Creighton Brinker

Game changer, a person that completely changes the way a situation develops, that’s what senior Creighton Brinker is for the Nemaha Valley Raiders. Brinker has the potential to change the way a basketball game goes any given night for the Raiders and can do it in many ways, shapes and forms.

Creighton put that game changer mentality on display last week in wins over Sabetha and Santa Fe Trail, to go along with his teammates play to keep Nemaha Valley unbeaten on the season at a perfect, 15-0 on the season.

Raiders opened the week with a 49-34 win over rival the Sabetha Bluejays to sweep the season series, with Brinker posting another double-double this year, scoring 10 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. While a double-double is impressive in its self, Brinker’s presence in the game perhaps could be better judged by his two steals, four blocked shots and charge drawn in the ball game to stifle the Bluejays offense in the game.

Next up for the Raiders was a trip to Carbondale to play Santa Fe Trail were the Raiders were tested on the road but reigned victorious yet again, this time earning a 52-47 road win. Brinker put on a scoring display this time for the Raiders surpassing the 20 point plateau for the third time this year, with a season high 25 points, including a vicious dunk in the fourth quarter. He helped lead Nemaha Valley in the comeback in the second half tallying 16 of the teams 30 second half points. The rest of the stat sheet for Brinker was stuffed yet again, too as he posted five rebounds, three steals, two blocks and drew two charges.

Brinker’s been a game changer all season and his season stat line is all the evidence you need: 14.7 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 3.3 bpg, 1.7 apg and 2.3 spg. He leads the Big Seven in points and blocks per game and ranks in the top five in offensive and defensive rebounding.

The sights are set high for the Raiders this season and rightfully so after their success from last year and with a game changer like, Creighton Brinker and his teammates around him the wins will continue to come for the Raiders.