Three overtimes, a 25-point comeback, controversial fouls and pressure-packed free throws.
An awful lot happened Friday in Skokie when district rivals Niles West and Niles North met in a crucial Central Suburban League North matchup.
Vikings junior Reid Olson, the son of coach Glen Olson, admitted after Niles North’s thrilling 90-81 victory that this was one of those games where it paid off to be the coach’s son.
Reid Olson was 3-for-14 from three-point range when he launched a long three-pointer with the score tied at 75 in the third overtime. It went in, and he was fouled. He made the free throw, and the Vikings went ahead by four.
After the Wolves tied the score at 79, Olson struck again. His three-pointer with 2:28 left in the third OT put Niles North ahead for good. Olson finished with 20 points, including 14 in the overtimes.
‘‘The game was amazing,’’ he said. ‘‘I mean, this was a moment you will never forget.’’
Niles West (13-7, 4-2) was on fire early and led by 25 points after senior Dave Flowers’ made a three-pointer with 4:36 left in the second quarter.
Wolves coach Mike Wasielewski decided to rest a couple of starters who were in foul trouble, and the Vikings (15-5, 6-0) took advantage by closing the quarter with a 14-0 run to get back into the game.
Niles North’s momentum continued in the third quarter, when the Vikings took the lead with a 15-0 run.
‘‘I made the decision to sit those guys in the first half, so that is a call I made and it is what it is,’’ Wasielewski said. ‘‘But the second half, that was all on us.’’
Flowers led Niles West with 25 points and 11 rebounds. He became the fifth player in school history to surpass 1,000 points in his career. He fouled out late in the second overtime with the Wolves up 71-69.
‘‘We didn’t have the proper energy while guarding Flowers in the first half,’’ Glen Olson said. ‘‘A great player like that in a rivalry game on his home floor, you need to give everything defending him. Jaiden Medina stepped up and did that for us in the second half.’’
Hunter Gawron had 25 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks, and Kaidan Chatham added 25 points and nine rebounds for Niles North.
‘‘It was an unbelievable game,’’ Glen Olson said. “[Reid Olson, Yaris Irby and Chatham] were all injured against Thornton and didn’t practice all week. You could see it in Reid’s legs in the first half; he had nothing. But we talked about riding the roller coaster. Rivalry games are always roller coasters.’’
The Vikings play nearly all juniors and gave Thornton a battle this week, losing by only seven points. Irby injured his arm in that game and didn’t play against Niles West. Glen Olson said he’s hopeful Irby will be back in a couple of weeks.
Senior Joey Pantazis led the Wolves with 28 points and did an admirable job carrying the offense after Flowers fouled out. Jase Loyd, a 6-4 junior, added 14 points for Niles West.
