For Adam Olerich, the moment wasn’t just about cutting down the nets — it was about coming home. 

An Olathe North graduate who once wore the same uniform, Olerich stood at center court this March having led the Eagles to something the program had never experienced before: a state basketball championship.  

“It is super special,” Olerich said. “I am a North kid and to be able to be a part of a team that won a state title and bringing that back to our community is super special to me.” 

That long-awaited breakthrough also earned Olerich KSHSAA Covered Boys Basketball Coach of the Year honors, capping a season years in the making. 

The path to the title wasn’t new territory — but the ending was. 

Olathe North had become a fixture at the Class 6A state tournament, making its fifth straight appearance this season and reaching the championship game for the second consecutive year. But a year earlier, the Eagles came up short against Shawnee Mission Northwest, a team anchored by Keaton Wagler and 7-footer Ethan Taylor.  

That loss lingered. 

So did late-season setbacks this winter. Losses to Sunflower League powers Shawnee Mission South and Mill Valley to close the regular season served as a reminder that while North was among the state’s best, it hadn’t separated itself — yet.  

Olerich didn’t panic. 

Instead, he leaned into the process. 

“We played a monster schedule,” Olerich said. “I knew we would have scars. If you are lucky enough to get to state, all of those teams have scars. If we continued to improve and grow, we might have an opportunity to see those guys again.” 

That opportunity came — and Olathe North didn’t waste it. 

Once the postseason began, the Eagles flipped a switch. 

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After cruising through sub-state, North opened the state tournament with a 27-point win over Derby. Then came what could only be called the ulimate revenge tour. 

First was Mill Valley, the Sunflower League champion that had beaten the Eagles just weeks earlier. This time, North controlled the game from start to finish in a 62-44 victory. 

Then came the championship — another rematch, this time with Shawnee Mission South. 

There would be no doubt. 

Olathe North delivered a commanding 67-50 win to secure the program’s first state title, finishing the season 24-4 and cementing itself as Kansas’ most dominant team when it mattered most.  

“When the path led us there, we were ready,” Olerich said. 

The Eagles had star power, experience and — for the first time in Olerich’s tenure — size. 

Division I guards Sam Simmons (Richmond) and Cameron Love (UMKC) had been the backbone of the program for years. Simmons, the Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year, controlled games on both ends, while Love’s versatility allowed him to impact nearly every position on the floor.  

“Sam is an elite on-the-ball defender and one of the best the state has ever had,” Olerich said. “Cam guards four different spots. They are junkyard dogs as competitors. 

“Sam and Cam are the best kids off the floor. They are the most charismatic kids and big hearted. The school and our fans just love them both. They just get along with every other kid at North and carry themselves with humility.” 

But the difference-maker came in the middle. 

Junior Teke Deng, a 6-foot-11 center, transformed the Eagles into a matchup nightmare. Deng scored 25 points in the semifinal win over Mill Valley and added 12 points and 11 rebounds in the title game, anchoring a team that suddenly had a “security blanket” inside. 

“Teke was a monster,” Olerich said. “Last year, our biggest guy was 6-4 or 6-5… That was a problem. This year was just different.” 

Deng’s development mirrored the program’s growth. Once a 6-3 freshman, he evolved into a dominant force through relentless work. 

“He is obsessed with basketball and constantly working,” Olerich said. 

That steady growth has been the foundation of Olerich’s success. 

Since joining the program as an assistant in 2012 and taking over as head coach seven years ago, he has built a culture centered on development, unselfish play and consistency. 

That led to trips to the state tournament the last five years. He surpassed 100 career wins this season — but for Olerich, the milestones aren’t the point.  

“All of our teams the last five years, our buy-in was always off the charts,” he said. “There is a standard to what we play to, and they never let that standard down. I am so process-oriented. You want to be playing your best at the end of the year. Our teams have done that the last five years.” 

 

Even after finally breaking through, Olerich isn’t lingering in the moment for long. 

While he admits the championship is something he’ll always cherish, his focus has already shifted — to offseason workouts, team camps and the next group of Eagles. 

“At the end of the day, we have a new group and a new team coming up,” he said. “They deserve the best out of you as a coach.” 

That mindset hasn’t changed. 

Neither has his connection to the place that made the moment matter most. 

“I remember what it was like to play for this school,” Olerich said. “To bring a title here — that’s everything.”