Lopers Add Another Guard

Lopers Add Another Guard
August 2nd, 2021 | Peter Yazvac

Kearney, Neb. – Nebraska-Kearney head men’s basketball coach Kevin Lofton announced today that Denver native Tom Connelly will play for the Lopers this winter.

He is a 6-6, 190-pound wing from Denver East High School and UNK’s eighth recruit to date. The others are forwards Garret Brown (Denver/George Washington H.S.) and Sean Murphy (New Zealand) and guards Cam Binder (Auburn), Braden Boley (Parker, Colo.), Sean Evans (Parker, Colo.), Nick Huston (Rigby, Idaho) and David Simental (Pueblo West, Colo.). Both Huston and Simental are transfers with the rest being incoming freshmen.  
 
Part of a 10-4 Angles squad that won a conference title during a short 2020-21 season, Connelly averaged just under 15 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Ranking second on the team in scoring, Connelly shot 65% from the field including a solid 39 of 88 effort from behind the arc.
 
Denver East reached the Class 5A state tournament where Connelly had a team-best 18 points in a 57-55 setback to Mullen High School. He appeared in 49 games as a junior and sophomore, averaging around eight points a night and making over 60% of his shots. East won 39 games during that time, advancing to Sweet 16 of the 2020 state tourney.
 
Also a two-year tennis lettewinner, Connelly spent the offseason as a member of the Colorado Knights Elite club program. In a shortened 22-game season in 2021, UNK had 13 contests decided by eight points or less, picked up two wins over Central Missouri, one over rival Fort Hays State and another against NCAA Tournament qualifier Missouri Western. Among the returners will be All-MIAA pick Austin Luger (Alliance) and fellow forward Darrian Nebeker (West Jordan, Utah).  The 2021-22 season begins on October 15 with the start of official practice with the year beginning in Duluth, Minn., with contests against the UMD Bulldogs and Minnesota-Crookston Golden Eagles. 

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