• Photo Showcase: State tournament: Thursday

• Video: Highlights from the Creighton Prep-Omaha Bryan game:



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LINCOLN — A 15-0 run to end the game lifted No. 3 Omaha Creighton Prep past No. 5 Omaha Bryan 62-50 in a Class A opening round state tournament contest Thursday afternoon at the Devaney Center.

The defending champion Junior Jays, 20-4, advance to Friday's 7 p.m. semifinal against Norfolk while Bryan concludes its season at 18-6.

A scary moment occurred late in the game when Bryan junior forward DK Augustine went to the floor after his head struck the knee of Prep's Caleb Steffensmeier. Augustine stayed motionless on the floor for seven minutes and was taken off on a stretcher.

After trailing by a dozen early in the third quarter, Bryan battled back and took a 48-47 lead after two Galen Gullie free throws with 5:56 remaining in the game. Augustine's layup with 5:14 left pushed the lead to three, but the Bears wouldn't score again.

Two Cole Martin free throws started Prep's run before John Paul Franco's 3-pointer gave them the lead for good at 52-50 with just over four minutes left.

Franco, who averages just over five points a game, dropped in a trio of 3-pointers and finished with a game-high 14 points.

"We tell John Paul if he's not going to shoot, we won't play him," Prep coach Josh Luedtke said. "He got some open looks and he stepped up and was a big force for us today."

Steffensmeier followed with two free throws before three straight points from Franco put Prep up seven with two minutes left.

The final five minutes were a disaster for the Bears. They missed their final six shots of the game, turned the ball over six times during that stretch and missed five straight free throws.

"We worked so hard to get back in the game and take the lead," Bryan coach Tim Cannon said. "We have to come up with something better and I'll take responsibility for that. I love my kids and I'm so proud of them."

Prep built a 12-point lead late in the second quarter before Bryan used a 10-2 run to close within three at the half.

The Junior Jays then scored the first nine points of the third quarter and Joe Trouba's bucket with 4:20 left in the quarter gave them a 41-29 lead.

But the Bears, sparked by back-to-back 3-pointers from Ben Imig, finished the quarter on a 13-2 run and Reath Jiech's 3-pointer with a minute left trimmed the lead to 43-42. It was the first game for Imig since breaking his wrist in a Jan. 30 game against Papillion-La Vista South.

With their leading scorer, Martin, forced to miss half the game with foul trouble, Luedtke saw players like Franco and Trouba (13 points) help fill the void.

"I thought we showed our composure and overcame some adversity," Luedtke said. "Our kids have a bit of a swagger down here and they believe in themselves and their ability to make plays."

Steffensmeier was the third Junior Jay in double figures as he had 12. Augustine and Gullie each had 10 for the Bears with Imig adding eight.

Prep gets a chance to avenge a 60-56 loss to Norfolk earlier this season.

"We look forward to playing teams that have beat us," Luedtke said. "We have to do a better job of knowing where their shooters are and we'll have to play hard for 32 minutes."

Creighton Prep (20-4)........................17 15 11 19 -- 62
Omaha Bryan (18-6)......................11 18 13 8 -- 50
• CP: Joe Trouba 13; Eric Lee Donald 4; Tim Gregg 2; Caleb Steffensmeier 12; Cole Martin 8; Nick Davis 7; John Paul Franco 14; Steve Sudyka 2.
• Bryan: Ben Imig 8; Telly Mason 2; Ethan Montalvo 3; Galen Gullie 10; DK Augustine 10; Tarir Gatuoch 3; Chris Kerwin 5; Reath Jiech 9.

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