Class A Boys State Basketball Preview
By Dean Backes
It has become tradition for Millard North and Bellevue West to compete for the Nebraska Class A state basketball championship at Pinnacle Bank Arena in March. Fans and prognosticators might even admit to printing off their bracket and penciling the Thunderbirds and Mustangs into the championship game before filling out the rest of their bracket.
Since 2020, Bellevue West and Millard North have faced each other in the Class A state championship game every year. The Thunderbirds won in 2020 and again in 2023 and 2024. The Mustangs went back-to-back in 2021 and 2022. This season, however, the seedings don’t match up and the powerhouse clubs will face each other in the quarterfinals.
Millard North senior Derek Rollins was a freshman when the Mustangs took home the title in 2022. Before leaving Millard North, the 6-foot-5 forward wants to experience that winning feeling again.
“The only thing I really want to do is win out the season and win the state championship,” Rollins said a few weeks back. “I feel that’s the goal. We’ve been short the last two years, so it’s the last chance for me to get it done. That’s most important to me.”
During their 4-3 start to the season, the Mustangs dropped a 71-61 decision at Bellevue West and lost to MaxPreps Class A No. 1 Papillion-LaVista South 64-61. Millard North fell to Papillion-LaVista South for a second time in February.
In order to reach the championship game, the Mustangs may have to avenge those three losses. The Millard North-Bellevue West winner faces the winner of Papillion-LaVista South-Papillion-LaVista in the semifinals.
Following Millard North’s last state title win, the Mustangs lost a big senior class which included Jasen Green who now plays at Creighton University. Millard North head coach Mike Etzelmiller and his staff weren’t quite sure what they had coming back. Rollins took it from there.
Over the last three seasons, Rollins and fellow seniors Chase Abels, Amari Rahaman, Kyron O’Brien Jr. and Deacon Courtney led the way as Etzelmiller’s club compiled a 64-14 record, two Class A runner-up finishes and a spot on this season’s state tournament bracket.
“We needed someone to step forward and he did right away as a sophomore,” Etzelmiller said of Rollins. “He stepped in and took on any role. At that point he was probably playing a little more post for us because we were smaller. He took on that role for us as a sophomore and averaged 15 and 8, an all-state type of year.
“Somewhere in the middle of that year, we figured out that he was a problem being guarded because even then he could step out and play the perimeter. Or, if he wanted to, he could get into the post. Early on he was quite a handful for our opponents.”
Rollins’ numbers have improved each year under Etzelmiller. As a junior, the two-time all stater averaged 17.8 points, 10 rebounds and 1.8 blocks a game. This season he is pouring in 20.2 points, pulling down 10.2 boards, dishing out nearly three assists and swatting just over one block an outing.
For his career, Rollins broke Green’s school scoring record of 1,333 points with 1,349 of his own. He also has career totals of 729 rebounds (four short of Green’s school record of 733), 142 assists, 58 steals and 120 blocked shots through 81 games.
Rollins scored the 1,000th point of his career Jan. 7 against Papillion-LaVista. He needed 15 points to reach the milestone and scored 16 in the first quarter before finishing with 28 points for the night. For his career, Rollins has 37 double-doubles and has scored 30 points or more five times.
Etzelmiller’s star player has scored 20 points or more 27 times and scored a career high 34 points in an 82-69 win over Omaha North Feb. 11.
“I feel like I’m a versatile player,” Rollins said of his basketball game. “I can do everything on the court. Rebound, post up, finish, dribble. All of that stuff. I’m competitive, always trying to make sure my teammates are playing their hardest and not getting down on themselves. I like to compete every time I play against anybody. I always like to have fun.”
Over the next four days, Etzelmiller and Rollins will have the opportunity to compete against some of the Cornhusker State’s great players and teams. They understand just how difficult it will be to bring home the state championship hardware once again.
“We know how hard it is to get to state,” Etzelmiller said. “Before the last five years, we hadn’t been there in 15-20 years so we’re kind of in a stretch where we’ve been very successful. Making it to state has been a goal of ours at Millard North because expectations are high.”
While Rollins did accomplish a lot on the basketball court throughout his Millard North basketball career, he realizes he had a lot of help from his teammates and coaches.
“We have great coaches,” Rollins said. “I mean Coach Ertz has always been on top of me. Always pushing me to be my best. He always supports my decisions and wants the best for me. They all do. I’m very appreciative of what they’ve done and what they taught me over the past four years.”
Quarterfinal Rematches
Papillion-LaVista defeated Papillion-LaVista South, 62-52, Jan. 10.
Bellevue West defeated Millard North, 71-61, Dec. 7.
Omaha Westside defeated Lincoln Southwest, 93-55, Jan. 11.
Lincoln Southwest defeated Omaha Westside, 57-55, Mar. 3.
Lincoln Southeast defeated Lincoln North Star, 50-47, Dec. 6.
