It’s games like Saturday night’s overtime win for Omaha Gross that reinforce the notion that the River Cities Conference will be the best league in boys basketball this season.

The Cougars opened the conference schedule with a 62-60 win over Beatrice, which made it into the new year as one of only two undefeated teams in Class B.

“They were one step ahead of us the entire game,’’ Orangemen coach Jim Weeks said. “Our defense was really poor.’’

Gross (6-1) was coming off an 87-59 loss to South Sioux City in the Waverly Holiday Tournament final. That game doesn’t count in the RCC standings.

“We played much more unselfishly tonight,’’ Cougars coach Tim Powers said. “The third quarter, especially, we tried to make the extra pass, we played for each other.

“We got too tentative in the fourth quarter and they did a good job attacking us when they went on their run to send it into overtime.’’

Beatrice (7-1), which trailed by 12 points twice in the third quarter, went on a nine-point run to gain a tie at 52 on Tommie Bardsley’ pull-up shot in the lane.

Dylan Travis put Gross back ahead with 9 seconds left, but two Trevor Menke free throws with 3.5 seconds left forced overtime. Menke led all scorers with 22 points.

Jerad Warner, the tallest player for either team at 6-foot-8, scored all eight points for Gross in the extra period. He finished with team highs of 15 points and 13 rebounds.

The Cougars had turnovers on their last three possessions after taking a 62-56 lead, emerging with the win only after Menke’s 3 from the left corner missed at the buzzer.

Gross, which waas seventh in the preseason ratings, faces No. 1 Ralston and No. 2 Omaha Skutt in its next two RCC games. No. 4 Beatrice’s next league game is Jan. 16 at South Sioux City.

@Agate 10.9:

Beatrice (7-1)................13 11 13 17 6—60

At Omaha Gross (6-1).................15 15 16 8 8—62

B: Trevor Menke 7-17 7-9 22, Tommie Bardsley 6-12 3-3 15, Maxx Claassen 2-4 1-1 5, Phil McClure 5-12 1-1 14, Ryan Stegemann 0-2 2-2 2, Trey Bardsley 0-0 0-0 0, Patrick Doyle 1-1 0-0 2, Tandon Dorn 0-2 0-1 0. Totals 21-50 14-17 60.

G: Joe Guinan 4-4 1-1 9, Tony Nelson 2-5 2-2 7, Dylan Travis 5-16 0-1 10, Ryan Conway 2-5 0-0 4, Jerad Warner 4-10 6-7 15, Taylor Sidzyik 1-3 0-0 3, Ben Coenen 2-3 2-2 6, Tyler Bolter 2-4 0-0 6, Shaun McWilliams 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 23-50 11-13 62.

3-point goals: B 4-17 (Menke 1-6, To. Bardley 0-3, Claassen 0-1, McClure 3-6, Dorn 0-1), G 5-15 (Nelson 1-3, Travis 0-5, Warner 1-1, Sidzyik 1-2, Bolter 2-2). Total fouls: B 16, G 16. Fouled out: Travis, McClure. Technicals: none. Turnovers: B 10, G 15. Rebounds: B 26 (To. Bardsley 10), G 32 (Warner 13). Field-goal percentage: B .420, G .460. Free-throw percentage: B .826, G .846. A: 750 (est.).

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