It shouldn’t be surprising that East Chicago Central senior Jemeil Rich Jr.’s father has profoundly influenced his development as a player.
After all, Jemeil Rich Sr. reached the cusp of the NBA after graduating from Roosevelt in 1993.
Rich Jr.’s mother, Sheriesse Billups, on the other hand, “wasn’t really into basketball,” he said. But Billups, who died Sept. 7, had a major impact on the 6-foot point guard’s game nonetheless.
“She helped me a lot,” Rich Jr. said. “She gave me advice. She boosted my confidence. She used to always tell me, ‘Go out there and play hard. Do what you have to do because I don’t want to hear your daddy’s mouth.’
“She just always gave me that confidence and kept me levelheaded. Any time something went wrong, I could always go and talk to her, and she would make me feel better. We had a great relationship.”
That relationship extended to all aspects of life, according to Rich Jr.
“She means the world to me,” he said. “That was really my best friend. I wasn’t thinking like that when she was alive. But when she passed, reflecting on my memories, I went to her about everything. Everything.”
Rich Jr., who grew up in Texas, means a lot to the Cardinals (5-3) in his first season in the program. Playing significant varsity minutes for the first time, he was averaging 16.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, a team-high 4.0 assists and a team-high 3.1 steals heading into a game against Merrillville on Friday.
“The role he’s in right now, it’s special because he doesn’t have much varsity experience,” East Chicago Central coach Alaa Mroueh said. “As a point guard, he’s stepping into the biggest role somebody could step into. Given his situation and how much he’s played on the varsity level, he’s taken full advantage of it. He’s come up big in big games.”
Rich Jr. showed his all-around skills when he put up a career-high 27 points, five rebounds, four assists and five steals in a win against Michigan City on Dec. 12.
“He’s versatile,” Mroueh said. “He can do quite a few things. He’s our closer for a reason. He shoots the ball well. He shoots the ball well at the free-throw line. That’s a quality you look for in a point guard.
“He’s a leader. He’s an extension of me on the floor. He’s always willing to do whatever you ask him to do, and he tries to do it at a high level. That’s what makes him special as a player.”
Mroueh also praised Rich Jr. for his effort and performance in school.
“Coming to East Chicago, he’s strived academically,” Mroueh said. “He’s on an academic honors diploma track. He’s in AP courses.
“He really fits the qualities that you look for as a student-athlete, especially as a point guard. The point guard runs the show. It’s always about the team for Jemeil. He’s a team-first guy, and he’s done a great job building relationships with his teammates. His teammates really enjoy being around him. His leadership qualities set an example for the younger guys coming behind him.”
Junior guard Keontaye Bell is among those players Rich Jr. has been mentoring.
“He brings a lot to the team, as a player and as a teammate,” Bell said. “He really works hard, really works with us. He’s a good person, a good teammate, a good friend. He’ll help you with anything you need. He’ll be there for you.
“He’s had some hard times, losing people. We have each other’s back.”
Rich Jr. moved to Northwest Indiana in January. He attended 21st Century for a semester and played sparingly after getting an initial taste of limited varsity action at Plano West. Billups had been diagnosed with cancer during his sophomore year.
“She wasn’t sick for a while,” Rich Jr. said. “It kind of came out of nowhere when she went downhill. She was usually doing good. You knew she was sick, she wasn’t 100%, but she wasn’t unstable until her last couple of months. She took a turn and passed.
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“We knew she was going to pass, so I went down to visit her, hang with her, before she ended up leaving us. I went down there and spent time with her. I was there with her when she passed, which I feel was a good thing.”
Mroueh, a 2018 Griffith graduate who is in his first full season as East Chicago Central’s coach, said Rich Jr. “has remained focused and has a unique perspective.”
“I’ve never seen somebody so levelheaded like he is in situations,” Mroueh said. “Even myself, I learn from him. It’s inspiring to me, and it should be inspiring to others to see how he carries himself and just stays positive. That’s something so special about him.
“We have these moments. We go at it sometimes. He’s my point guard, and that’s the closest connection you need to have. But we’ve also had a lot of those car rides, just those times when me and him go grab something to eat and just talk. It’s like a big brother-little brother type of thing I’m hoping we’re developing because it’s bigger than basketball. I really want to see him go and do great things at the next level academically and athletically. I want to be there for him every step of the way. I hope the relationship we’re building allows us to do that in the future.”
Rich Jr. credited his family for instilling an upbeat attitude.
“My dad and my mom always taught me to stay positive through any situation,” he said. “I just listen to them. Every time I stay positive, something happens, something good always comes out.”
Rich Sr., also a talented point guard, was a standout at SMU and had an accomplished professional career, much of which was abroad. But he also starred for the hometown Gary Steelheads.
“I always learn a lot from him,” Rich Jr. said. “It’s good being able to have someone like that as a father, especially where he’s been. He’s been where I want to go. He just helps me a lot. He shows me the ropes, and all I do is listen to everything he says. I get my work ethic and my humbleness and my energy and my attitude from him.
“It’s always been my dream to play at the Division I level, but it’s really hard. I understand that. But I’m doing whatever it takes to get there.”
Rich Jr.’s high school days in the area will be relatively brief. But the Cardinals community has embraced him.
“I want to thank coach Alaa for bringing me in, trusting me, and the rest of the coaching staff for lifting me up and being there for me through all my hard times,” he said. “My teammates, I thank them for helping me forget about the stuff I go through when I’m around them.
“I’m just putting my chin up and saying pretty much forget everything else. This is my last year. I have to do what I have to do. I can’t let anything hold me back. At the end of the day, we’re all playing for the same thing. We want to win.”