Jefferson flourishing, thanks to point guard Olson

CEDAR RAPIDS - Taylor Olson dribbled out the clock for another Cedar Rapids Jefferson win last week. Next thing you know, he's nose to nose and jawing back and forth with Cedar Rapids Washington's Cybryan Moa.

Thankfully, before it could go all Cincinnati-Xavier, the players were broken apart and even ended up hugging during the postgame handshake ceremony between the teams. This was obviously just a case of Moa being frustrated after having to try and defend Olson, who took over the game in a tight fourth quarter.

The ultimate compliment, really.

“Stuff like that kind of gets me pumped up,” Olson said. “Just means I'm doing something right, you know?”

The senior point guard has been doing a lot of things right so far this season.

He's averaging 23.1 points, second to Linn-Mar's Marcus Paige (28.0) in Class 4A scoring, making 56 percent of his shots. He's third in 4A in assists and second on his team in rebounds, just a smidgen behind leader Ky Kramer.

Best of all, he has led Jefferson to a surprising 7-0 record heading into the holidays. Last season, it was Iowa's Mr. Basketball, Jarrod Uthoff, who at times single-handedly lifted Jefferson to victories.

This season, it has been Olson.

“Taylor Olson makes everybody better when he steps on the court,” said Jefferson Coach Stu Ordman.“That's about the highest compliment I can give a player. He's also tougher than a two-dollar steak. He finds ways to be successful.He's a good leader, keeps his composure, talks to his teammates. You need a rebound, he'll come up with a rebound. You need a good pass, he'll make a good pass. He's a special player that way.”

A three-year starter, Olson's game was hurt last season by being hurt. He tore a muscle in his lower back after being undercut in a game against Dubuque Wahlert and missed time.

He was nowhere near 100 percent upon his return. According to Ordman, that injury masked just how good of a player the 6-foot-1 Olson really has become.

“We kind of kept it vague, didn't really talk about it much. But that affected his game,” Ordman said. “He was just never healthy after the 10th game last season. When he got hurt, he was averaging about 10 points, three steals and five assists per game. I think he would have continued to excel.”

“The way I play, my back muscles are definitely some of the main muscles I use,” Olson said.“Trying to get in the paint and stuff. After I got hurt, I kind of refrained from going in there as much. So it slowed my game down a little bit, for sure. But it's 100-percent healed now. I don't have any problems with it.”

The only problems are those from opponents trying to stop him. Olson has tremendous strength and body control, able to take the basketball into the paint regularly and finish shots and draw fouls against players significantly bigger.

He has worked diligently on his jump shot and ball handling in an effort to better market himself for colleges. Division I programs Coppin State, Texas-Pan American and South Dakota are recruiting him, and he hopes that list will grow.

If he keeps playing as he has, there's no doubt it will.

“I think so, but I don't know what Division I coaches think,” Ordman said, when asked if Olson is a D-I player.“I mean, they didn't recruit Ali Farokhmanesh for two years.”