Picking the Class A Field
No. 1 Papillion-LaVista South (23-3) over No. 11 Papillion-LaVista (15-10)
No. 2 Millard North (18-6) over No. 5 Bellevue West (18-7)
No. 3 Omaha Westside (22-4) over No. 12 Lincoln Southwest (15-9)
No. 10 Lincoln Southeast (16-8) over No. 6 Lincoln North Star (20-5)
No. 1 Papillion-LaVista South (24-3) over No. 2 Millard North (19-6)
No. 3 Omaha Westside (23-4) over No. 10 Lincoln Southeast (17-8)
Championship: No. 1 Papillion-LaVista South (25-3) over No. 3 Omaha Westside (24-4)
Dark Horse: Bellevue West
Nebraska Class A Boys Scoring Leaders
Bryson Bahl, Papillion-LaVista South (21.3)
Robert Garcia, Bellevue West (20.4)
Derek Rollins, Millard North (20.2)
Uzziah Sanders, Lincoln Southwest (19.8)
Jordan Castor, Lincoln North Star (17.6)
Makkiah Sanders, Lincoln Southwest (17.5)
Mike Ngoyi, Lincoln Southeast (17.1)
Emre Gedik, Omaha Westside (14.1)
Bryce Johnson, Jr., Bellevue West (13.7)
Jaxyn Cruse, Lincoln Southwest (13.5)
Levi Webb, Papillion-LaVista South (12.8)
Reece Kircher, Papillion-LaVista South (12.4)
Sam Boudreau, Papillion-LaVista (12.3)
Chewy Thoat, Lincoln Southeast (12.0)
Coriahnn Gallatin, Millard North (11.9)
Lee Robinson, Omaha Westside (11.6)
Demarcus McCarty, Papillion-LaVista (11.3)
Mari Shumaker, Lincoln Southeast (10.8)
Brayden Mauro, Bellevue West (10.7)
William Schafer, Lincoln North Star (10.7)
Cedric Williams, Papillion-LaVista (10.4)
Major Mosser, Millard North (10.4)
Jayden Herrera, Papillion-LaVista South (10.1)
Nebraska Class A Boys Rebound Leaders
Robert Garcia, Bellevue West (11.7)
Derek Rollins, Millard North (10.2)
Bryson Bahl, Papillion-LaVista South (8.7)
Tyson Odvody, Omaha Westside (7.5)
Garin Maley, Papillion-LaVista (6.6)
Chewy Thoat, Lincoln Southeast (5.9)
Prospedi Mukendi, Lincoln Southeast (5.5)
Deacon Courtney, Millard North (5.0)
Bryce Johnson, Jr., Bellevue West (5.0)
Nebraska Class A Boys Assist Leaders
Reece Kircher, Papillion-LaVista South (7.3)
Bryce Johnson, Jr., Bellevue West (6.2)
Jordan Castor, Lincoln North Star (5.4)
Amari Rahaman, Millard North (4.7)
Mari Shumaker, Lincoln Southeast (4.7)
Lee Robinson, Omaha Westside (4.4)
Coriahnn Gallatin, Millard North (3.5)
Brayden Mauro, Bellevue West (3.0)
Uzziah Sanders, Lincoln Southwest (3.0)
Cedric Williams, Papillion-LaVista (2.9)
Makkiah Sanders, Lincoln Southwest (2.9)
Major Mosser, Millard North (2.8)
Mike Ngoyi, Lincoln Southeast (2.8)
Derek Rollins, Millard North (2.7)
Carsen Schultz, Bellevue West (2.6)
Trell Snoddy, Omaha Westside (2.5)
Jaxyn Cruse, Lincoln Southwest (2.5)
Levi Webb, Papillion-LaVista South (2.3)
Trey Richardson, Papillion-LaVista (2.3)
Dakari Wilson, Lincoln Southwest (2.3)
Demarcus McCarty, Papillion-LaVista (2.1)
Robert Garcia, Bellevue West (2.1)
Nebraska Class A Boys Steal Leaders
Jordan Castor, Lincoln North Star (3.0)
Uzziah Sanders, Lincoln Southwest (2.8)
Makkiah Sanders, Lincoln Southwest (2.5)
Reece Kircher, Papillion-LaVista South (2.2)
Bryce Johnson, Jr., Bellevue West (2.2)
Lee Robinson, Omaha Westside (2.1)
William Schafer, Lincoln North Star (2.0)
Nebraska Class A Boys Block Leaders
Mekhi Wayne-Browne, Lincoln North Star (1.5)
Derek Rollins, Millard North (1.1)
Tyson Odvody, Omaha Westside (1.0)
Bryson Bahl, Papillion-LaVista South (0.9)
Deacon Courtney, Millard North (0.8)
Emre Gedik, Omaha Westside (0.8)
Will Preston, Omaha Westside (0.8)
Lee Robinson, Omaha Westside (0.7)
Robert Garcia, Bellevue West (0.6)
Goay Gatwech, Lincoln North Star (0.6)
Rieal Acin, Lincoln North Star (0.6)
William Schafer, Lincoln North Star (0.6)
Trell Snoddy, Omaha Westside (0.5)
Uzziah Sanders, Lincoln Southwest (0.5)