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After finishing up their football seasons, Fenwick’s Jacob Keller and Oak Park-River Forest’s Breshawn Wilkerson are trying to find their rhythm on the basketball court.

They both already have had breakout scoring performances this season, but their coaches preach there is more to the game than collecting baskets and should also be looking to improve ballhandling and defense.

Keller, a 6-foot-2 junior forward, was the starting quarterback for the Friars’ football team. He scored a season-high 18 points on Friday, Dec. 4, to lead Fenwick to a 55-46 victory over Oak Park-River Forest in the Chicago Elite Classic at the UIC Pavilion. Keller put back Jay Militello’s missed layup to give the Friars (5-0) a 24-22 cushion in the second quarter and had six of Fenwick’s eight points in the third quarter.

Fenwick scored 14 consecutive points through the second and third quarters to take a 30-22 lead over its neighborhood rival.

“Jacob played like a football player today,” Fenwick coach Rick Malnati said. “They also have (football) competitors on their side after their successful season.”

Keller’s football season ended Oct. 23 when the Friars(3-6) lost 23-14 to St. Francis in their regular season finale.

“Coach (Rick) Malnati is great with the football guys,” Keller said. “He gives us a week off and (time to) get our bodies right. We can also get our conditioning down.”

Keller is one of two varsity football players playing basketball for Fenwick. One of his favorite targets on the football field, 6-5 tight end Jack Henige, is in his first season as a reserve forward in basketball.

Wilkerson, a starting defensive back and receiver for the football team, is the leading scorer for the basketball team. He had a season-low 10 points against Fenwick after going scoreless in the first half. His first basket came with 6:02 remaining in the second quarter when his seven-foot jumper pulled OPRF (2-3) to within 30-27.

Wilkerson’s football season lasted a week longer than Keller’s when the Huskies (9-2) lost to Palatine Nov. 7 in the first round of the Class 8A playoffs. OPRF coach Matt Maloney gave his four football players — Wilkerson, Sam Francis, Eddie Gorens and Jared Scott — three days rest before bringing them to basketball camp. Wilkerson and Scott attended a few open gyms during their time off.

Toward the end of the football season, Wilkerson said he was holding his own Sunday basketball workouts at a local gym.

“I tried to focus on the fundamentals,” he said. “I did shooting drills and ball handling drills. I also came in the gym early before (high school) practices.”

Wilkerson looked ready to go when the season began. The 6-2 senior guard scored 20 points in the season-opening win over Lake Park Nov. 24 and had a career-high 26 points, which included 7 of 7 free throws, the next day in 70-61 loss to Rich Central at the Riverside-Brookfield Thanksgiving tournament.

“You can see that toughness that Breshawn brings,” Maloney said. “He has that competitive streak.”

[email protected]

Twitter @geomwilcox

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