LINCOLN – The Loomis Wolves season concluded at the hands of the Parkview Christian Patriots for the second consecutive season on Wednesday afternoon in the first round of the Boys State Basketball tournament from Lincoln East High School.
Both teams had impressive marks coming into the contest: Loomis had survived the Fort Kearney Conference gauntlet of opponents with a 22-4 record entering the afternoon while Parkview Christian had a 25-1 mark, best in Class D2, and had won the MUDECAS and Frontier conference tournaments.
Loomis was seeking revenge from last tournament’s loss to the Patriots, but Parkview Christian was a completely different make-up then the previous season. This year’s squad featured 5 new starters from the 2020 team, including four transfers. Loomis however returned the bulk of their 2020 team including Quinn Johnson, the 2nd leading scorer in all classes at the state tournament.
The beginning of the contest was eerily similar to last year’s, as Parkview Christian quickly attacked Loomis inside leaving open looks outside for Mark Ault to knock down two three pointers in the opening minutes. Mike Lual also hit a three and had the opening bucket with a lay-in. Loomis did fight back however, with some impressive drives from Shay Swanson getting four points and Christian Blincow earning another 2 points. Johnson took some time to get his shot, but added 6 points by the end of the quarter. As Parkview Christian had the lead by 5 in the waning moments of the end of the first, Aiden Lovitt drilled a left wing triple that had Loomis within one possession entering the second quarter. Parkview Christian led 17-15 at the end of the first.
The Patriots began flexing their offensive prowess after the first eight minutes, going on a 24-12 run in the second quarter. The Patriots star Jaheim Curry found plenty of opportunities to score, as he was held scoreless in the first quarter but quickly added a lay-in to start the second. Curry would go 5 of 6 from the charity stripe in the quarter as well. The Patriots running mate Lual found his shot as well, knocking down 10 points with two three pointers. Loomis’ Johnson began to quietly answer on his own, with back-to-back three pointers to start the second. The Wolves were unable to keep up however, as Loomis trailed 41-27 at the halftime buzzer.
The same situation played out in the second half as Loomis would continue to fight to keep the game within reach, consistently trailing by 10, 12, or 14 points. Parkview Christian however never allowed Loomis to gain control of momentum as any time Johnson would hit big shots, such as his 11 point third quarter, the Patriots would respond with 2 points from a variety of players having 6 different scorers in the third.
Curry would add 6 points in the fourth as starters Jackson Lauby, Lovitt, and Swanson would collect their 5th personal foul in the fourth quarter and ended the Wolves chance for a comeback. The Wolves season comes to a close at Lincoln East with a final tally of 71-54.
Parkview Christian will take on #1 St. Mary’s Thursday morning at Pinnacle Bank Arena. The Patriots earn their 26th win on the season with contributions from Lual with 20 points, Ault finished with 17 points, Curry had 15 points, Keshawn Moore had 7 points, Tom Kraan contributed 6 points, and Franco Rossi added 2 points.
The Loomis Wolves season ends with a 22-5 record overall. The Wolves had contributions from Johnson with 27 points, 11 points by Swanson, 10 added by Christian Blincow, 3 added by Lovitt, and 2 by Aiden Perry.