Junior guard Jordan Brooks didn’t have to worry about breaking the mold at West Aurora.
More Top Picks Can Adults Develop Irlen Syndrome Later In Life
The Oswego transfer entered an intriguing mix of young talent eager to find themselves.
“When I first got here, I saw right away there were not many seniors, which is rare,” Brooks said. “I had the chance to develop and work with the guys right away.”
He has been one of the most consistent players in the Blackhawks’ youth movement.
The 6-foot-2 Brooks scored 16 points with six rebounds, three steals and two assists Tuesday in a 76-67 loss to Joliet West in a Southwest Prairie Conference crossover.
Junior forward Josh Pickett and junior guard C.J. Savage also scored 16 points for West Aurora (10-6, 3-3) in the tight game.
Brooks, meanwhile, flashed athleticism, quickness off the dribble and a smooth outside jump shot for the Blackhawks. He converted two 3-pointers.
Every game is a chance to assimilate into the flow.
“I like to be able to work off the dribble but more often spot up and look to get my guys open,” Brooks said. “I just want to be a team-first player.”
The arrival of transfers Brooks and Savage pushed senior guard Datavion McClain into a reserve role. He has accepted the part with noticeable grace and composure.
Another bright spot indeed came from McClain, who finished with seven points, an assist and a steal. He hit a 3-pointer as the Blackhawks made a push in the fourth quarter.
McClain and forward Derrick McKinney are the only seniors in West Aurora’s eight-player rotation.
“He has had a role coming off the bench and that has been a little tough,” West Aurora coach Brian Johnson said of McClain. “He has been with us since he was a sophomore.
“He had to swallow his pride, come in and be successful. He knows exactly what he is doing.”
At the same time, McClain has been the savvy, smooth elder statesman.
More Top Picks Battery Boxes
“Basically, that is my role to be the spark on the team,” McClain said. “I am able to do that as a ballhandler or shooter.
“I just like to go out there, find my spots on the floor and try to be a leader.”
The Blackhawks remain a team of interesting and disparate parts looking for cohesion. Young players tend to improve rapidly, providing an optimistic path forward.
Sophomore forward Terrence Smith personifies the team’s high ceiling. He threw down two highlight-reel dunks, scoring nine points and adding seven rebounds.
“I really got to go in,” Smith. “That hyped everybody up, and I think it also hyped me up with that energy. I know I felt the energy in the crowd.”
The Blackhawks entered with a 7-2 record in their last nine games. They went 2-2 at the Pontiac Tournament, losing in the consolation final against Oak Park-River Forest.
“We’re a young team, with a lot of young talent,” Smith said. “We have to know when not to get our heads down during a game.
“We got down in the game, but we played hard and everybody was out there trying to win. That is all you can ask for.”
A natural left-hander, Brooks even showed a great finishing touch with his right hand at the rim. It was just one more new wrinkle in the evolution of his game.
“I can use both of my hands, so it comes easy when I drive in the paint,” Brooks said. “We have a lot of fight and a lot of basketball left to play.
“Even though we got beat, we were out there to compete and just try to do better each time.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.