Niles North holds on wins the Battle of Skokie for 26th consecutive time (according to Niles North stats) at Niles West!! Top performances in state tonight!!!! Soph Cole Kelly 43 piece extra crispy!!

This was as usual an entertaining game, not like the four overtime game last season when lights went out for a time at Niles West. Niles North took over the game in the third quarter, then foul trouble and three top players fouling out, allowed an opening for Niles West which cut it to 6 with 1:08 remaining, but senior Enzo D'Andrea hit 6 free throws in a row to keep them at bay.

Niles North (Skokie) 70 Niles West (Skokie) 63:

Niles North graduated 4 seniors all who had played at least 3 years of varsity, some played 4. Coach Glen Olson has reloaded with players who played a lot of junor varsity last year. Senior Musaf Rexhepi was the only returning starter. The team is playing with a purpose losing senior teammate Samir Cuadri in a tragic drowning in Lake Michigan near Evanston's Lighthouse beach. They have lost only one game all season to #1 DePaul College Prep (Chicago) who they played very tough for about three quarters. Junior Collin Tobin is one who's taking advantage of the opportunity logging a double/double playing through foul trouble tonight. Senior Rayne Punzal dominated the stat sheet scoring on attacking drives, lefty finishes, and dishing off assists, steals, and a partridge in a pear tree. Senior Asani Dixon of Niles West was giving the Vikings trouble with his quick hands getting 7 steals, hitting two threes to cut the lead to 6 with 1:08 left and giving the Wolves hope late. Niles North led 16-10 after 1, 31-24 at the half. They took over the game in the third quarter with nice cuts and layups on inbounds passes, a couple of threes, and lockdown defense. Out scored the Wolves 21-10 in the third to get a 52-34 lead. Niles North ups it's record to 7-1, 2-0 in Central Suburban Conference play. Niles West drops to 2-8, 0-2 in conference.

Top performances:

Niles North:

Junior Collin Tobin 18 points (8/13 FG, 2/2 three) 11 rebounds 1 steal

Senior Rayne Punzal 16 points 5 rebounds 7 assists 3 steals 1 block

Senior Enzo D'Andrea 12 points (6/6 FT) 2 steals 1 block

Niles West:

Senior Asani Dixon 24 points (7/18 FG, 2/6 three, 8/12 FT) 4 assists 7 steals

Sophmore Benjamin Fillenwarth 13 points (5/11 FG, 3/4 three) 1 steal

Top performances in the state:

Cole Kelly, Neuqua Valley (Naperville) 43 points (sophomore)

Grant Smith, Lyons Township (LaGrange) 17 points 5 rebounds (sophomore)

Jayden Armstrong, Catholic Academy (Joliet) 17 points 9 assists

Donavyn Simmons, Catholic Academy (Joliet) 17 points 5 assists (junior)

Brady Tunkel, Catholic Academy (Joliet) 14 points 10 rebounds (double/double)

Chase Rupper, Heyworth 25 points

Adam McBrearty, Brother Rice (Chicago) 17 points

Joe Niego, Brother Rice (Chicago) 13 points 10 rebounds (double/double)

Hayden Noha, Oak Forest 21 points 10 rebounds (double/double)

Donovan Williams, Oak Forest 16 points

Darren Greer Jr, Argo (Summit) 23 points

Panos, Lincoln Way Central (New Lenox) 16 points

Evans, Lincoln Way Central (New Lenox) 17 points

Markese Peoples, St Laurence (Burbank) 18 points (junior)

Chris Chiles, Francis Parker (Chicago) 15 points 11 rebounds (double/double)

Deven Marshall, Rock Island 16 points (junior)

Brady Welch, Moline 29 points (junior)

Noah Van Tholen, Riverside Brookfield 19 points (sophomore)

Cameron Mercer, Riverside Brookfield 17 points 8 reboundds 3 steals

David Daniels, Christ The King College Prep (Chicago) 15 points

Cameron Anderson, Schaumburg 19 points

Tony Horton Jr, Schaumburg 16 points

Xander Kourvetaris, Glenbrook South (Glenview) 17 points 6 rebounds

Dakari Nesbitt, Thornton Township (Harvey) 23 points (freshman) (career high)

