Timberwolves See Double

E-M fends off Panthers 67-62 in double overtime

LINCOLN — Derek Luzum is a man of few words. And that’s just fine for him, thanks.

He’d prefer to let his basketball do the talking. So on Saturday night at Pinnacle Bank Arena, he did just that.

The 6-4 senior riddled defending champion Bancroft-Rosalie for 28 points, on 10-for-22 shooting from the floor, and 11 rebounds as his Exeter-Milligan Timberwolves won the Class D2 state championship 67-62 in double overtime for the school’s first state hoops title.

“Amazing,” Luzum said, when asked how he felt after the game. “I just started getting a pretty good feeling and the ball was going in. Our defense started to buckle down and that helped us a lot.”

Thankfully, his coach Dean Filipi had a few more.

“He made some big shots,” the veteran coach said. “He was hot and they were leaving him open and the guys recognized that and got him the ball. Our guys have been playing together for a long time and they know each other real well. They knew to get him the ball.”

After being tied at 50 after regulation and 55 at the first overtime, the T-Wolves set out to end it in the second extra session.

Bancroft-Rosalie struck first on a free throw for a 56-55 lead, but Luzum countered with a three from the right corner near the E-M bench for a 58-56 lead with 3:08 left and the Wolves never gave it up.

“The thing with these guys is we’ve competed in a lot of big games,” Filipi said. “We don’t get too emotionally wrapped up in things until after the game is over. We try to stay on a more level keel and that helps down the stretch in these types of games.”

And, so with the lead, Timberwolves excelled.

After Luzum added a pair of free throws for a 60-56 lead at the 2:05 mark, the Panthers were only able to get within a single possession once at 65-62. On that possession, Appleton, who led B-R with 23 points and five assists, came up short on a 3-point shot. Single free throws from Sam Zeleny and Kyle Jensen secured the win.

“It’s pretty rare, to coach a group like this,” Filipi said. “They are willing to listen to you and no matter what the circumstances are, they believe in themselves and each other. If they do that, they have the opportunity to pull out a win. They have no quit in them.”

In a game where anybody could have quit, the players on both teams excelled. Eight players — four for each team — played more than a full regulation game. Yet, fatigue never appeared to be a factor.

E-M trailed 50-47 late the game before Luzum hit a 3-point shot from the left wing with 2:05 left and B-R coach Cory Meyer elected to hold for the final shot which turned out to be an Appleton runner that rimmed off at the horn.

In the first overtime, Luzum opened the scoring with a long-range shot from the same spot he’d hit from in the second extra session and then added a free throw for a 54-50 lead. But, B-R responded.

Appleton hit a 3-point shot with 1:31 left — the Panthers were 4-for-20 from long range for the game — and then Carson Tietz got his own miss and gave B-R the lead at 55-54 with 16 seconds left.

The Wolves then went to Jensen, who inbounded the ball near midcourt to Zeleny and took a return pass before being fouled by Tietz. He hit the first of two free throws, but on the scrum after he missed the second the Timberwolves nearly won it.

Jensen got his own miss and put up a guarded 10-foot shot that caromed right to Luzum in mid-air and he got a perfect look, but the shot rimmed out.

More FREE BASKETBALL. The final sequence. #nebpreps
pic.twitter.com/JMycuwIQaT

— Striv Sports (@strivsports)
March 14, 2015

Still, Filipi said, there was no panic in the huddle. And the Timberwolves relied on past experiences from a difficult schedule and three consecutive come-from-behind wins in the state football playoffs.

“Deep down these guys have a great will to play,” Filipi said. “Their ability to stay composed in those situations is huge. You can get nervous, but if you believe in yourself and you believe in your teammates it carries over.

“But, they work hard at it, too.”

Jensen added a second double-double for Exeter-Milligan with 11 points and 12 rebounds. The Nebraska Shrine Bowl selection and Doane College football recruit also added five assists. Zeleny, quarterback on the football team, scored 17 points on the aid of four 3-point shots.

“This is awesome,” Jensen said. “Honestly, when we got down I didn’t think we’d be able to come back. But, coach always preaches that it’s never over. It’s a dream come true. A lot of people don’t get the chance to win any championships and to win two in one year.

“It’s pretty special.”

Pretty special, indeed. A history making double for Exeter-Milligan.