NEBRASKA AP ALL-STATE BASKETBALL TEAMS

Tyler Wintholz of Sidney High School led a group of nine local high school basketball players who were voted onto the 2015 Nebraska Associated Press boys' basketball teams.

Wintholz was selected to the Class B second team while four other Red Raiders were recognized as honorable mentions. That group included Lane Harvey, Jared Ross, Jake Heeren and Cutter O'Connell.

In Class D1, Brett Godfrey and Colin Brott of Creek Valley were voted honorable mention as was Cameron Purcell of Potter-Dix. Cody McKay of Leyton earned selection to the Class D2 honorable mention squad.

The Raiders, who just concluded their best season in more than two decades by finishing runner-up at state, had a well balanced team that routinely received contributions from many sources.

"Our team worked hard all year and to see it pay off the way it did was special and deserving for the players," said Red Raiders head coach Erik Kohl. "To have five players named all-state second team and honorable mention is incredible."

Wintholz was a big key to the Raiders success as he led the team in several statistical categories. The Sidney junior topped the Raiders in scoring (16.7 ppg), rebounds (7 rpg) and steals (1.8 spg). He was third on the team in assists with 68.

Harvey, a senior, had been the Raiders starting point guard since he was a freshman. He averaged nearly 10 ppg. while leading the team in assists with 84. He also had 34 steals on the season.

Ross, another senior, had a strong campaign at center despite battling health issues toward the end of the season. He started 18 of 21 games and averaged just over six points-per-game. Ross led the team in blocked shots with 37.

O'Connell topped the Raiders in 3-pointers made and three-point percentage (33 percemt). He was also second on the team in scoring average (12.3 ppg) and was second in assists (71).

Heeren played valuable minutes off the bench as he started just six games all year – though two of those were at state. Heeren was tops on the team in defensive rebounds (113) and had 33 assists, 22 steals and 13 blocked shots. In the state quarterfinals, he hit the winning shot against Scottsbluff in the final seconds.

"It was a pleasure working with this team and this will be a team I won't forget," Kohl said.

In Class D1, Godfrey led the Storm in scoring with an average of 11.5 ppg. while Brott was close behind at 10.6. Godfrey, just a sophomore, was also the team leader in 3-pointers (38), free-throw percentage (74 percent), assists (45), steals (38) and rebounds (99). Brott, a junior, collected 92 rebounds, 30 steals and had 26 assists during the season.

Purcell topped all scorers for the Coyotes at better than 12 ppg. Besides leading the team in 3-pointers (41) and steals (50), he was second on the team in assists with 41.

In Class D2, McKay led all Warriors scorers at a pace of 16.4 ppg. The Leyton senior also led in rebounds (158) and was second in blocked shots (14). McKay also had 31 assists and 21 steals.