GICC bringing back versatile lineup for another Class C-2 run

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (KSNB) - Grand Island Central Catholic returns all five of its starters from last year’s Class C-2 runner-up team that finished with a record of 26-4.

Last season the Crusaders had balance on offense, their top five scorers averaged between nine and 11 points per game:

Russell Martinez: 10.4 PPG, 2.1 APG

Koby Bales: 11.2 PPG, 6.1 RPG

Isaac Herbek: 11.6 PPG, 3.5 APG

Marcus Lowry: 9.0 PPG, 4.7 RPG

Dei Jengmer: 9.9 PPG, 6.4 RPG

Head coach Tino Martinez said they will continue to spread the basketball but he says they will be more versatile on offense.

“I think we have a nice balance of different lineups that we can play to combat maybe if we have to go small,” Martinez said. “We have a lineup that can do that and if we have to go big we have a lineup that can do that.”

Bringing back all of your starters rarely happens at the high school level and the players know because of that they cannot take this season for granted.

“We’ve gotten a lot bigger in the weight room. We definitely take it seriously now,” GICC senior Russell Martinez said. “Haven’t really taken it as seriously as last year’s but now that we got Doc in here we work a lot harder in the weight room now.”

Crusaders open their season Friday, Dec. 4 on the road against Omaha Gross Catholic.