Takeaways: Morton vs East Peoria

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This was a thrilling game between Morton and East Peoria Saturday night that surprisingly ended up coming down to the wire. East Peoria had a chance to tie with 27 seconds remaining but Morton overcame late to win 41-35. Here are some takeaways from the game!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Gudeman Leads Charge for Potters</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Morton was without one of their key starters, [player_tooltip player_id='1598702' first='Evan' last='Barlow'], but junior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1232827' first='Wes' last='Gudeman'] stepped up in a big way. He had 16 points and 4 rebounds, using his strength to gain great position down low. While Gudeman gets most of his buckets in the paint, he is also capable of stepping out to the perimeter to score as well. It was a balanced attack behind Gudeman as junior forward Cal Boeker scored 6 points, senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1750614' first='Gus' last='Rugaard'] scored 5, and junior wing Grant Selke got the start in Barlow's absence, posting 5 points and 2 assists. Junior guard Tripp Rugaard doesn't always have the biggest statline for Morton (3 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds in this one) but he provides a steady presence as a floor general and is a pest defensively. Sophomores Silas Steffen and [player_tooltip player_id='2734458' first='Alex' last='McKie'] each added a three as well for the Potters.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>EP Youth Charge Falls Just Short</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>East Peoria was once again led by their talented freshmen duo. [player_tooltip player_id='2323592' first='Cole' last='Dubois'] scored 17 points, hitting big shot after another for the Raiders. Dubois uses crafty footwork and misdirection to find open shots and create layups in the lane. While he isn't super physically imposing yet, he does a great job keeping the defense on their heels and is a confident scorer from all levels. Freshman wing [player_tooltip player_id='2125674' first='Quinton' last='Kitt'] also put up a great performance for East Peoria- posting 13 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 blocks. Kitt is confident in scoring from all levels as well and can fill up the stat sheet fast. While he still has a ways to mature physically, he is capable of finishing through contact in the paint. Shotmaker and very intriguing prospect with his skillset and continued development.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->