5 Takeaways From Lincoln Pius X’s 56-47 Win Over Lincoln Southwest

<p>On a bitter cold and snowy Friday evening in Lincoln, the final undefeated team in Class A, and the #1 team in most people's state rankings, the Lincoln Pius X Thunderbolts kicked off their weekend slate by making the crosstown trip to Lincoln Southwest High to take on the Silverhawks who have struggled out of the gate through the season's first ten games. This was my first chance to watch both these teams this season. A low scoring affair throughout, this was the first game for both teams since the conclusion of the Heartland Athletic Conference tournament ten days ago which Pius came out of victorious. In a low scoring affair, Southwest hung around the entire game, but just not find the spark needed to put them over the top, while Pius' efficiency on both ends of the court, helped the Thunderbolts come out on top by a score of 56-47. Here are my five takeaways from the game. </p> <p><strong>Pius X is A Legitimate Class A State Championship Contender</strong></p> <p>After having a chance to watch the majority of the top teams in Class A, the state title race is about as wide open as its ever been in recent memory, and Lincoln Pius X should be right there in the conversation. They are one of the most fundamentally sound units I've seen from top to bottom. While they don't have the big-name prospects of some of their Class A counterparts, the core guard group of Senior <strong>Kolbe Rada,</strong> Junior twin brothers <strong>Sam Hoiberg, </strong>and <strong>Charlie Hoiberg </strong>all could score 20 on any given night. Throw in seniors <strong>Mitchell Sebek </strong>and <strong>Tayden Gentrup</strong> who are both solid role players, and you have a team that is both efficient on the offensive end, and scrappy and physical on the defensive end. Pius is the last remaining undefeated team in Class A for a reason, and they will remain right in the thick of things throughout January and February. </p> <p><strong>Pius X's Biggest Strength May Be in Numbers</strong></p> <p>Early in the season, it seemed as if Pius had a new name on the top of the box score every game. Coming into the season it seemed to be expected that Senior Guard <strong>Kolbe Rada</strong> would be the straw the stirred the drink for the Bolts, but this was before anyone in Nebraska had seen what the Hoiberg twins could do, but more on them later. This doesn't mean Rada hasn't had a solid year though. He lead the way for Pius tonight with 16 points, while <strong>Sam Hoiberg</strong> chipped in 13 as well. Rada's fellow seniors <strong>Mitchell Sebek </strong>and <strong>Tayden Gentrup </strong>have both made solid impacts in various games throughout this season. Pius is quite a team to have to scout, because unlike other Class A teams may seem, they aren't just one big star and everybody else, they are a complete team, with a great deal of depth and skill all up and down the bench.</p> <p><strong>The Hoiberg Boys Are Coaches On The Floor</strong></p> <p>Much like their father, Nebraska Basketball Coach Fred Hoiberg, his twin sons <strong>Sam</strong> and <strong>Charlie </strong>are both extremely level headed guards who are solid in all facets of the game. The two 6 foot tall guards both can use some crafty dribble moves to get to the rim, and both aren't afraid to finish through contact. They are both stout defenders as well, who are very vocal on that end of the court as well. Both the twins have hit game-winning shots for the Thunderbolts this season. <strong>Sam </strong>is averaging 16.8 points per game, along with 5 rebounds, and 4 assists per game. <strong>Charlie </strong>is usually the first or second guy off the bench and averages 7 points per game. Both brothers are also solid shooters from behind the three-point line where <strong>Sam</strong> shoots 37% and <strong>Charlie</strong> shoots 44%. Look for the Hoiberg brothers to continue being everything guards for the Thunderbolts throughout the rest of the season. </p> <p><strong>Lincoln Southwest is a Young Team With a Bright Future</strong></p> <p>Southwest Head Coach Alex Bahe has himself a solid core group of freshman and sophomores that will benefit greatly with the amount of varsity minutes they are getting early on against varsity competition in Class A. Their leading scorer on the year, as well as in tonight's contest is sophomore guard <strong>Jared Bohrer </strong>who is averaging 12.8 points per game as well as shooting 42% from 3 point range this season. Fellow sophomore guard <strong>Ben Hunzeker</strong> chipped in 10 points tonight and helped Southwest hang around late in the game. Look for Southwest's youngsters to provide a spark for the Silver Hawks throughout the remainder of the season. </p> <p><strong>Lincoln Has Two Really Good Teams in the Top Tier and the Rest of the City Is A Tier Below</strong></p> <p>Pius and Lincoln North Star are in a league of their own in the city of Lincoln. It's a shame that the only time they can see each other again will be in either districts or state tournament play. Beyond those two, the rest of Lincoln's Class A teams have solid pieces and could definitely surprise some folks as the season goes on. Pius hosts probably the third-best team in Lincoln in Lincoln Northeast Saturday night which will be an interesting watch. Southeast gets a Saturday night visit from the Grand Island Islanders. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>