LNE Standouts Return to Nebraska to Face Creighton in Men’s Basketball
LINCOLN–(KFOR Nov. 13)–As the No. 14 Creighton men’s basketball team hosts Houston Christian on Wednesday night in Omaha, it will mark “homecoming” of sorts for two brothers from Lincoln.
Pierce and Porter Bazil are playing for the Houston Christian Huskies men’s basketball team and while they are playing 50 miles away from their northeast Lincoln neighborhood, they anticipate to still have family and friends in attendance for the game against the Bluejays at CHI Health Center Omaha.
“We didn’t get to play for Creighton or Nebraska, so getting to go back close to home is something I’ve always dreamed about,” junior guard Pierce Bazil told KFOR Sports on Tuesday.
“It’s gonna be a lot of fun,” added younger brother and 6-7 sophomore forward Porter Bazil.
The Brothers Bazil played high school basketball at Lincoln Northeast for head coach Monte Ritchie, who they credit for helping them transition to the Division I level of college basketball.
“He have me a good outline on what I could work on and look to expect when I got to this level,” said Pierce, who is the third leading scoring through two games at six points a contest.
“Being able to play for him (Ritchie) and being able to play for now (HCU) Coach (Craig) Doty, it feels a little similar,” Porter said. “They have some of the same principles.”
As for the task at hand for Houston Christian against the Bluejays, Pierce Bazil said the team wants to go out and compete.
“I think we have the guys that will enable that challenge,” Pierce added. “Creighton is super, super, super good.”
Porter Bazil has had to adjust to playing a bigger role on defense, which includes having to guard Creighton’s 7-1 center Ryan Kalkbrenner and 6-10 forward Isaac Traudt. For Porter, playing against Traudt, who was a prep standout at Grand Island, and Jasen Green, who starred at Millard North, will be deja vu since he squared off against both players in high school.
“I’m probably going to guarding against him (Traudt) at certain points in the game, so that’s really cool for me,” Porter Bazil said.
Creighton and Houston Christian tip off Wednesday at 8pm on FS1.