Jon Arenas was back at his usual position for the Maine South boys basketball team in its 58-53 Central Suburban South loss to Evanston, the No. 7-ranked team by the baiduhai.
From his shooting guard spot, the 6-foot-3 senior scored a game-best 23 points on Thursday, Jan. 14. His points came from all over the court. Arenas went 6-for-10 from the field, including 3-for-4 on 3-pointers. He finished 8-for-13 from the line.
In the eight previous games, during which time Maine South went 5-3, Arenas played point guard for the Hawks (12-5, 3-2 after the loss to Evanston). It was a decision Maine South coach Tony Lavorato said was best for the team at the time.
As it turns out, the brief stint as the point guard was valuable to Arenas, too, according to Lavorato.
“It’s allowed him to look at the game from a different point of view,” Lavorato said. “It’s different when you’re making all the calls. He’s seeing the game better. I’m glad we had the opportunity to play him there.”
Although he’s no stranger to the position, Arenas hadn’t played point guard in his two prior varsity seasons. But he said he agreed with Lavorato’s logic.
“I’m most comfortable on the wing, but I definitely think playing point guard helped with my vision and understanding how to get my teammates more involved,” Arenas said. “It opened my eyes to all the ways I can affect the game. It’s made me a better player.”
A three-year starter, Arenas is Maine South’s do-it-all player. He entered last weekend averaging 15.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.6 steals. He’s shooting 43 percent from the field and 75 percent on free throws.
“Jon is a true scorer,” Lavorato said. “He’s a high-energy, high-volume guy. He’s very confident in what he can do. We just want to get the most out of him that we can without burning him out. He’s probably playing 30-plus minutes.”
With a laugh, Lavorato added: “Sometimes, I have to apologize to him after a game for working him too hard.”
Senior guard Austin Derrick started at point guard against the Wildkits. He played against Arenas in middle school and has been teammates with him in the Maine South program since freshman year.
“He’s someone I know I can always pass the ball to,” Derrick said. “I don’t have to worry when the ball is in his hands. He can create any kind of shot.”
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After the eight-game experiment with Arenas at point guard, Lavorato said he had to return Arenas to his natural position, one he is best suited for in college. Arenas has no offers, but he said he’s been in talks with Washington University in St. Louis, a Division III program. Arenas, who also plays receiver on the football team, said he has to offers to play football at Dayton and Valparaiso, a pair of FCS programs, as well as Division II Missouri Science & Technology.
“Colleges are going to want to see a player’s versatility,” Lavorato said. “I think Jon is creating opportunities for himself this season.”
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