Coming off one of their best seasons in recent times, NPHS boys basketball entered the 2020-21 season full of questions. Would COVID shut them down? Will they get in a full season?
For head coach Matt Kaminski, there was really only one question on his mind: What's the next step?
In 2019-20 the Boys captured 9 wins on the season, their best total since 2013-14 (12-14), and had a lot of momentum heading into the season. They had three starters from the previous year returning ensuring that a strong core would be in place to help propel them to start the year. They had been bolstered by young talent who were hungry to get experience at the varsity level.
The season started out bumpy with a tough schedule featuring both ranked teams and teams that had made the state tournament the year prior. The team would be 2-5 headed into the Christmas break.
Much like the girls the second half of the season would be where the Boys found their stride. As Coach Kaminski would say "we played a rough front nine, now let's come back strong on the back nine".
A win against a scrappy Lexington team followed by a blowout of Sidney would be the confidence boost the team needed to see. They would go 4-1 during a stretch that saw them play five games in seven days and looked to be clicking on all cylinders.
Then COVID decided it wanted to come to the party. A positive test would sideline the team for 10 days halting everything they could do and taking away a lot of the wind in their sails.
To their credit, this was a team that never quit on any game and finished the season 3-2 heading into district play. The statement game of that stretch was a tough win up in Gering that featured a 13 point comeback for the Dawgs and a one-point victory.
They got a tough draw headed into the A-1 district and would open up play against a Lincoln North Star team that had a huge chip on their shoulder.
The team matched their nine-win total from the previous year and once again have a lot of good momentum headed into the 2021-22 season.
Here is a look back on the season, here is Head Coach Matt Kaminski:
Enjoy some great photos from the year:
