COMMENTARY: Heritage Basketball Hopes To Carry On Momentum

Posted: November 16, 2009 at 4:49 a.m.

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There’s plenty of excitement around Rogers Heritage these days.

The War Eagles won their first football playoff game in the school’s short history on Friday night.

Now coach Tom Olsen’s basketball War Eagles are hoping to ride some of that enthusiasm into an improved second season.

After enduring a tough inaugural season with no seniors and just one victory, the football War Eagles have given their basketball counterparts some hope.

Olsen credits the senior class.

“They want to stamp their identity in their last year,” Olsen said.

Olsen said the Heritage football players and coaches have chosen to just go forward and not dwell on the not so successful past.

“I just hope it rubs off on the Brandon Brzozkiewiczes and the Miles Johnsons,” Olsen said. “We hope they just pass the baton to us and this will go on.”

The War Eagles have some of the components needed for a good team, beginning with a good guard in Brzozkiewicz, a 5-foot-9 senior. He led the team in scoring a year ago, averaging sllightly more than 10 points per game.

They also have size inside with 6-8 senior Nick Jordan and 6-5 senior Johnson. Throw in move-in Jon Warner, a lanky 6-8 junior, and it’s a good start.

Brzozkiewicz showed some good shooting range in Saturday’s Blue-Orange game, hitting four 3-pointers — including a couple from well beyond the arc —  and Jordan and Johnson also have a nose for the ball.

Olsen said the offseason has helped since Jordan and Johnson have gained strength and weight with work in the weight room.

Juniors Zac Stewart and Mac Ollinger will join the basketball team after the football War Eagles are finished with the football playoffs and both should contribute.

Stewart has been one of the top offensive players in the 7A-West, running for more than 1,000 yards and also racking up almost 300 yards receiving and a combined 13 touchdowns.

The 6-3 Ollinger started 25 of 26 games a year ago and was the team’s second-leading rebounder.

Olsen said the team has learned many lessons after going through a season in the 7A-West.

Experience is a good teacher and that’s led to plenty of hard work in the offseason, Olsen said.

“They know now what it’s like after going to the Fayettevilles and the (Fort Smith) Northsides,” Olsen said. “They know they have to work hard in the weigh room because the Springdales are working hard ... and maybe even do a little extra.”

Another big threshold was cleared over the summer in team camp, Olsen said.

Getting close was not good enough.

“We lost a close game at Oral Roberts against Manhattan, Kan., or somebody like that and they were hurt,” Olsen said. “You could see it. That was a defining moment. They were competing hard and came up short a couple of times. It made a difference.”

Olsen said his team is “a lot better than we were last year.”

The War Eagles will get to find out quickly.

Heritage hosts Class 3A Cedarville for a benefit game Saturday, then will sprint through December with four nonconference games and three tournaments, which guarantee multiple games.

After that fast-paced December, Heritage should have a decent idea of how much progress its made and how much more it needs to make.

PAUL BOYD IS A NORTHWEST ARKANSAS NEWSPAPERS SPORTS WRITER. HIS COLUMN APPEARS EACH MONDAY.

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