Manny Padilla, Thornton Township (Harvey) 15 points (career high)

Evan Minzer, Highland Park 20 points

Gray Kanter, Highland Park 16 points

Josh Abushanab, Glenbard West (Glen Ellyn) 21 points

Luke Page, Minooka 17 points

Zane Schneider, Lemont 19 points (junior)

Ryan Crane, Lemont 19 points

Brayden Watson, Mascoutah 20 points 6 rebounds (freshman)

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

Noah Cook, South (Crystal Lake) 16 points (junior)

Brady Ward, IVC 25 points 9 rebounds

Troy Garner, Bloom Township (Chicago Heights) 20 points 15 rebounds (double/double) 7 blocks

Kaden McClellan, Bloom Township (Chicago Heights) 19 points 15 assists (double/double) (freshman)

Keiwon Gulley, Bloom Township (Chicago Heights) 17 points 7 steals (freshman)

Matt Kuban, Reed Custer 18 points (sophomore)

Eddie Bryan, Reed Custer 10 rebounds

Xavier Johnson, George Westinghouse College Prep (Chicago) 16 points 5 rebounds (junior)

Eze Nwagwu, St Rita (Chicago) 18 points (sophmore)

Kavell Williams, Northtown (Chicago) 36 points

Jackson Hancock, Centralia 21 points

Jacob Baumann, Christian (Aurora) scores his 1000th point tonight

Landin Stillwell, Somonauk 17 points

Brady Pettigrew, Bolingbrook 22 points (sophomore)

TJ Williams, Bolingbrook 20 points

Mason Lockett IV, East (Oswego) 24 points (DePaul commit)

D'Shaun Bolden, East (Oswego) 20 points (junior)

Alex Johnson, East St Louis 28 points

Tyler Thompson, Triad (Troy) 12 points 10 rebounds (double/double) 7 assists

Nate Alexander, North (Belvidere) 13 points 12 rebounds (double/double)

Brysen Meents, Wilmington 25 points

Ryan Kettman, Wilmington 16 points

Lincoln Williams, Kankakee 32 points 7 rebounds

EJ Hazelett, Kankakee 18 points 11 rebounds (double/double)

Lesner, Rolling Meadows 10 points 10 rebounds

Patrick Magan , Burlington Central (Hampshire) 19 points

Declan Wilson, Burlngton Central (Hampshire) game winning basket with 1.6 seconds left

Jake Nawrot, Hersey (Arlington Heights) 18 points 6 rebounds (junior)

Charlie Pomis, Hersey (Arlington Heights) 16 points

Tony Balanganyi, Palatine 25 points 16 rebounds (double/double) 3 blocks (Illinois football commit)

Briggs Bucy, Metamora 22 points (junior)

Sam Koch, Metamora 21 points (sophomore)

Gavin Geier, Metamora 15 points (junior)

Jacob "JJ" Duffin, Peoria 18 points (sophomore)

Jackson Bohm, Mahomet Seymour 33 points

Malachi Nichols, Mattoon 16 points

DJ Caldwell, St Ignatius College Prep (Chicago) 17 points (5 threes) (sophomore)

Chris Bolte, St Ignatius College Prep (Chicago) 16 points (Yale commit)

Marquis Clark, Whitney Young (Chicago) 31 points (Tennessee commit)

Caden Crudup, Whitney Young (Chicago) 20 points (junior)

Edwin Karnauchovas, Buffalo Grove 21 points (sophomore)

Alex Sirbu, Buffalo Grove 18 points (junior)

James Lee, Central (Joliet) 16 points

Cooper Casterton, Elk Grove 17 points (junior)

Khan Khaleel, Elk Grove 15 points

Will Hooks, Sandburg (Orland Park) 18 points

Dan Morakinyo, Sandburg (Orland Park) 15 points

Ryan Hegil, Lincoln Way West (New Lenox) 16 points

Jayde Wyett, Providence Catholic (New Lenox) 28 points (sophomores)

Cade Styrsky, Providence Catholic (New Lenox) 16 points

Adam Flowers, South (Downers Grove) 24 points

Connor Kimme, Kaneland 19 points

TJ Hillman, Central (Naperville) 17 points

Maddox Ritzel, Nashville 30 points 11 rebounds (double/double)