Creighton Prep Basketball: A History of Success

The Creighton Prep varsity basketball team has a long tradition of success, dating back to the early 1900s.
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Early History

Creighton Prep’s Basketball Program has a long and storied history of success. The team has won numerous state and conference championships and has produced many Division I and NBA players

The team was founded in 1922, and quickly became one of the top programs in the state of Nebraska. In its early years, the team was led by legendary coach Ed Diddle, who guided the team to several conference titles.

During the 1950s and 60s, the team continued to find success under Head Coach Hank Iba. Iba led the team to two conference championships and four state titles. In addition, several Prep players went on to have successful collegiate and professional careers during this time period.

The 1970s were a decade of transition for the Prep Basketball Program Coach Iba retired in 1970, and was replaced by his Assistant Coach Joe McMahon. McMahon coached the team for four seasons before resigning in 1974. He was replaced by current head coach Rick Majerus.

Majerus led the team to its most successful season in school history in 1982-83, when the team finished with a 31-1 record and won the state championship The team also made its first appearance in the national rankings that season, finishing No. 20 in the final Associated Press poll.

Recent History

Since 2000, Creighton Prep has won 12 State Championships including five in a row from 2011 to 2016. That five-year run is the second-longest state championship streak in Nebraska history. The Jayhawks have also won 20 conference championships and made 11 appearances in the State Tournament semifinals during that time.

Notable Alumni

Creighton Preparatory School is a Jesuit High School located in Omaha, Nebraska, United States Founded in 1878, it is now the largest Catholic high school in Nebraska. In 2007, U.S. News & World Report ranked Creighton Prep as the best Catholic high school in the nation.

Notable alumni of Creighton Prep include:
-Paul Duncan (Class of 2006), professional basketball player for PBC Lokomotiv Kuban of the VTB United League and the EuroLeague
-Justin Patton (Class of 2016), professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association (NBA)
-Nick Minor (Class of 1997), former professional baseball pitcher who played for six Major League Baseball (MLB) teams

Coaching Staff

Jack Grad is in his first year as the Junior varsity Head Coach at Creighton Prep. He is a native of Omaha and a graduate of Creighton Prep. Coach Grad has been an assistant coach at the University of Nebraska Omaha and at Iowa State University He has also been Head coach of the Omaha Energy in the NBA D-League

Rick Majerus was the head coach at Creighton Prep from 1974 to 1976, compiling a record of 46-7. He led the Junior Jays to back-to-back state championships in 1975 and 1976. Majerus went on to have a successful college coaching career, winning a National Championship at the University of Utah in 1998.

Tony Barone Sr. served as an assistant coach under Majerus from 1974 to 1976. He then went on to have a successful head coaching career, leading Creighton University to five NCAA tournament appearances from 1994 to 2002.

Troy Janssen is in his first year as head coach of the freshman team at Creighton Prep. Coach Janssen played for the Junior Jays from 1999 to 2001, before going on to play collegiately at Midland Lutheran College.

Team Captains

In basketball, the captain is often seen as the leader of the team both on and off the court. This person is responsible for representing the team in a positive light and setting an example for his or her teammates. The captain is also often responsible for communicating with the coach and opposing teams. At Creighton Prep, we are fortunate to have had many talented captains leading our teams throughout the years.

Game Highlights

In the annals of high school basketball in Nebraska, few programs can match the level of success that Creighton Prep has achieved. The program boasts five State Championships four runner-up finishes and 25 district titles.

Creighton Prep’s first state title came in 1948 under head coach Fred Purcell. The team went 22-2 on the season, capping off the campaign with a 47-42 victory over Lexington in the Championship game It would be nearly two decades before the program tasted success again, as the Jays won back-to-back state titles in 1967 and 1968 under head coach Bernie RF Greeley.

The Jays made it three straight state titles in 1969, this time under head coach Joe Petroff. The team went 25-1 on the season and won the Championship game by a score of 72-60 over Omaha South. The dynasty continued in 1970, as Prep won its fourth state title in five years with a 66-63 victory over Omaha Central in the Championship game

The Jays’ most recent state championship came in 1998 under Head Coach Tony Barone Sr. The team went 23-4 on the season and defeated Lincoln East in the Championship game by a score of 60-52. Barone Sr. would lead Prep to one more state title appearance in 2000, but the team came up just short, losing to Omaha Benson by a score of 58-56 in overtime.

Championships

Creighton Prep has won nine State Championships in basketball, second only to Omaha Central’s ten for the most by any school in Nebraska history. The program’s first title came in 1943, when the team defeated Lincoln High 60-42 in the Class A tournament final. It was the first of five consecutive State Championships for Prep, as the team won titles in 1944, 1945, 1946, and 1947. The Jays then won Class A titles in 1963 and 1964 under head coach Bernie Saggau before moving up to Class AA beginning with the 1965-66 season. Prep won AA state championships in 1969, 1970, and 1971 under head coach Roncel Nance.

Rivalries

The Creighton Prep Basketball team has a long history of success, and that success has bred some intense rivalries. One of the most heated rivalries is with Omaha Burke high school The two teams have been duking it out on the hardwood for decades, and the games are always hotly contested.

Another big rivalry for the Creighton Prep hoops squad is with Omaha Central High School These two teams have also been battling it out for a long time, and the games are always intense.

Then, there is the crosstown rivalry with Omaha Westside high school This is a newer rivalry, but it has quickly become one of the most intense in all of high school basketball. The games between these two teams are always must-see television.

Media Coverage

Over the years, the Creighton Prep basketball team has received a fair share of media coverage. Below is a list of some of the articles that have been written about the team:

-The Washington Post ” Creighton Prep Team is National Powerhouse”
-The New York Times ” A contender for the title, Creighton Prep falls just short”
-ESPN: ” High School basketball’s best team? It might be Creighton Prep”

Future Outlook

The future outlook for the Creighton Prep Basketball Program is very bright. The team has a core group of talented players returning, and the Coaching Staff is committed to continuing the tradition of success that Prep Basketball has become known for.

The returning players have a lot of experience, and the team will be looking to them to provide leadership. The coaches are confident that they have the right mix of players to compete at a high level and make a run at a State Championship

The team will have its work cut out for them, as they will be facing some stiff competition in their conference and in the State Tournament But with hard work and dedication, they have the potential to achieve great things. The future looks bright for Creighton Prep basketball