Prime Time League title game a look into the future of Iowa hoops
NORTH LIBERTY, Iowa – The Prime Time League Championship Game on Thursday was a glimpse into the future for Iowa basketball fans.
The game featured four of Iowa’s incoming freshmen at the packed North Liberty Community Center.
The L.L. Pelling/Comfort Care Medicare team featuring freshman forwards Ryan Kriener and Cordell Pemsl came out on top of the Beat the Bookstore/Culvers team featuring forward Tyler Cook and guard Maishe Dailey 80-78.
The game featured a matchup between Pemsl and Cook, who also happen to be roommates.
Although the two talk an endless amount of trash to one another on the floor, Pemsl has nothing but respect for Cook’s game.
"He’s crazy athletic," Pemsl said of Cook. "It’s hard for anyone, let alone a freshman, to come in here and guard that guy. He was shooting the ball like crazy tonight, which is something that he’s developed in the short amount of time that he’s been here.
"We were going back and forth quite a bit there. He got me a couple times, I got him. Overall he played a great game."
The victory was a positive finish to what has been a frustrating summer for the 6-foot-9, 247-pound Kriener.
"I came in here and was going hard for two weeks and then had the mystery illness," Kriener said. "After that I had to sit for a little bit. Then going back with it I was fortunate enough to get into the P.T.L.
"We got to come out here and win a championship so that’s always fun."
Although Kriener has not seen extensive action over the summer due to an unknown illness, he feels he can be a versatile contributor this coming season.
"I feel like I can stretch the floor really well," Kriener said. "I bring some playmaking capability out of the four or five spot. I feel like I bring a lot of versatility for a guy as big as I am."
Stat notes: Kriener finished the game with a double-double scoring 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting and corralled ten rebounds.
Pemsl finished with eight points on 3-of-6 shooting and nine rebounds.
Cook scored 23 points on 10-of-20 shooting to go along with grabbing five rebounds and dishing out four assists.
Dailey scored 19 points on 8-of-15 shooting.
See two of Dailey’s 19 points here: