The Omaha Westside Warriors will face off against the Bellevue West Thunderbirds at 3:15 p.m. on Friday. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as Omaha Westside comes in on 11 and Bellevue West on eight.
Omaha Westside is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Wednesday. They had just enough and edged out Millard North 42-40. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Warriors have posted since January 31st.
Omaha Westside's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Kimora Jenkins, who posted 12 points. Thanks to that strong game, Jenkins now owns an excellent 40.3% three-point shooting accuracy. Himayajo Metoyer was another key player, putting up 11 points and five boards.
Omaha Westside smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 14 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 13 offensive boards in three consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Bellevue West faced Bellevue East in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Wednesday. Bellevue West came out on top against Bellevue East by a score of 61-49.
Bellevue West's win came from a few key players Omaha Westside will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Yirah Sears, who earned 15 points in addition to six rebounds and three steals. Another player making a difference was Stevie Harley, who dropped a double-double with 11 points and 13 boards.
Omaha Westside's win bumped their record up to 20-6. As for Bellevue West, their victory bumped their record up to 18-8.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Omaha Westside has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 32.5 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Bellevue West struggles in that department as they've been averaging 23.2 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Omaha Westside couldn't quite finish off Bellevue West when the teams last played back in January of 2024 and fell 60-57. Thankfully for Omaha Westside, Naomi White (who dropped a double-double with 27 points and 11 rebounds) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
