Pierce Bazil and 10 of his Lincoln Northeast boys basketball teammates tried to take the safer route after school Monday.Â
Instead of heading to the mall or hanging out with a bunch of friends, they decided to go play basketball in the gym at Cross The Line Church just around the corner from the high school on Adams Street. Bazil’s father, Austin Bazil, is the senior minister at the church.
Monday was the first day of practice for Nebraska high school boys basketball and the rest of the winter sports, unless you attend a Lancaster County school.
For those in the county, the season begins Dec. 7 after a directive from Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird and Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Director Pat Lopez shut down indoor youth and high school sports for the next three weeks because of COVID-19 concerns.
So instead of being inside Ed Johnson Gym participating in tryouts under the supervision of head coach Monte Ritchie, Bazil and his teammates were scrimmaging and going through drills on their own at the church, preparing for a high school season that at this point may or may not happen for city and county schools.
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“I feel like if we would just stay in school and go to practice, you can actually control it (the spread of COVID-19) better,†said Bazil, a 6-foot-4 senior guard who is one of the top returning players in Lincoln this season after averaging 18.6 points per game last season.
“I was devastated and a little shocked when I heard the news Friday,†added Bazil, a potential NCAA Division I college prospect. “Now you’re just giving people (who are out for winter sports) free rein to do whatever they want to do after school.
“If we don’t get to play, it’s detrimental to guys’ physical, mental and emotional health. I think it’s (playing basketball) important in helping us fight the virus.â€
Bazil’s teammate, 6-7 senior Connor Renard, agrees. He says the accountability of being part of a team forces individual members to comply with the proven protocols put in place by the schools that help slow down and stop the spread.
“Athletes are going to be the safest, they’re going to be the most careful,†said Renard, who is getting NCAA Division II college recruiting interest after averaging 8.2 points and 5.5 rebounds per game last year, one of three starters back for the Rockets this winter.
“They don’t want that two-week quarantine, they don’t want to lose part of that season.â€
Cross The Line Church’s gym ended up being the go-to spot for the elite basketball players in the area during last spring’s COVID shutdown. And both Bazil and Renard benefitted from going against the likes of Oklahoma State freshman Donovan Williams, Missouri-Kansas City sophomore Josiah Allick, Oregon redshirt freshman Lok Wur and South Dakota State sophomore Charlie Easley.
Now it’s going to serve the purpose of keeping the Rockets somewhat sharp on the court before they can start official high school practice with Ritchie on Dec. 7. Bazil said he was told Monday by school officials that if things kick off Dec. 7, Northeast will practice almost two full weeks, then probably open the season with a game at Lincoln High on Dec. 18.
Between summer team camps and fall league "we were able to put in most of our offense and we all know the drills that coach likes to use,†Bazil said. “We want to do everything we can to be ready when practices do start.â€
Northeast came within an eyelash of reaching the state tournament last year. The Rockets knocked off No. 4 Papillion-La Vista South in the first round of districts behind 29 points from Bazil, then lost 37-35 in the district final at Elkhorn.
“It’s definitely motivating us. That kills me just to think about it,†Bazil said. “The younger guys who didn’t even play told me they never want to have that feeling again.â€