When Lake Forest’s Lorenzo Edwards was a freshman, he’d shoot baskets at a local recreation center in his spare time to help improve his game.
Each time the star forward went, he kept noticing another teenager practicing and participating in pickup games.
“I’d always see this same kid at the gym, over and over, but had no idea who he was,” Edwards said. “He was a gym rat, and one of the hardest workers I’d ever seen. It seemed like he spent a ton of his free time there getting better. It stood out.”
Although Edwards didn’t know him at the time, it was Justin McMahon, who is now a starting junior point guard for the Scouts and Edwards’ teammate.
In 13 games this season, McMahon is averaging 8.9 points, second-best on the team to Edwards’ 18.2. McMahon leads Lake Forest in assists (2.1), and is tied for third in rebounds (3.2).
McMahon said playing on varsity as a sophomore last season alongside since-graduated Evan Boudreaux (now at Dartmouth) and Noah Karras (University of Chicago) gave him a rock-solid foundation and boosted his confidence.
Last year, the Scouts lost to eventual Class 4A state champ Stevenson in the Waukegan Sectional championship game.
“My mind-set when I first arrived a year ago was to play any kind of role that would help us win,” McMahon said. “When three-year point guard Jack Traynor got hurt and missed seven or eight games, Scott Dent and I split time replacing him. It allowed me to learn fast, especially since our team was so strong last year.
“Having spent my first two years on varsity around guys like Evan, and now Lorenzo, who both have incredible talent in the lane … it’s made things so much easier. You just feed them the ball and let them do their thing. Players like that are always drawing double-teams, too, so it’s given me plenty of great, open looks when they kick the ball back outside.”
Scouts coach Phil LaScala praised McMahon’s effort.
“Being a point guard in the North Suburban Conference is a really, really challenging thing to do,” LaScala said. “But Justin’s handled it well. He’s still got the rest of this year and all of next season to grow, too. He’s slowly evolving and showing more confidence each game.
“He’s been out there when we beat three different teams who’ve been ranked in area top 25 polls at some point this year too, in Deerfield, Stagg and Zion-Benton. He’s got a big upside as long as he keeps working at it.
Just how big? According to McMahon, two NCAA Division I schools, Elon and Brown, contacted him over the summer on the first day colleges were allowed to speak with the junior class.
But for now, McMahon — who also plays golf for Lake Forest and is a student council member with a 4.5 GPA on a 5.0 scale — continues to put his team first.
“One thing coach stresses in practice is to do the little things,” McMahon said. “I take that serious. Those things are how you win games. I pride myself in my defensive effort, and making sure other players aren’t able to penetrate the lane against me.
“We’ve shown we can be a real dangerous team when we’re on our game, and I want to do everything I possibly can to help it be that way every game, not just some of the time.”
Tim Froehlig is a freelance writer for the News-Sun.
BOYS BASKETBALL: TUESDAY’S RESULTS
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Lakes 43, Antioch 31
Grant 57, Wauconda 51
North Chicago 80, Round Lake 56
Carmel at Niles North, late
Prairie Ridge 71, Grayslake North 53
Buffalo Grove at Highland Park, late
WON-LOSS RECORDS
Through Monday
Antioch 6-9
Carmel 7-6
Deerfield 12-3
Grant 7-7
Grayslake Central 8-7
Grayslake North 12-0
Highland Park 3-10
Lake Forest 8-6
Lake Zurich 12-4
Lakes 6-8
Libertyville 10-6
Mundelein 1-13
North Chicago 7-7
Round Lake 4-10
Stevenson 9-4
Vernon Hills 7-9
Warren 4-10
Wauconda 5-7
Waukegan 7-8
Zion-Benton 11-4
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