Is Batavia’s Nate Nazos special?
You bet he is. But the senior point guard doesn’t get special treatment because he’s the son of coach Jim Nazos.
Far from it.
Don’t think so?
Ask a teammate. Or in this case, ask senior forward CJ Valente.
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“Sometimes, you can’t really tell,” Valente said of the father-son duo and their relationship. “(Coach) ‘Naz’ treats everybody equally, and that’s great.
“There’s no entitlement. Nate works really hard and deserves everything he has. Everybody on the team knows how great a player he is. He’s earned it. There’s no jealousy or anything.”
Nate Nazos was at his very best Friday night, leading Batavia to a 60-31 DuKane Conference rout of visiting St. Charles East.
It was evident from the get-go this would be his night. The 6-foot Nazos gathered the opening tip from the 6-6 Valente, turned and fired a pass for a layup to junior forward Jax Abalos, who was sprinting toward the basket.
Nazos then stole the ball on the first possession for the Saints (3-9, 0-6). He scored on a layup only 21 seconds into the game. Soon, the advantage was 9-2 for Batavia (9-2, 4-1).
The Bulldogs left no doubt, building a 30-14 halftime lead.
Nazos finished with a game-high 18 points with five assists, five steals and three rebounds in a game where his dad was able to substitute early and often.
Kyle Porter added 12 points for Batavia. Valente went scoreless but had five rebounds, a steal and an assist.
Does Nate Nazos have a preference between making a basket or dishing an assist?
“Whatever gets the ball in the basket,” he said. “We’re all out there just supporting each other and we’ve got each other’s back.”
The younger Nazos entered the game averaging 10.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.7 steals.
He said he feels no added pressure being the coach’s son, probably because his dad has always been there for him.
“I don’t know how many years, but it goes back to elementary school,” Nate Nazos said. “He’s always been a coach for this group, it seems, always helping out. I’m used to it.”
He may be even starting down the same path.
Nate’s younger brother Kyle, who’s in eighth grade, plays the same position. Last weekend, Nate and two Batavia teammates coached Kyle’s team to a tournament win in Aurora.
“Usually, one of the dads coaches them,” Nate said. “But we took control and ended up going 3-0 on the day.”
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Nate is the middle child of Jim and Lora Nazos’ three kids. His older sister Brooke, who played basketball in high school, is a sophomore on the track and cross country teams at Illinois Wesleyan.
Although immersed in basketball from an early age, attending team practices and games coached by his dad, Nate also excelled last spring pitching for Batavia in baseball.
“Coaching my son is something I’m going to appreciate much more when it’s over,” Jim Nazos said. “In a couple years, I’ll probably look back at it and say I didn’t stop and pause enough to enjoy it because you’re always trying get a team ready to play.
“Nate loves to play and he loves to work. He’s in the gym before 6 a.m. — just grabs my keys and goes.”
Valente confirmed that fact.
“He’s always texting me — I’ve got keys, 6 a.m. — and lets me know,” Valente said. “Sometimes, we go together.”
It’s paying dividends with a senior group Nazos said he’s worked with as a coach since they were in third grade.
As far as his son?
“Nate does a lot of things well,” Jim said. “He pressures the ball well, sees the floor well. And when he doesn’t have a shooting night, he compensates by doing other things like handling the brunt of the pressure we face and getting the ball to the open man.
“I’m probably most proud of the work ethic he’s developed. You like to see your son be one of the hardest workers, but this whole group works hard. Seeing them evolve, it’s been fun.”