It’s not hard to find players that can put up big numbers playing on winning teams that dominate opponents. And, lots of players can put up big numbers against weak opponents. It is much rarer to find a player who plays on a team that doesn’t have many wins, yet he consistently performs against both the good and the bad teams. One of those players is Yreka Miner Daniel Fisher.

Fisher had a slow start this season, scoring minimal points in the first four games. Then, in the fifth game against Henley, he scored 14 points. He has been in double figures every game since, except one. He scored eight points in Yreka’s 53-39 win over Bonanza.

Fisher leads Yreka in both scoring (13.9 ppg) and rebounding (8.3 rpg). He is second in the Northern Athletic League in rebounding and third in scoring, on a team that is 5-11 overall.

Those stats alone might be good enough to earn an Impact Player Award. However, what sealed the award for Fisher was his overtime performance in Yreka’s 63-59 win over Lassen last Friday night.

Fisher scored the first eight points of the third OT period, and eight of nine Yreka points in the period. At one point, he led Lassen 8-0 in the third OT. What’s more impressive is how he scored.

The points didn’t come on clean breakaways. They didn’t come by standing outside the arc and waiting to hit a 3-pointer. Nope, they were mostly down and dirty working man’s points in the paint. Of the eight points in the third OT, four came on put backs and three came via a 3-point play the hard way. The other was on a freebie.

Fisher scored 12 of his game high 23 points in the three overtime periods, and 12 of Yreka’s 18 OT points.

After the game, he was asked where he found the energy so late in the game.

He said, “I wanted to win.”

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The Impact Player Award is given on a monthly basis and goes to Siskiyou County high school athletes, male or female, that have had a significant impact on the success of their team. I select the players based on my own observations, often in consultation with the player’s coaches.

A total of four awards may be given each month and are not school specific; they can go to a player at any school that Siskiyou Youth covers. Winners receive Impact T-shirts that were designed by Golden Grotto. The T-shirts and award are cosponsored by SiskiyouYouth.com and NorCal Classic Hits radio, KCWH, 102.3/101.7