Neuqua Valley pulls off thrilling comeback over Bolingbrook at When Sides Collide.
In a high-energy showdown that showcased the nation's top prospects, Cole Kelly and Mason Martin led Neuqua Valley to a statement victory against Bolingbrook. The Wildcats, ranked No. 9 in the state, edged out the Raiders, ranked No. 8, 75-69.
Kelly, a 6-6 guard who is considered one of the top players in Illinois, put on an impressive display, scoring 29 points, grabbing 11 rebounds, and blocking three shots. The sophomore sensation took it upon himself to rally his team after they trailed by as many as 14 points in the second quarter.
"I was guarded a lot, but I wasn't really guarding him," Kelly said of the Bolingbrook pressure defense. "We put that aside, and it was my team against his team."
The Neuqua Valley bench responded with several key contributions from Martin, who scored 28 points, Lucas Balgro chipped in nine, and Carter Coviello and Arshil Khimani kept the Raiders' high-intensity pressure defense at bay.
Meanwhile, Bolingbrook's Brady Pettigrew led the charge for the Raiders, scoring 26 points. TJ Williams added 19 points, but the team ultimately fell short against Neuqua Valley's well-balanced attack.
Coach Todd Sutton credited Kelly and Martin with making a difference in the comeback victory. "They outplayed us in the second half, obviously," Bolingbrook coach Rob Brost said. "We got a little complacent, then we missed some shots that we would normally make."
Sutton praised his team's performance, saying, "Our guys down there block out and do everything right, but they just don't have the size."
As for Kelly, he reveled in the win, stating, "Coming out with the win makes it even more sweet. I live for the big games and big crowds with all eyes on me."
The Neuqua Valley victory cements the team's status as one of the top programs in Illinois, but this performance serves as a testament to Kelly and Martin's individual promise as well as their combined potential to lead their team to great things.
In a high-energy showdown that showcased the nation's top prospects, Cole Kelly and Mason Martin led Neuqua Valley to a statement victory against Bolingbrook. The Wildcats, ranked No. 9 in the state, edged out the Raiders, ranked No. 8, 75-69.
Kelly, a 6-6 guard who is considered one of the top players in Illinois, put on an impressive display, scoring 29 points, grabbing 11 rebounds, and blocking three shots. The sophomore sensation took it upon himself to rally his team after they trailed by as many as 14 points in the second quarter.
"I was guarded a lot, but I wasn't really guarding him," Kelly said of the Bolingbrook pressure defense. "We put that aside, and it was my team against his team."
The Neuqua Valley bench responded with several key contributions from Martin, who scored 28 points, Lucas Balgro chipped in nine, and Carter Coviello and Arshil Khimani kept the Raiders' high-intensity pressure defense at bay.
Meanwhile, Bolingbrook's Brady Pettigrew led the charge for the Raiders, scoring 26 points. TJ Williams added 19 points, but the team ultimately fell short against Neuqua Valley's well-balanced attack.
Coach Todd Sutton credited Kelly and Martin with making a difference in the comeback victory. "They outplayed us in the second half, obviously," Bolingbrook coach Rob Brost said. "We got a little complacent, then we missed some shots that we would normally make."
Sutton praised his team's performance, saying, "Our guys down there block out and do everything right, but they just don't have the size."
As for Kelly, he reveled in the win, stating, "Coming out with the win makes it even more sweet. I live for the big games and big crowds with all eyes on me."
The Neuqua Valley victory cements the team's status as one of the top programs in Illinois, but this performance serves as a testament to Kelly and Martin's individual promise as well as their combined potential to lead their team to great things.
That Cole Kelly is straight fire, 29 points and 11 rebounds? 
The way he took control of that game in the second quarter was insane! Interesting how Neuqua Valley's bench came through with key contributions too, it was a total team effort! 
. neuqua valley played some decent ball but it was still super lopsided at times, especially in the 2nd quarter when bolingbrook was up by like 14 points. cole kelly is pretty talented tho 
, his stats are insane and he's definitely a top player in illinois, but he shouldn't be carrying an entire team to victory all the time 
. also, it's not just about him, mason martin was a beast too, 28 points for him? that's crazy 
. gotta say tho, both teams are pretty overrated if they got destroyed like that
he literally carried his team to victory on his own 
29 points, 11 rebounds, and blocking shots? that's insane! 
what's even crazier is how he rallied his team after they were down by 14 points in the second quarter 
scoring 28 points, that dude's on another level 
. i'm not surprised they won, though - their teamwork and strategy were on point all game long 
. anyway, i'm hyped for neuqua valley's next game - can't wait to see what they do! 
what a game!! Cole Kelly is literally on fire right now 
. Bolingbrook just couldn't keep up with those two... I'm loving the comeback story 
this team's gonna be huge in Illinois 
But what really impressed me was how they came back from being down by 14 points in the second quarter. That's some serious teamwork and strategy right there!
That's insane! And can we talk about how they took it upon themselves to rally their team after being down by 14? 
! Neuqua Valley is def one of the top programs in Illinois now 
. Kelly & Martin are the real MVPs 
. Coach Todd Sutton knows what's up 
. This win is a total game-changer for the team 
! And dude, 29 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks? That's straight fire 
.
. It's crazy how Cole Kelly took it upon himself to rally his team after being guarded a lot 
. I mean, he still managed to score 29 points and grab 11 rebounds - that's insane! 
... we'll be watching them for sure.
. Neuqua Valley's bench brought some serious heat too 
