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Jeremiah Slough has watched and played a whole bunch of basketball.

Starred at Doniphan-Trumbull for coach Rick Rath. Has the Hastings College single-game scoring record; 61 points for you Grand Island Lutheran kids he is coaching now.

Out of college, he began his coaching career in Pleasanton before a long stint at Grand Island Senior High. He coached multiple Division I athletes in his time with the Islanders and mentored current Creighton standout Isaac Traudt.

But, when Heartland Lutheran changed their school name to Grand Island Lutheran last year and was in the middle of reorganizing their school the principal and athletic director position came open. And, along with it a head basketball coaching position in Class D-2 — Nebraska’s smallest class.

The little barn on Grand Island’s Husker Highway is a long ways away from Creighton Prep’s Bird Cage; it’s mostly 84-foot floors now for coach Slough and his long-time assistants Rath (his high school coach), Steve Hartman and Jason Moritz.

“I prayed about this move a lot,” Slough said after his team defeated then, Class D-2, No. 10 Wallace 51-49 on Saturday at the Heartland Hoops Classic. “I have a bunch of old guys with me. I joked with them that I would coach until they all died, so I hope they have some years left in them.

“I wasn’t going unless they were coming with me. They understand the moment (in games), when to challenge me, when to rub my back. They are father figures for us.”

His team is now 15-6 in his first year, with five losses to ranked teams in Class D-1. They will enter the postseason next week against a loaded sub-district field that includes No. 4 Lawrence-Nelson and No. 6 Deshler. The Lightning are receiving votes in this week’s coaches poll.

But, the basketball is almost secondary now. You should hear Slough talk about his five seniors; three of whom were full-time starters before giving way to young talent for the Lightning in 2025-26. Just Chad Rostvet sees regular minutes.

“It brings me to tears talking about it,” Slough said. “Those seniors have been part of teams with just seven or eight players on them. They haven’t won very much. Three of them were three year starters prior to this year. They have given their playing time to a bunch of freshman and sophomores and they have stayed united and kept our locker room together.

“That’s what makes it special. Everyone sees our young talent, but what they don’t see is five selfless seniors that were in a transition where their school name changed, where everything they have always had is different. But, they are unselfish enough to let their role change. You don’t see very much in society anymore.”

The other seniors include Darrin Bexten, Vance Smith, Colton Zehender and Rafe Mendyk. The guys on the floor they are cheering on, put on a good product under Slough’s guidance.

Freshman Maxwell Murdoch pours in 16.7 points per contest and 6-6 sophomore Luke Olsen scores another 13.7 points and leads the team in rebounding at 7.5 a contest.

But, where the Lightning really get you is on the defensive end. They give up just over 35 points per contest and mix in a variety of zone and trapping defenses, the most unique a hybrid 2-3 that looks like a Merrimack 4-1 (must be a basketball psycho to appreciate this one) with the long wings on Slough’s roster coming out high to cause problems.

With nine players returning for Slough next season, the experience of next week’s postseason should lean toward invaluable. The previous Heartland Lutheran went to state just once in 2010 losing to eventual champion Ewing in the first round.

Now a rejuvenated Slough is ready to build his second Grand Island program to the top of their class.

“Our kids love Jesus and they are on fire for basketball,” Slough said. “And that’s happening at the youth level, too. We are excited about our program, but also the ministry we are creating at Grand Island Lutheran High.”

Some things are even bigger than basketball.

Pure Cinema

Saturday’s game six at the Heartland Hoops Classic was, indeed, a classic between Class C-1, No. 1 Ogallala and No. 2 Ashland-Greenwood. While the Indians prevailed 56-52, we were left wanting more. Maybe we’ll get in a few weeks. Our “movie” recap.

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