BOYS STATE BASKETBALL: Meyersick’s Last Second Layup Lifts Millard West Over Lincoln Pius X

LINCOLN–(KLMS Mar. 9)–Evan Meyersick used his football skills as a wide-receiver to help Millard West advance in the NSAA Class A Boys State Basketball Tournament on Tuesday afternoon.

The 6-5 Nebraska football walk-on recruit caught an inbounds pass from teammate James Conway with 3.8 seconds left at midcourt, then drove to the basket, putting up an off-balance layup that went through as time ran out to give the Wildcats a 47-45 victory over Lincoln Pius X in the Class A quarterfinal at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

Millard West (18-5) will now play top-seed Millard North in Friday’s 6:15pm Class A semifinal, which will be carried on ESPN Lincoln FM101.5/1480AM.  Pius X ends the season at 18-4.

Before Meyersick’s heroics, the Wildcats had a seven-point lead with 1:40 left in the game, but missed the front end of three one-and-ones over the last minute.  Pius X kept chipping away, getting as close as 44-42.  The Thunderbolts committed a foul and sent Conway to the free throw line, who hit one-of-two attempts with 14 seconds left.

Pius X moved the ball around the perimeter, until Sam Hoiberg drilled a three-pointer to tie the game at 45 with 3.8 seconds left, right before Meyersick’s layup.  Hoiberg finished with a team-high 13 points.  His twin brother, Charlie, added 10 points.

Ryan Larsen led all scorers with 17 points in the Millard West victory.