, where Carter-Brown knocked down two free throws to secure the win.
The Junior Jays have also proven they can win games when they struggle from deep. Despite shooting 19% from beyond the arc against Lincoln North Star and 30% against Millard West, the Junior Jays won in both. Teams are almost always going to do worse when their shots aren’t falling, but being able to overcome this by playing strong defense and pounding the paint is a sign of an elite team.
Not all have been positive, though. These past few games have revealed that turnovers could be a potential issue. The Junior Jays have averaged over 10 turnovers a game. 20 turnovers were a major factor in the loss to Westside while 15 against Lincoln North Star kept the Navigators in the game. The Junior Jays did force 15 and 10 turnovers against the Warriors and Navigators, but couldn’t take advantage due to their own. Limiting these turnovers is paramount if the Junior Jays want to make a run for a state championship.
Despite the loss to Westside, the Junior Jays displayed a lot of growth and grit, getting two quality wins when the shots weren’t falling. This well-rounded squad has earned their #2 ranking by winning games even when struggling. The Junior Jays get a week to rest and rejuvenate, but not before playing #4 Westview tonight. The Wolverines are 11-1 and are looking for revenge after the Junior Jays handed them their lone loss in the Metro Holiday Basketball Tournament.
This week: 1/17, vs Westview, @15800 Summit Plaza, 7:00 PM
