2024 WCIA 3 Boys Basketball Player of the Year: Lyncoln Koester
MT. ZION (WCIA) — Mt. Zion basketball runs in junior Lyncoln Koester’s blood.
“My mom, she’s second all-time scoring,” Koester said. “Both my uncles played here too, one of them has the record for most points in a game.”
High expectations, but not too high for the rising junior well on his way to surpassing those records and making his own. He had 29 points in two games at the Class 3A State Finals this season to set the program record for most points in a single Braves season with 610. Koester is set to break the all-time boys scoring record during his senior campaign.
“I was just looking at stats from his three high school years and every single thing has gone up,” head coach Dale Schuring said. “Assists, steals, points, rebounds, so he’s gotten better every single year.”
That improvement a result of his dedication to hard work, whether it’s in the gym solo or on the court with his teammates.
“Seeing my hard work pay off, that means a lot,” Koester. “Especially with all the great names up there too that to be a part of history would be really great.”
“He understands the game really well, he’s an intelligent basketball player,” Schuring said. “He does what he had to when he needs to but he at the same time he knows when to feed JC [Anderson] or Sammy [Driscoll]’s hot or whatever the situation might be.”
But the real honor for the 2024 WCIA 3 Boys Basketball Player of the Year would be leading the Braves back to the State Farm Center and competing for another trophy.
“Personal achievements is one thing,” Koester said. “But I’m a team guy so I care more about are we gonna make it to another postseason run like we had again this year. That would definitely mean more to me than a record.”
WCIA 3 BOYS BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR WINNERS
2024: Lyncoln Koester, Mt. Zion
2023: Ty Pence, SJO
2022: Jalen Quinn, Tuscola
2021: Tevin Smith, Danville
2020: Connor Heaton, Central A&M
2019: Christian Stadeli, Cissna Park
2018: Kendle Moore, Danville
2017: Tim Finke, Central
2016: Brandon Trimble, SJO
2015: Christian Williams, St. Teresa
2014: Michael Finke, Centennial
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