Freshmen Cole Tillman, Marion Persich ‘incredibly talented’: NewsTribune boys basketball notebook

A pair of talented freshmen who have made a splash in their debut seasons squared off Saturday as Mendota defeated La Salle-Peru 60-58.

Mendota freshman Cole Tillman scored a team-high 16 points, while L-P freshman Marion Persich put up a game-high 21 points.

“Playing against him is great competition,” Tillman said. “He’s a great kid.”

The freshmen guarded each other throughout.

“They’re both incredibly talented players for freshmen,” Mendota coach Steve Wasmer said. “Cole always takes the challenge. He wants to guard him. That’s one of the great things about him is, he’ll take the challenge. If he gets beat a couple times, he learns from it.

“It’s going to be great to watch them for three more years.”

The pair also played each other when the Cavs beat the Trojans 57-54 on Dec. 23 in the Plano Christmas Classic. Tillman said they also faced each other in grade school, but not on the AAU circuit.

“I think it’s going to be a great matchup [for the next three years] depending on how much we both improve,” Tillman said.

Tillman is second in the area in scoring at 16.7 points per game and has scored in double figures in every game but two. Against L-P, he broke Don Hamel’s school freshman scoring record that was set in 1965. Tillman also ranks third in the area in assists at 3.4 per game.

Persich averages 12.3 points, which is just outside the area’s top 10, and also averages 7.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 0.9 blocks, which all rank top 10 in the area.

“I think they battled each other pretty well,” L-P coach John Senica said. “They’re both fantastic players. It’s going to be a good matchup moving forward the next three years.”

A GRAND ACHIEVEMENT

Fieldcrest’s Eddie Lorton and LaMoille’s Tyler Billhorn recently eclipsed 1,000 points for their careers.

Lorton reached the milestone with a 25-point effort against Unity. He is the ninth player in program history to achieve the feat. Lorton, who has scored in double figures in every game this season, is fourth in the area in scoring at 15.5 points per game.

Billhorn surpassed 1,000 points with 25 against Stockton on Saturday. Billhorn, who also has more than 700 career rebounds, leads the area in scoring at 16.8 points per game. He’s the eighth LaMoille player to reach 1,000 points.

Teammate Brayden Klein soon could join Billhorn in the 1,000-point club, as he has 853 following Tuesday’s game against Hiawatha. He averages 14.9 points per game, which ranks top 10 in the area.

SHARPSHOOTERS

Several area players have been hot from 3-point range this season.

Mendota’s Aden Tillman has made a 3-pointer in 53 consecutive games and has made 59 long-range shots this season through Saturday’s action.

Hall’s Wyatt West is shooting 40% from beyond the arc (49 of 121) and is averaging 15.5 points per game, which is tied for fourth in the area, while L-P’s Nick Olivero shoots 42.9% from 3-point range (36 of 84) and ranks top 10 in the area in scoring at 13.9 points per game. Fieldcrest’s Eli Gerdes is hitting 45% of his 3-point shots.

STEPPING UP

After going 33-2 and reaching a sectional final last winter, Fieldcrest was hit hard by graduation and needed players to step up.

Senior Jordan Heider was a key contributor last season but has made an even bigger impact this year.

He has more than doubled his scoring average at 12.4 per game and also leads the area in assists (4 per game), is tied for the area lead in steals (2.5 per game) and ranks top 10 in rebounds (6.0 per game).

“Jordan Heider is a force of nature and a tremendous floor general,” Fieldcrest coach Jeremy Hahn said. “He has been attacking on both ends.”

GETTING IT DONE IN THE CLASSROOM

LaMoille has shown improvement in the classroom this winter. Coach Chance Blumhorst said its the first time in his three-year tenure that no Lions have been on the ineligibility list this deep into the season.

“Our grades have been the best I have seen, which makes me insanely proud,” Blumhorst said.

HELPING AT THE HOLIDAYS

Multiple area teams performed community service over the holidays.

Henry-Senachwine players volunteered to help with the Red Stocking Fund, which helps provide toys and food to families and children in need.

Mendota players helped the community by ringing the bell to raise money for the Salvation Army.