‘It’s a dream come true’: Asher Nolting playing with childhood idol Lyle Thompson
By Joe Keegan
PLL Analyst
Jun 7, 2022
Did Asher Nolting and Lyle Thompson just become best friends?
YUP!
Asher Nolting had the ball in his stick for most of his High Point career. When the Cannons drafted him 10th overall, some questioned his fit alongside Lyle Thompson.
Any questions were answered 38 seconds into Nolting’s PLL debut.
Nolting picked and slipped for Lyle, catching against a poor approach. It’s really tough to push Nolting away from the paint if he puts you on his back before you make contact like this.
Asher Nolting quarterbacked @HPUMensLax for five years. Now he's picking and slipping for Lyle, and catching with a step on his defender. Scary. pic.twitter.com/EbKsJtUJaM
— Joe Keegan (@joekeegs) June 7, 2022
This is what his game can look like as a pro.
“Being a quarterback for the last five years was something that High Point needed me to do. I don’t think I have to do that anymore,” said Nolting. “I can move off-ball. Playing with Lyle – I don’t know how you can’t become a better lacrosse player.”
Nolting moved well on the weak side, too. As this Lyle-Jake Froccaro pick-n-roll unfolds, Nolting screens for Lyle’s favorite target: Shayne Jackson. Lyle pump fakes to the ball side before seeing the 2-on-1 between Nolting and Jackson.
Lyle's favorite target has always been Shayne Jackson. But as the defense floods the ball side and accounts for Shayne, Asher Nolting is left wide open. He didn't get many of these catch-n-shoot looks in college. pic.twitter.com/iqTwIWfPcI
— Joe Keegan (@joekeegs) June 7, 2022
“It’s a dream come true,” Nolting said about playing with Lyle. “I can think about the many times I was sitting at home watching UAlbany games. That UAlbany-Notre Dame game – I probably watched the highlights of that game 400 times. I was lucky enough to see him live when Albany played Notre Dame again in the quarters in Denver.”
