Big 4th Quarter Sends Liberty to First Substate Final

<p>NORTH LIBERTY -- For the first time in school history, Iowa City Liberty is headed to the substate final. The Lightning used a big fourth quarter, outscoring Davenport North 26-14 in the final frame, to advance to Tuesday night’s final with a 58-50 win over the Wildcats.</p> <p>A tight game throughout the first half, Liberty took a 26-24 lead into the break. North opened the second-half on a 10-2 run to take a 34-28 lead, and held a 36-32 lead after three quarters. The Lightning scored the first five points of the fourth quarter to take the lead, and the lead changed hands six times in the first four minutes of the quarter. Liberty finally seized control for good with 3:02 to play when [player_tooltip player_id="796133" first="Ethan" last="O’Donnell"] scored on a bucket inside, followed by a Grayson Tyler 3, giving the Lightning a 47-43 lead. North was able to close the deficit back down to as little as 2, 50-48, but the Lightning were able to ice the game away at the free-throw line.</p> <p>The bigger Lightning played a 2-3 or 3-2 zone exclusively, limiting the dribble-drive ability of the quicker North squad and forcing the Wildcats to pass around the perimeter and settle for 3s. North shot a very respectable 9-21 from behind the arc, but their inability to get anything going inside the arc ultimately ended up being a deciding factor.</p> <p>Liberty (7-5) was led by [player_tooltip player_id="796189" first="Kelby" last="Telander"], who had 19 points and 9 rebounds. Grayson Tyler added 16 and [player_tooltip player_id="796133" first="Ethan" last="O’Donnell"] had 10 in the win. The Lightning advance to play Pleasant Valley on Tuesday night, and will attempt to make the school’s first state tournament appearance.</p> <p>North’s season ends with a 13-6 record. The Wildcats were led by [player_tooltip player_id="796197" first="Makhi" last="Jacobs"], who had 15 points and was the lone Wildcat in double-figures. Decorated seniors [player_tooltip player_id="796114" first="Jayden" last="Houston"] and [player_tooltip player_id="796122" first="Quincy" last="Wiseman"] ended their high school careers with 7 and 8 points, respectively.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 16.666666666666668%; text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Team</strong></span></td> <td style="width: 16.666666666666668%; text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>1Q</strong></span></td> <td style="width: 16.666666666666668%; text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>2Q</strong></span></td> <td style="width: 16.666666666666668%; text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>3Q</strong></span></td> <td style="width: 16.666666666666668%; text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>4Q</strong></span></td> <td style="width: 16.666666666666668%; text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>F</strong></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width: 16.666666666666668%; text-align: center;"><strong>Davenport North</strong></td> <td style="width: 16.666666666666668%; text-align: center;">13</td> <td style="width: 16.666666666666668%; text-align: center;">11</td> <td style="width: 16.666666666666668%; text-align: center;">12</td> <td style="width: 16.666666666666668%; text-align: center;">14</td> <td style="width: 16.666666666666668%; text-align: center;">50</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width: 16.666666666666668%; text-align: center;"><strong>Liberty</strong></td> <td style="width: 16.666666666666668%; text-align: center;">13</td> <td style="width: 16.666666666666668%; text-align: center;">13</td> <td style="width: 16.666666666666668%; text-align: center;">6</td> <td style="width: 16.666666666666668%; text-align: center;">26</td> <td style="width: 16.666666666666668%; text-align: center;">58</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Davenport North:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="796197" first="Makhi" last="Jacobs"] 15, [player_tooltip player_id="796122" first="Quincy" last="Wiseman"] 8, Kyle Lamonte 8, [player_tooltip player_id="796114" first="Jayden" last="Houston"] 7, Mike Lowery 6, Nolan Mosier 4, [player_tooltip player_id="796159" first="Alec" last="Brown"] 2<br /> <strong>Liberty:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="796189" first="Kelby" last="Telander"] 19, Grayson Tyler 16, [player_tooltip player_id="796133" first="Ethan" last="O’Donnell"] 10, [player_tooltip player_id="964877" first="Ira" last="Hazeltine"] 6, [player_tooltip player_id="964928" first="Basil" last="Aldoss"] 5, Griffin Kraft 2</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="796197" first="Makhi" last="Jacobs"], Davenport North (2021)</strong></p> <p>A 5-10 lefty guard, Jacobs had a big shooting night, going 5-6 from behind the arc en route to a team-high 15 points. He also had 4 assists, keeping the ball moving against the Liberty zone and finding open teammates. He's a solid ball-handler and decision-maker with quickness and good hands on the defensive end. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="796114" first="Jayden" last="Houston"], Davenport North (2021)</strong></p> <p>Houston battled foul trouble and a bum ankle but scored 7 first-quarter points to get North off to a strong start. He showcased an improved, smoother jumper from 3, and the offense flowed better when he was on the floor. The Minot State commit is a big, talented wing with good length and athleticism who can contribute across the board. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Kyle Lamonte, Davenport North (2024)</strong></p> <p>A 6-1 freshman guard, Lamonte was great in the fourth quarter for the 'Cats, aggressively looking to get to the bucket for finishes. He's got good length, quickness and is a great athlete. A solid ball-handler who looks to attack constantly, he'll be the go-to scorer for the 'Cats next year. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="796189" first="Kelby" last="Telander"], Liberty (2021)</strong></p> <p>The Iowa football commit was unstoppable on Friday night, scoring 19 points on 9-11 shooting. His constant activity on the offensive end, making good, hard off-ball cuts to the bucket, led to multiple scores at the rim. He also showed his ability to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim. He chipped in 9 rebounds and 2 assists in the win, routinely out-battling players for boards, showcasing his great hands and athleticism. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Grayson Tyler, Liberty (2021)</strong></p> <p>The 6-2 senior guard made some big plays late, including a 3 in the fourth quarter that pretty much iced the game. He finished with 16 points on 4-4 shooting and went 6-8 from the free-throw line. He moves well off the ball and has a pretty 3-point stroke.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="796133" first="Ethan" last="O’Donnell"], Liberty (2021)</strong></p> <p>The 6-5 wing is a solid all-around player who doesn't do anything exceptionally but everything well. He's a gifted passer who sees the floor really well, and he shook off a rough shooting day to make some huge shots in the fourth quarter to help Liberty grab control of the game. He started 0-10 from the floor, including 0-5 from 3, but he kept shooting and stayed confident, knocking down two huge 3s. He has good form on his jumper and is a high IQ player who moves well off the ball. He also showcased his passing ability, finishing with 5 assists to go with 10 points and 5 rebounds.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="964928" first="Basil" last="Aldoss"], Liberty (2021)</strong></p> <p>Aldoss is an athletic, 6-3 guard with good strength and a quick first step. He stuffed the stat sheet in the Liberty win, finishing with 5 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists, and he played well on the defensive end of the floor as well. He moves his feet well on that end, has good hands and is strong.</p>