Senior Tim McDavid Leads Scottsbluff On a Quest for Some Gold In Lincoln

By Bobby Mills
(1000ydguy)
Contributing Writer
my Hit News.com

 
Tim McDavid, 6-2, Senior Guard

A Place Far, Far Away

   In an age where cyberspace has linked even the most far away places, there are folks in the Eastern Sector of Nebraska that just don’t know much about Scottsbluff—let alone its  high school basketball team.  After all Scottsbluff is located 430 miles away from Omaha, 377 from Lincoln and some 280 or so miles away from Grand Island.

   Only a sprinkling of us may have known that Scottsbluff was founded in 1899 and named after a man named Hiram Scott, who was left to die near Laramie’s Fork by members of an expedition he was leading in 1829 (nice people). And an even more diminutive group may know that the average winter temperature in Scottsbluff is 24 degrees. However, if the red hot Scottsbluff Bearcats continue to perform the way they have thus far this season,  many people may be googling the town and the team to learn a little more about them.

   This past December, Scottbluff’s young head coach Tony Siske and his current forces began to open up some Nebraskan hoop fans’ eyes by nabbing 3rd place at the Nebraska Junior College Tournament in Sterling, Colorado.  Then on New Year’s Eve, the Class B team sent a clear message to all by capturing the championship title at the Greater Nebraska Athletic Conference Tournament against predominantly Class A competition–beating Class A  Norfolk in the final 45-41. 

There Is Power In the West, People

   Currently, C-1 Chadron is rated the number 8 All-Class team in Nebraska and Siske’s Scottsbluff Bearcats are ranked #8 in Class B, right behind Sidney.

   Two years ago, the Bearcats advanced to the semifinals at the State Tournament before falling to Omaha Skutt. That season, 6-2 sophomore guard Tim McDavid , who just recently scored his 1,000th career point, wowed the state tourney crowd with his hops and athleticism and now he is one of the senior leaders of the current 12-3 team.

  This Scottsbluff crew appears poised to make a run at getting back to Lincoln.  One major road block will be facing Sidney back-to-back in less than a month and possibly a 4th time this season if the two meet up in the district final–a thought that doesn’t thrill Siske.  But I have a hunch that he an his players can handle it.

Coach’s Thoughts

   Tony Siske offered these thoughts to me on his team,

“Our strengths are in defense and versatility. We have a lot of guys who can play different positions and we can we can create match-up problems.”

   Coach Siske continued sharing his impression of his team by adding “Our players have done a great job of working hard in practice and playing as a team. Our seniors get a lot of credit for our success because of their leadership and their work ethic.”

   The Coach was quick to credit his seniors for setting an example by pushing each other to get better. “They play very well together and are very unselfish,” said Siske.

   The one Bearcat victory that  grabs your immediate attention is the Greater Nebraska Athletic Conference Tournament final win over Class A Norfolk—IN the Panthers own  house. 

   Almost every game this Scottsbluff team plays, except for Gering requires a long road trip. Therefore, the trip to Norfolk was not something new–just part of the road gig.  So don’t expect  for long road trips to bother this team.
 
   Now, it is possible that both Siske’s Bearcats and Sidney could end up making the Class B field in Lincoln when March rolls around. That would certainly reinforce the fact that “The West” is a force to be reckoned with.

The Secret Is Out

   Unfortunately for them, the Scottsbluff boys basketball team won’t be able to sneak up on anybody east of Grand Island these days– the secret is out on this talented group led by the nifty senior Tim McDavid, who can almost jump to the moon.  And that just may be where the Scottsbluff Beacrats are headed–where the sky’s the limit!