Naperville North senior guard Bryce Welch spent the offseason working on all phases of his game.
But the skill he honed most was his jump shot.
“That was definitely a point of emphasis for me,” Welch said. “Obviously, the way the game of basketball is, if you shoot threes, it’s really tough to guard, and you’re never out of the game.
“It’s way easier for our offense. If a guard comes up, I can use my quickness and dish.”
Or get to the basket.
Welch did some of both during Naperville North’s season opener Monday night, and he made some jumpers too. That opened the door to some great moments for the Huskies.
“Bryce is a great player,” Naperville North senior guard Luke Williams said. “Having a jump shot makes defenders come up. But players know once he gets by you, he can dish it off to people in the paint or get threes for me and Cole (Arl).
“Giving him the ball opens up everything, and giving him the ball in open space, one-on-one, you can’t guard him.”
That was evident as Welch scored a game-high 22 points on 10-for-11 shooting to lead the host Huskies to a 47-32 victory over Hinsdale Central at the Hoops for Healing Tournament.
It was a virtuoso performance by Welch, who scored his team’s first nine points and made his first six shots, two of which were 3-pointers.
“Bryce has done a great job,” Naperville North coach Gene Nolan said. “He can score at three levels and then defensively plays hard. We’re proud of him.”
Welch had a few big scoring games last season, but he wasn’t a consistently prolific scorer like Williams, who averaged 20.9 points. But that could change this season if Welch continues to add to his tool kit.
Welch used his burst to get to the basket regularly, scoring on several finger rolls. He also sank a turnaround jumper in the lane.
While the hot start gave Welch a boost, he said his confidence doesn’t depend on his shooting percentage.
“Regardless if I made the first few, I feel like I’m going to take the next one with confidence,” he said. “Because in the back of my mind, I have the work I continue to put in.
“I have high expectations for myself, but certainly it does feel good to see the first few go through. It makes the rest of the game a lot easier.”
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Indeed, the Huskies led by as many as 10 in the second quarter. Hinsdale Central cut the gap to 29-26 midway through the third quarter, but Welch answered by scoring on a drive.
Williams, who finished with nine points and eight steals, followed with a steal and layup. Hinsdale Central made a 3-pointer to make it 33-29 and had a chance to pull even closer, but Naperville North sophomore guard Max Steele made a steal and fed Welch, who passed it back to Steele for a crucial 3-pointer that started a closing 14-3 run.
“I know that when I stay aggressive and when I’m getting everybody involved, that’s what is going to be best for the team,” Welch said. “I know I can lean on the training that I put in all summer and all fall and the trust from my teammates and my coaches putting me in position to do what I do best.”
With the trio of longtime friends Welch, Williams and Arl leading the way, the Huskies could be in position to do some special things this season.
“I feel like the sky’s the limit, but we’ve just got to make sure that we’re locked in on defense,” Welch said. “Defense is what we hang our hat on. Defense is something we can always be consistent at.
“You’re going to have games where you don’t make shots. So if we’re creating opportunities for ourselves on defense, I feel like we can beat anybody.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.