Dynamic duo for #16 Neuqua Valley (Naperville) took turns scoring tonight in win at Yorkville. Sophomore Cole Kelly and junior Mason Martin combine for 60. Top performances in state tonight!!!

Battle of sophomores was a 2 for 1 tonight. Yorkville has two great ones (Braydon Porter, Joey Jakstys) vs 1 for Neuqua Valley (Cole Kelly). All performed well but Martin was ace in the hole for Neuqua.

#16 Neuqua Valley (Naperville) 79 Yorkville 60:

Cole Kelly is the best sophomore in the state as far as productivity. Some may have more future upside, but he's the best at the moment. I wrote and article a couple of months ago about the Big Five sophomores in the Western Suburbs https://tim1coleman.wixsite.com/website/post/class-of-2028-is-deep-in-illinois-but-specifically-the-fab-five-in-the-west-suburbs-of-chicago and three of them played tonight in this game. Kelly was the best of them all, hitting his first two threes to give Neuqua a lead they would never relinguish. He had 13 in the first quarter. Then Martin a big time three point sniper with an improved two dribble mid range pull-up game, took over the second quarter. He scored 14 points hitting four threes in a row. Neuqua had the lead 20-13 after the first quarter, and 45-24 at the half. Jakstys was in foul trouble in the first half with three fouls. He picked up his scoring in the second half, as the Foxes cut the lead to as low as 14 a few times in the second half. When that happened Kelly and Martin would go to work scoring. Their teammates are unselfish and look for them in their scoring spots especially junior guard Luke Balgro who had 5 assists in the game. Neuqua led at the end of the third quarter 66-42. Neuqua Valley (Naperville) goes to 5-0, Yorkville drops to 4-2.

Top performers:

Neuqua Valley (Naperville):

Sophomore Cole Kelly 33 points (13/17 FG, 2/5 three) 13 rebounds (double/double) 4 assists

Junior Mason Martin 27 points (9/15 FG, 6/11 three) 4 rebounds 1 steal 1 block

Junior Luke Balgro 3 points 7 rebounds 5 assists

Yorkville:

Sophomore Braydon Porter 13 points (5/10 FG, 3/6 three) 6 assists

Sophomore Joey Jakstys (5/10 FG, 1/5 three) 14 points 4 rebounds

Senior Gabe Sanders 13 points (3/6 three)

NOTES:

Cole Kelly looked smooth and not in a hurry to score tonight. Hit some nice mid range pull-ups and attacks to the rim. Has nice vision as a passer could have had double the assists tonight, some teammates fumbled some passes.

Braydon Porter is an improved passer and ball handler, nice vision showed in half court and in transtion. Showing he's more than a King of Bounce, more of a fuindamentally sound basketball player.

Top performances in the state:

Hunter Stepanovich, York Township (Elmhurst) 15 points

Carter Martin, Lakes (Lake Villa) 22 points 2 steals

Dorian Pullen, Lakes (Lake Villa) 20 points (4/5 three)

Uros Mitrovic, North (Graylake) 15 points 5 rebounds

Jared Van Donselaar, North (Grayslake) 14 points (sophomore)

Lamari Carpenter, Glenard North (Carol Stream) 22 points (junior)

Caeden Chilton, Glenbard North (Carol Stream) 15 points (junior)

TJ Hillman, North (Naperville) 32 points

Xander Lewis, Sycamore 23 points

Marcus Johnson, Sycamore 19 points

Adam Flowers, South (Downers Grove) 29 points (scored 1000th point tonight)

Dominic Mordini, Lake Forest 19 points

Ryan Carpenter, Burlington Central (Hampshire) 16 points (junior)

Cole Tillman, Mendota 20 points (sophomore)

Oliver Munoz, Mendota 15 points

Teagan McLaughlin, Eureka 15 points

Kash Klendworth, Fieldcrest 31 points

Layten Gerdes, Fieldcrest 20 points

Chris Crowe, Kewanee 20 points

Freddy Battaglia, Lake Park (Roselle) 12 points 11 rebounds (double/double) 3 blocks

Brennan Shannon, Lake Park (Roselle) 12 points 10 rebounds (double/double) 3 blocks (sophomore)

Isaac Muze, Huntley 20 points

Carson Trivilleni, South (Crystal Lake) 17 points 5 rebounds (junior) (Illinois baseball commit)

Jaxson Davis, Warren Township (Gurnee) 20 points (junior) (reigining Mr Basketball)

Avonn King, Warren Township (Gurnee) 15 points

Joel Paasch, Warren Township (Gurnee) 15 points

Dylan Dumele, Cary Grove 16 points

Adam Bauer, Cary Grove 14 points

Rocco Pagliocca, Stevenson (Lincolnshire) 14 points

Tony Salemi, Wauconda 24 points 9 rebounds 4 steals

Alex Ortega, Wauconda 15 points 1 steal

Austin Carlsen, Wauconda 15 points 5 assists 3 steals 2 blocks (junior)

Carson Woods, Central (Grayslake) 18 points

Josh Abushanab, Glenbard West (Glen Ellyn) 31 points

Lucas German, Glenbard West (Glen Ellyn) 14 points

Otis Powell III, Willowbrook 21 points 9 rebounds 4 steals 1 block

Dawson Charles, St Viator (Arlington Heights) 16 points (junior)

Erick Castillo, Momence 20 points

D'Angelo Hundley, Momence 17 points

Logan Kurtz, Tuscola 23 points (5/7 two, 4/6 three) 4 steals

Cam Woods, Oak Park River Forest 28 points (career high)

Bryce Wegrzyn, Libertyville 23 points (Winona State commit)