The Bellevue West Thunderbirds had already won ten in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 21.6 points), and they went ahead and made it 11 on Saturday. They came out on top against Bryan by a score of 74-67. Given Bellevue West's advantage in MaxPreps' Nebraska basketball rankings (they are ranked first, while Bryan is ranked 51st), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Bellevue West's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Steven Poulicek, who scored 18 points along with eight rebounds. That's the first time this season that Poulicek pulled down eight or more rebounds. Jaden Jackson was another key contributor, scoring 12 points along with nine assists.
When it comes to explaining why Bryan lost, one person who can't be blamed is A'mare Bynum. Despite the final result, he went 6 for 11 from beyond the arc en route to 29 points and 6 assists. Bynum is on a roll when it comes to rebounds, as he's now pulled down eight or more in the last three games he's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Amir Martin, who scored 13 points.
Bellevue West's victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 13-1. As for Bryan, their defeat dropped their record down to 9-4.
Both teams are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Bellevue West will play host again and welcome Creighton Prep, where tip off is scheduled for TBD on Thursday. Creighton Prep knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with flashy point totals in its past five games -- so hopefully Bellevue West likes a good challenge. As for Bryan, they will look to defend their home court on Tuesday against Grand Island at 7:15 p.m. Grand Island is coming into the contest on a four-game losing streak.
