Wiebe Good

A year after losing to eventual state champ Pittsburg Colgan in the first round of the 2A boys state basketball tournament, Berean Academy looks to be a contender. The coaches have them ranked at No. 4 in 2A, behind Colgan, Republic County (which dropped down from 3A) and Olpe (which moved up from 1A). Olpe is a perennial contender in 1A, and expect no different from them in 2A. Berean is 6-0 at the break, having won the Marion tournament. In the semifinals of that tournament, they beat Oxford handily. It was a repeat of last season's sub-state championship. Berean beat Oxford by over 20 points to earn their state berth in 2008. A year after the Berean girls won the 2A state title behind post player Cathryn Wiebe and coach Kristin Wiebe, the Berean boys also have two Wiebes to thank for being near the top. Sophomore Karlin Wiebe, 6-5, joins senior Zac Wiebe this year, providing a guard-post combo. Senior Blake Barber leads on the perimeter. Berean won its first state basketball title - girls or boys - last March. They boys might get their first this year.