The BVNW boy’s basketball team will advance to the state semifinal game after a win over Lawrence Free State Wednesday night. Derby HS will also advance after beating Garden City 55-46. Derby is coached by Brett Flory, who used to be an assistant coach at BVNW.
Flory said he worked at BVNW as an English teacher with Rick Pribyl, and coached for three seasons as the JV coach. According to Flory, he was offered a job as head coach at Valley Center, and worked there for six years before the opportunity to work at Derby came up.
“My second year working at BVNW we had a team finish third at state,” Flory said. “That was probably my favorite memory. It was good team with a lot of fun and good times.”
Fritz and Flory are very close, Fritz said, and talk all the time. Fritz follows the Derby basketball season closely in the winter, and Flory does the same for BVNW. Fritz said they are very good friends, and he wants Flory to do well with the exception of the semifinal game.
“He’s always been a good coach and very loyal,” Fritz said. “It’s been nice watching him get better and better at coaching. They’re 20-3 and this is the first time Derby has been at state in around 15 years so that was really nice for them to be able to do … [playing against him] won’t affect me. I’m happy he’s doing well but they’re another team that stands in our way. So I’m going to try and beat them.”
Flory said BVNW is the best in the state and is known for their defense and pressure. Derby will have to handle the pressure during the game in order to win, Flory said. While he will not let playing against a former colleague effect him during the game, Flory said, it will be something he thinks about post game
“During the game [Fritz] is going to be trying to kick our tails,” Flory said. “So I won’t be thinking about it then, and we’ll be trying to compete. But I also know I wouldn’t be here without him.”
Fritz said he is looking forward to hopefully getting another two wins before the season ends. Going undefeated would be something that has never been done at BVNW before, but the team plans on taking it one game at a time. We’re going to do all we can to win tomorrow, Fritz said, and then worry about the final.
The winner of tomorrow’s game will play against either SME or BVW Sat. at 6:15 p.m. in the final. The loser will play for third place Sat. at 2:00 p.m.
