Oswego's Cole Jansons sparks OT win over rival Oswego East

6-foot-11 sophomore forward scores 4 key points in extra period as Panthers prevail 65-58

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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Sophomore forward Cole Jansons scored 4 of his 13 points early in overtime to help Oswego pull out a 65-58 victory over crosstown rival Oswego East in a Southwest Prairie West conference matchup. Jansons, who is 6-foot-11 and still growing, also grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds as Oswego (21-8, 11-4) took sole possession of second place in the conference with one game remaining. Ethan Vahl led all scorers with 29 points for the Panthers, who have now beaten Oswego East in two overtime games this season.

Why it matters

Oswego has been a surprise team this season, improving from a 13-20 record last year to contend for the conference title. The continued development of the young, 6-foot-11 Jansons has been a key factor in the Panthers' resurgence, as they look to make a deep postseason run in the Class 4A Bolingbrook Sectional.

The details

Jansons scored 4 of his 13 points early in the overtime period, extending Oswego's lead with a pair of baskets off feeds from sophomore guard Ethan Vahl. Vahl finished with a game-high 29 points, including a perfect 12-for-12 performance from the free throw line. Oswego East forced overtime on a late 3-pointer from junior guard Alton Bullock, but the Panthers outscored the Wolves 14-7 in the extra session to secure the victory.

  • The game was played on Friday, February 14, 2026.
  • Oswego previously beat Oswego East 59-52 in overtime on January 9, 2026.

The players

Cole Jansons

A 6-foot-11 sophomore forward for Oswego who is still growing, and has been a key factor in the team's resurgence this season after they finished 13-20 last year.

Ethan Vahl

A sophomore guard for Oswego who scored a game-high 29 points, including a perfect 12-for-12 performance from the free throw line.

Brayden Borrowman

A senior forward for Oswego who scored 10 points in the victory.

Dshaun Bolden

A junior forward for Oswego East who scored a team-high 15 points.

Jacsen Tucker

A junior forward for Oswego East who scored 13 points.

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What they’re saying

“I feel like I can get better. I try to do that every day as the season goes on. We're a pretty young group, and the longer we play together, the better we're going to get.”

— Cole Jansons (chicagotribune.com)

“It's gonna be fun the next two years.”

— Cole Jansons (chicagotribune.com)

“I'm super proud of the way we pulled it out. We've been here before. We needed to see that first one go in.”

— Nick Oraham, Oswego coach (chicagotribune.com)

“Those were great finishes by the big dog. I'm really proud of the way Cole responded. He was super aggressive on the glass in the second half, altering shots and finishing.”

— Nick Oraham, Oswego coach (chicagotribune.com)

“I've been playing with Cole since seventh grade. He had a rough first half and I told him, 'Next play, next play.' He just got out of his head and did his thing.”

— Ethan Vahl, Oswego sophomore guard (chicagotribune.com)

What’s next

Oswego will play its final regular season game next week as they look to secure the second seed in the Class 4A Bolingbrook Sectional. The Panthers could potentially face third-seeded Bolingbrook for the regional title.

The takeaway

Oswego's resurgence this season has been fueled by the continued development of 6-foot-11 sophomore forward Cole Jansons, who is still growing and has become a dominant force in the paint. The Panthers' young core, led by Jansons and sophomore guard Ethan Vahl, have Oswego poised for a deep postseason run after a disappointing 13-20 campaign last year.