At Christmas, Lincoln-Way West’s Max Gabriel got a white Kentucky T-shirt as a present from his older brother, Tyler.
Over the summer, however, Tyler gave Max something better before heading to Kentucky to start working on a business degree.
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His time.
“He worked with me in driveway,” Max said of Tyler. “We worked a lot this summer. We did a lot of catch-and-shoot drills and one-dribble pullups.”
It helped transform the 6-foot junior guard from a player who liked to drive to the basket on the sophomore team to a legitimate 3-point threat.
Gabriel’s outside shooting ability was on display Tuesday night. He hit five 3-pointers in a 57-49 SouthWest Suburban Red victory over host Lincoln-Way Central in New Lenox.
While Gabriel scored 21 points for the Warriors (6-4, 1-1), senior forward Eli Bach muscled, slithered and spun his way inside for 14 points. Jacob Bereza added 10.
Ben McLaughlin led Lincoln-Way Central (2-7, 0-3) with 19 points, including 17 in the second half. Lucas Andresen chipped in with 10.
For Max Gabriel, working out with his brother Tyler, who also played for Lincoln-Way West, and then on the AAU circuit with Chicago LockDown helped him to overhaul his game.
“I’m confident with my shot,” Max said. “When we got into summer league with West and I had that role to shoot, I took it over and started shooting it more.”
Gabriel, who hit back-to-back 3-pointers Friday night in the fourth quarter of a 54-52 road win over Lockport, stayed hot Tuesday when the Knights’ defense concentrated on Bach and Bereza.
“He’s a good player, he’s smart, and I like having him out there,” Bach said of Gabriel. “When me and Jacob get into a jam and teams play us hard, he’s right there, picking it up.
“I love playing with the Gabriel boys, and it’s a special time out there.”
Lincoln-Way West coach Tanner Mitchell is enjoying the transition of one Gabriel to another.
“One Gabriel leaves and another one comes in,” Mitchell said. “Tyler was a really, really, really good shooter. Max goes a little more to the basket than his brother, but they are pretty similar.”
“Central came out in a triangle-and-two and tried to take away Jacob and Eli, and the other guys had some open looks. Max stepped up with some confidence and hit his shots.”
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The Knights, playing in their first home game of the season, were trying to break a four-game losing streak and led 42-41 with 7:00 left in the fourth quarter.
But the Warriors came up with four steals — two by Jacob Willis and one each from Bach and Gabriel — and outscored the Knights 16-7 the rest of the way.
“We picked it up on the defensive side of the ball and that turned the game around,” Mitchell said. “We wanted to get some turnovers and hopefully some easy transition baskets.”
The Warriors, who are riding a three-game winning streak, have only played one game at home.
“We lost some and won some,” Bach said. “We beat Lockport on the road, which was a good win, and Addison Trail away. That was a good win. And beating Central was a good win too.
“It’s good to get some wins on the road before going to your own place.”
Plus, Gabriel’s emergence as another scoring threat could help keep the Warriors on a roll.
His first foray into AAU was an education. He said the team he was on did not have a lot of height and occasionally got manhandled by bigger, stronger teams.
The positive?
“It helped me to learn to play at a fast pace,” Gabriel said. “And it taught me that you always have to be ready.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.