OMAHA (KMTV) — The Millard North boys' basketball team is ready to begin play at the state tournament this week in Lincoln.
- The Mustangs finished hope to win their 3rd state title in the last four years.
- If Millard North wins state, its senior class will have won exactly 100 total varsity games.
- The Mustangs face Gretna on Wednesday at PBA.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
MILLARD NORTH BOYS BASKETBALL KNOWS WHAT IT TAKES TO GET TO THE TOP.
THE MUSTANGS HAVE BEEN IN THE CLASS A STATE TITLE GAME EACH OF THE LAST FOUR YEARS… WINNING IT ALL IN 2021 AND 2022.
NEAL MOSSER##MILLARD NORTH SR. GUARD: We have three games left and at any time we could be going home, so we just have to play like it’s our last.
SENIORS NEAL MOSSER AND ELI GAETH HAVE BEEN ON BOTH ENDS OF THE STATE BASKETBALL FINAL...
WINNING AS FRESHMEN AND SOPHOMORES… AND TAKING SECOND PLACE LAST SEASON.
NM: We don’t want to feel like that again, especially in some of our senior years, we don’t want to go out like that.
ELI GAETH##MILLARD NORTH SR. GUARD: It was the saddest moment I ever really felt my entire career ‘cause it was the first time we lost it.
EG: So this year we kind of have that chip on our shoulder to come back, try to finish the job this year.
MICHAEL ETZELMILLER##MILLARD NORTH BOYS BASKETBALL COACH: These seniors, they come in with a smile on their face. They’re excited to come to practice. I think they get it, and I really hope that what they’re doing, our younger kids are learning from because they can impact this program for longer than just their four years here in high school.
AND THEY HAD GUYS LIKE HUNTER SALLIS AND JASEN GREEN TO SHOW THEM THE ROPES…
NM: I feel like they just set the standard for us, me and Eli … Now we get to go do it as our senior year. It’s kind of surreal.
AFTER BEATING DEFENDING STATE CHAMPS BELLEVUE WEST EARLY IN THE SEASON… THE MUSTANGS LOST TO OMAHA CENTRAL IN THE METRO TOURNAMENT… WHICH FLIPPED A SWITCH FOR THEM.
NM: I feel like that Central game really showed us that we’re not invincible. That anybody can beat us at any given time if we’re not on the top of our game.
THEY’LL TAKE THOSE LESSONS LEARNED TO STATE… WHERE GRETNA AWAITS THEM IN THE QUARTERFINALS.
ME: We’re prepared and ready to go for them because they are a very good team, very well-coached, great players. As long as the majority of the focus right now is on Gretna, that’s where we’d like to be.
THAT GAME STARTS WEDNESDAY AT 6 AT PINNACLE BANK ARENA
