Solon's Kobi Lietz defines toughness on the basketball court

Kobi Lietz’s soft-spoken nature contrasts with the competitive energy she brings on the hardwood for the Solon girls basketball team.

Lietz doesn’t often show too much emotion, but don’t be mistaken; her play on the court speaks volumes.

Despite not leading in any statistical categories, Lietz — who averages 6.1 points, two assists and 2.5 rebounds per game — plays a role for a Spartans team that can be best described as gritty.

Tough. Hustle. Aggressive

Those are the three words that Lietz used to describe her style of play, and it’s accurate. Lietz does all the little things that don’t reflect on the stat sheet, such as diving for loose balls, contesting shots and denying the passing lanes.

“I would say hustling and always trying to make little plays like deflecting the ball, getting steals, getting easy layups — that’ll always help our team and that’ll also build our team’s confidence so just doing the little things will help us in the end," Lietz said.

Lietz’s competitive spirit stems from her passion for basketball, which she found in the third grade.

Being the daughter of a former high school basketball player turned coach, Lietz credited her dad for instilling toughness in her game. She also attributed her growth to the senior group at Solon that includes Callie Levin, Hailey Miller, Mia Stahle and Anna Quillin — who she’s been teammates with since elementary school.

During her sophomore year at Solon, Lietz earned the chance to join the varsity starting lineup, which she admitted was a surprise. But it was no shock for Solon head coach Jamie Smith, who credited Lietz’s defense for being the driving force behind his decision.

“She was just good enough, she was one of our top five players so it was a pretty easy decision,” Smith said. “A lot of it had to do with her being able to play defense too. That made it easier to put her in the starting lineup.”

And Lietz took full advantage of her opportunity. She gained valuable experience being a part of a Solon team that made it all the way to the Class 3A state semifinals last season.

This season, the third-year Spartan is a far more experienced player who has unlocked a new level of confidence, and it’s shown. She has embraced a more prominent defensive role in Solon’s senior-heavy starting lineup.

“Kobi has stepped into a big defensive role this year ... we’ve been starting to put Kobi on some of the best players and I think that comes from that toughness, that competitor mindset," Levin said. “She walks on that court and she doesn’t think they’re better than her, and that’s just something you have to work on in practice and she has that in her so that’s been really helpful this year.”

Despite being best known for her defensive prowess, Lietz isn’t afraid to step up offensively when needed, and a clutch shot against Mount Vernon on Feb. 2 was a prime example. With seconds remaining, she drained a three-point buzzer beater to help the Spartans earn a 55-54 win over the second-ranked Mustangs. It was a confidence-booster.

“Being around her long enough, you kind of know when she’s got a little bit of that fire in her; she’s about ready to flip that switch,” Smith said. “She’s kind of a quiet assassin.”

Toughness mixed with confidence is a recipe for great results, and Lietz has proven to be a fierce competitor for the Spartans.

During a fall league game at West High School, she drove toward the basket and landed awkwardly on another player, resulting in an ankle injury that she still deals with now. Nonetheless, Lietz has gutted it out and played in every game this season. The reason is to help the Spartans win their first state title since 1998.

“I just kind of fight through the pain and just act like I’m perfectly fine,” Lietz said. “I love basketball and I love this team and I want to help the team out the best way I can, and I know being on the court helps.”

Lietz and the third-ranked Spartans (21-3) have one goal in mind: to win their first state title in 26 years. The team will face their first test during the 3A state quarterfinals against sixth-ranked Dubuque Wahlert (19-5) on Tuesday at Wells Fargo Arena.

“We’ve kind of had this team connection, obviously since we’ve been playing with each other for so long,” Lietz said. “But now we really have one goal to achieve and we really just want to win a state championship.”

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Kobi Lietz plays an impactful role for Solon girls basketball