Cedar grad makes elite C2 All Decade Team

OMAHA — Cedar Catholic’s all-time leading basketball scorer recently found himself on an impressive list.

James Kaiser, who graduated from Cedar Catholic in 2015 with 1,704 career points, was recently named to the Omaha World-Herald Class C2 All Decade Team.

Kaiser put in a stellar four-year career at Cedar.

Besides posting the most productive career in Cedar Catholic history, he also has the school record for most points in a season with 541.

Kaiser also holds the top spot at Cedar for most three-point baskets in a single season, hitting 82.

Cedar Catholic head coach Matt Steffen said Kaiser was emotionally, mentally, and physically ready to play varsity sports as soon as he got into high school.

“James was probably ready to play varsity basketball as an eighth grader.” he said. “He was skilled enough, but more than that he was mentally ready. He had been playing on traveling teams by then and eventually played with the Nebraska Select team.”

Steffen said Kaiser put in several performances in his career that still stand out, today.

He led Cedar Catholic to three state tournaments. The Trojans earned two third-place finishes in that span.

Kaiser was an all-around athlete that stood out in football, track and baseball, as well as basketball.

He quarterbacked the Cedar football team to the state championship game in 2014.

He left that state title game at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln with a rib injury. The injury also limited his final season of basketball as he missed the first five games of the season.

“I remember him having almost 1400 points going into his senior year and I thought he had an outside shot at 2000,” Coach Steffen said. “I think that injury took its toll. It took him awhile to get back in the groove.”

Kaiser averaged 22 points per game as a junior, but only 18 his senior season.

After high school Kaiser went to college at Midland University in Fremont, where he also played basketball.

He now teaches sixth grade, focusing on history at Schuyler Elementary School and coaches youth basketball.

Several other impressive basketball names, many with Division I college basketball resumes, also made the World Herald’s elite All Decade team.

Here are the Omaha World Herald’s All Decade selections for Class C2 through D2.

Class C-2: Connor Beranek, Ravenna, 2010-12; Wes Dreamer, Elmwood-Murdock, 2017-18; Adam Dykman, Fremont Bergan, 2014-15; James Kaiser, Hartington CC, 2013-15; Mike Daum, Kimball, 2013-14

Class D-1: Adam Moon, O’Neill St. Mary’s, 2013-14; Ryan Tegtmeier, BDS, 2011-13; Hayden Miller, Nebraska City Lourdes, 2016-17; Jacob Olmstead, Overton, 2010-12; Andy Kerkman, Clearwater-Orchard, 2014-15

Class D-2: Austin Kaczor, Ewing, 2008-10; Henry Tanksley, Lincoln Parkview, 2016-17; Noah Valasek, Riverside, 2016-17; Drew Ott, Giltner, 2011-12; Tredyn Prososki, Riverside, 2018-19.