Immediate Standouts: Niles North vs Mt. Zion

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The second game I covered saw Niles North and Mt. Zion square off down in Metamora. Here's some of my immediate standouts after watching this game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1545145' first='Lyncoln' last='Koester'] - Mt. Zion 2025</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Koester's an athletic wing with tons of durability to his game. Makes very strong cuts to the basket and does a great job separating himself from opposition. Started this game off strong with buckets from all three levels. Love the euro-step he displayed n the third quarter. Finished with 21 points to lead all scorers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sam Driscoll - Mt. Zion 2025</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Driscoll showed underrated vision and played a huge role this evening. Despite his 5'11" size, he showed tons of strength to push his way past bigger defenders for a pair of tough layups. Defensive abilities were there, too as he forced numerous turnovers. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2323267' first='JC' last='Anderson'] - Mt. Zion 2025</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The physical frame of [player_tooltip player_id='2323267' first='JC' last='Anderson'] should not go unnoticed. Keeps great body control on the low block. Forced lots of misses on the inside early as Niles North didn't score for the first four minutes. Took advantage of his strength to power his way to the rim for numerous offensive buckets. Consistent presence on the boards throughout the game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1385296' first='Yaris' last='Irby'] - Niles North 2025</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Irby started hot from beyond the arc with three first half triples. Eventually leading the Vikings on a 17-8 run to begin the second quarter. Defense was on-point too. Picking up several steals which helped create a few different fast break opportunities. Clutch mid-range jumper in the 4th quarter and a key assists shortly after. A pair of free throws in the final minutes sealed the deal. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2105209' first='Reid' last='Olson'] - Niles North 2025</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Olson came alive in the second half. Burying a pair of of 3's late with the ladder giving them a 4-pt lead in the 4th quarter. Although North had a bunch of contributors, it was Olson's play when it mattered most which pushed them to victory. Finished with 14 points.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->