Mount Michael
Success like Wahoo’s produces a problem that most coaches would embrace -- how to keep a competitive edge and be ready to play when the game is on the line. The 1989 team experienced that dilemma and it was a problem that Coach Anderson would continue to face with future teams. A steady diet of blowouts would hardly prepare the team to face the tougher competition they knew would come. Everyone was aware there were better teams out there, and although it wasn’t talked about extensively, the fact was that even as they dominated their opponents, the Warriors were still only #2 in Class B. If the ultimate showdown with #1, Pius X ever materialized, would Wahoo be ready? While a majority of the games were well decided by the fourth quarter (and many by the end of the first half), there were some challenging games during the ‘88-’89 season that would serve to prepare the Wahoo team for a run at the tough competition a state tournament was sure to present.
The first challenge of the season came in the fifth game, just before the Christmas break. After four blowout wins, Coach Anderson commented, “ It’s a long season. I don’t think we’re going to look like world beaters every time out.” It was almost the same as the pattern followed by the 1988 Champions. In game five, Wahoo would face one of the better Class B teams in the state, one of the most consistently high quality basketball programs, Elkhorn Mount Michael. The 1988 game wouldn’t be quite as high octane as the 1987 game (#1 vs. #2), but it did pit the Warriors against a team listed as a contender in the preseason rankings, that would be in and out of the top ten as the season progressed. The biggest difference in the 1988 contest would be the location of the game -- this time the Warriors would have to play in the Mount Michael gym. Coach Anderson’s sentiments that “if you can win here (Mt. Michael), you can win anywhere” were echoed by Pius X coach, Tom Seib, when the Bolts played there later in the season. The gym is a regulation gym (or so they say), but it seems small, with the feet of the spectators in the first row of bleachers often touching the court. And there are only about seven rows of bleachers on both sides. Then there is the stage (small) at the one end. The small confines coupled with the boisterous, packed in crowd of boys from the all-male boarding school, produced an intimidating site. Both top teams would come away with wins (Pius X in overtime), but both would face a tough test. For the Warriors it almost seemed like business as usual when Wahoo opened up a 17 point half time lead. Eventually, that lead extended to 48 - 28 and the Warriors felt pretty comfortable, but the Knights kept pecking away. The lead was down to 13 when Jason Glock canned a buzzer-beater at the end of the third quarter (2 of his 32 points for the night). Half way through the fourth quarter, Mount Michael was able to cut the lead to a single digit 9 points. But that was as close as it got. Even though the 63 - 50 win was the lowest point production of the year for the Warriors as Mount Michael took away the Wahoo transition game, Coach Anderson believed it was a big plus: “That’s good to know we can play half court.” Mount Michael Head Coach, Jim (Killer) Kane noted that it was the Wahoo inside game that was the difference: “They really killed us inside.” But Kane was pleased with the Knight’s effort, commenting that they had been concerned about the Wahoo press going into the game, but were able to keep their turnovers at a respectable level (15). Wahoo had successfully handled their first challenge of the season and was 5 - 0 headed into the holidays.
View details of the Mount Michael game.
A New Season, Pt. 3: Challenges -- Holiday Tournament
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| opponent |
margin |
Wahoo |
Opponent |
| Elkhorn Mt. Michael |
13 |
63 |
50 |
| Schuyler |
4 |
64 |
60 |
| Wahoo Neumann |
9 |
50 |
41 |
| Yutan |
5 |
74 |
69 |
| Syracuse |
7 |
52 |
45 |
| Raymond Central |
5 |
58 |
53 |
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| In pre-tournament play, Wahoo had six challenging games that would be decided by less than 15 points. The closest was the overtime game against Yutan. |
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The Elkhorn Mount Michael gym was a challenge to all visitors. The cramped quarters put the often rowdy crowd literally on the court.
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| "Nobody runs the 1-3-1 like Killer does." -- Coach Anderson |
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| Jim Kane was a long time coach at Elkhorn Mount Michael and long admired by Wahoo coach, Mick Anderson. Kane's teams were some of the toughest Wahoo faced during the "Glory Days." Kane was the Coach of the Year in Nebraska in 1983 and took 12 teams to the state tournament, winning the Class B title in 1983 and 1985. He passed away in 2003. |
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| "Our game plan was to get them in a half court game -- not lose it against the press." -- Mount Michael Coach, Jim Kane |
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