As an eighth-grader, J.R. Cison had a decision to make. After sitting in the stands and watching the Class 4A regional final between St. Viator and Lake Zurich, he made it.
The Lions won the game, and Cison chose to play basketball for St. Viator.
“I was already leaning towards Viator,” Cison said. “After they won, I knew I wanted to go there.”
Now a sophomore, Cison’s decision has already boosted the Lions. He and fellow sophomore Jeremiah Hernandez are playing varsity basketball for coach Quin Hayes.
Hayes isn’t in the habit of bringing sophomores up to the varsity level, but he knew Cison and Hernandez could handle the transition with an eye on the future.
“They’re both talented, and we wanted to pull them up as early as possible and let them adjust to playing at this level,” Hayes said. “They’ll make some sophomore mistakes that we’re willing to live with because it will pay off for the next two years.”
Cison is a 6-foot point guard who lives in Lake Zurich, and Hernandez is a 6-foot-4 wing from Palatine. Both played on St. Viator’s sophomore team as freshmen, so they were introduced to playing with and against slightly older players. But as sophomores playing varsity basketball, the adjustment process has been much steeper.
At the Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic in December, St. Viator played Homewood-Flossmoor and Stevenson, two teams that are highly touted and feature players committed to play for Division I programs.
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The Lions (4-10, 2-0 East Suburban Catholic as of Saturday) lost to both teams and went 1-3 in Hinsdale.
“We’re not at that level yet,” Hayes said. “We’re hoping by March to be able to play against teams of that caliber. But J.R. and Jeremiah handled themselves well for only being sophomores.”
The talent level at the Hinsdale tournament was eye-opening for Cison.
“It’s a lot more physical and players are faster, stronger and better,” he said. “You run into people who are going to play big-time college basketball, and you just have to be ready for it.
“And as a team, you can’t come out lazy because if teams like that get out to a fast start against you, it’s hard to get back into the game.”
Hayes said Cison has all the tools needed to be a quality varsity point guard.
“He’s learning how to be a floor leader and a floor general, which isn’t easy for a sophomore,” Hayes said. “But he’s learning. He’s a good shooter and penetrator, and he’s a good athlete. By next year, we’re hoping he’ll be that coach on the floor for us.
“(Hernandez) is about 6-foot-4, he’s long and athletic, and he can be a great defender. He’s very skilled offensively and understands the game. He’s still learning where to get his shot, but he’s got a great feel for the game.”
Cison is also happy to have Hernandez playing varsity ball beside him.
“If one of us makes a mistake, there’s not as much pressure because there’s two of us,” Cison said. “It’s a lot less stressful knowing there’s another sophomore on the team.”
The hard offseason work Cison put in to improve his jump shot paid off at the end of St. Viator’s game against Marian Catholic on Dec. 9. Cison hit a shot with four seconds left in double-overtime to give the Lions a 70-69 win.
“The play we set up broke apart, and we called a timeout,” Cison said. “In the huddle, (Hayes) told me that if it breaks apart again, to attack. I waited, went and hit a 15-footer. I had a feeling it was going in when it left my hand. It felt good.”
Hitting a game-winning shot was a nice early exclamation point for Cison this season.
“Just playing basketball is fun,” Cison said. “I’m learning a lot this year, and it’s been a lot of fun so far.
“I feel like I’ve made some strides, but I still have a long way to go. I can’t make as many turnovers, and I have to hit open jump shots. I’ll just keep working hard.”
Gary Larsen is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press