LINCOLN, Neb.—Alexis Akin-Otiko scored 23 points but it was Bellevue West’s strong defensive performance in a 51-38 victory over Millard West that carried the Thunderbirds to a second straight Class A girls state basketball title.
The Thunderbirds held Millard West without a field goal for 7 1/2 minutes over the third and fourth quarters Saturday night while running off to its third championship in four years.
Bellevue West coach Matt Fritsche acknowledged he wasn’t confident before the game. In the teams’ previous meeting, Millard West blew out the Thunderbirds 76-53.
The Thunderbirds (24-3) also had losses by 14 points to Papillion-La Vista South and six points to Kearney on their tab the second half of the season.
“We had a lot of nights when we thought it might not work out for us this year,” Firtsche said. “I guess everything that happened, any adversity we might have faced, made for today.”
Millard West had been held under 50 points only once this season and was averaging 66 for the season.
“If we don’t score 60 points, we’re not going to win,” Wildcats coach Kip Colony said. “We don’t get stops.”
Alison Janecek and Amber Lutmer scored eight points apiece to lead Millard West (24-2).
Bellevue West led 23-18 at half and by as many as 14 points in the third quarter after Brandi Burnham’s 3-pointer and Jacqueline Allgood’s jumper made it 35-21.
Ashleigh Nelson pulled the Wildcats within six points with 1:08 left in the third quarter. But they didn’t make another field goal until Lutmer banked in a shot with 1:32 to play.
By then, it was too late, as Bellevue West led 48-36.
“We flat-out weren’t moving, and that’s a credit to Bellevue West,” Colony said. “They took away everything we wanted to do.”
Millard West, trying for its first state title, was runner-up for the second time in three years after committing 22 turnovers and shooting 29.5 percent.
“Our kids will guard you,” Fritsche said. “They will play defense.”
