What sets the Hall of Fame’s Silver Anniversary Team winner off from the others that year was how they won their state championship. They had the best won-lost record in Class A, 19-2, and they had a great state tournament, a thrilling run to the 1971 state championship in a era filled with great basketball players and teams.
East’s exciting three days began with a 76-69 win over Alliance. Next was Hastings by 84-83 and that one could have gone either way. And the 74-72 title win over Papillion came on a last-second shot by Scott Copple on an out-of-bounds play regarded one of the most thrilling windup of any boys basketball state tournament game. Ever.
1971 Lincoln East Spartans:
10 Jack Ball 5-10 Jr.
42 Tom Bothwell 6-0 So.
24 Bryce Carlson 6-0 Jr.
40 Scott Copple 6-2 Jr.
52 Reg Gast 6-2 So.
20 Steve Joekel 12 Sr.
30 Rob Ogden 6-0 Sr.
22 Kent Reckewey 6-1 Sr.
44 Rick Samuelson 6-3 So.
14 Chris Siefkes 5-11 Jr.
32 Gene Smith 6-0 Jr.
34 Kurt Stacey 6-0 So.
Student Manager-Joe Bryant
Head Coach-Paul Forch
Assistants-Ken Rippe, Rudy Stoehr, Ed McPherren
