MK_011620

38 | January 16, 2020 | the mokena messenger sports
mokenamessengerdaily.com
LW East grad Siorek helps lay foundation at Governors State
6
STEVE MILLAR, Sports Editor
When Lincoln-Way East
graduate Justin Siorek was
contemplating where to
continue his basketball career,
a brand new program
near home was intriguing.
Governors State played
its first basketball season
in 2015-16 while Siorek, a
Mokena resident, was a senior
with the Griffins.
“Before I came in, coach
[Tony] Bates told me, ‘If
you want to go somewhere
with tradition, I don’t have
that. But we can start a tradition
here. We can start a
program and make something
great out of it,’” Siorek
said. “He convinced
me that it’d be amazing to
start a program.”
Now a senior, Siorek has
been a part of many firsts
for Governors State.
“We kind of built the
school up from nothing,”
he said. “My sophomore
year, we won [the Chicagoland
Collegiate Athletic
Conference] championship,
won the conference
tournament, and went to
[the NAIA Division II National
Tournament]. Last
year, we made the conference
championship game.
“It’s amazing because no
matter how long the school
is there, it’ll always be us
who were the first champions.
It’s something we’ll
tell our kids about and always
look back on. I’ll be
friends with those guys
for the rest of my life. It’s
a bond that’s amazing and
I’ll never forget it”
Siorek has also established
himself as one of
the first great players in
Jaguars history and has his
name all over the early record
books.
He is the all-time leader
in games played and
3-pointers made. With 18
points in a Saturday, Jan.
11 win over Trinity International,
he moved into
second place in career
scoring for the program
as he had recorded 1,095
points at Governors State.
“I felt really motivated
to be in record books in
college,” Siorek said. “It’s
something that made me
super excited. I always
knew that I could play ball
and I just wanted to show
people. I thank my coaches
and my teammates for
Lincoln-Way East graduate Justin Siorek is Governors
State’s all-time leader in 3-pointers and is second on
the school’s scoring list. DEAN REID/GOVERNORS STATE
ATHLETICS
helping me get there. It’s
been a lot of hard work.”
While he finished his career
at Lincoln-Way East,
Siorek had some doubts
about whether he would
get the opportunity to play
on the next level – or if he
even wanted to.
“I almost gave up,” he
said. “I almost didn’t play
after high school. Coming
to Governors State is
a decision I’m grateful for.
Coach Bates gave me an
opportunity to keep playing
basketball and I’m forever
grateful for that.”
Bates has been grateful
to have Siorek on his side
the last four seasons.
“Justin is a great shooter,”
he said. “We know if
we can get him the ball and
get him a look, he’s going
to knock it down.”
Siorek has always been
a great 3-point shooter, but
he was committed to diversifying
his game heading
into his senior season.
Governors State lost its
top scorers from last season
– Shane Maple, Robbie
Brooks and David Anderson
– to graduation. Siorek
was fourth on the team, averaging
10.6 points.
“We had three of our best
players leave, so I knew I
had to step up and lead this
year,” Siorek said. “I had to
be more vocal and lead by
example.
“Coach told me before
the season that I needed to
lead the team and score a
little more. So, I knew I had
to be more of a scorer, but I
also had to make my playmaking
abilities a little better,
rebound more and just
improve my overall game.”
Siorek has upped his
scoring to average 14.2
points a game. He’s pitching
in 3.8 rebounds and 2.3
assists, as well. The Jaguars
were 11-6 through Monday,
Jan. 13.
While opposing defenses
have made limiting
Siorek’s outside shots their
primary focus when planning
for the Jaguars, he has
adjusted.
“Our point guard, Chris
Pride, has been getting me
open,” he said. “At the
same time, I definitely have
to create my own shot.
I can’t just be a spot-up
shooter like I was last year.
“I have to expand my
game and be able to take
it to the basket more. I’ve
been working on that,
working on my floater and
mid-range shot, but I still
obviously love to shoot the
three.”
With CCAC play kicking
into high gear in January,
Siorek is trying to savor the
rest of his final season at
Governors State.
He plans to put his full
effort into finding a place
to play professionally, perhaps
overseas, but knows
there is a chance this could
be his final season period.
“I’m pretty sad because
it’s going to be a lot different
knowing you don’t
have to go to practice every
day,” he said. “If I don’t
play pro, I’m going to have
to start working. It’s going
to be a crazy transition,
that’s for sure.
“I know we can make a
run, though. The main goal
is to go to nationals. I want
to go out with a bang, not
just go out sad.”
This Week In
KNIGHTS VARSITY
ATHLETICS
BOYS BASKETBALL
■Jan. ■ 18 – at Romeoville,
5 p.m.
■Jan. ■ 21 – at T.F. South, 6
p.m.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
■Jan. ■ 16 – hosts LW East,
6:30 p.m.
■Jan. ■ 18-20 – at DeKalb
MLK Tournament, TBA
■Jan. ■ 21 – at Andrew, 6 p.m.
BOYS BOWLING
■Jan. ■ 18 – Joliet West
Regional at Town and
Country, 9 a.m.
GIRLS BOWLING
■Jan. ■ 16 – LW East at
Thunder Bowl, 4:30 p.m.
■Jan. ■ 18 – Hinsdale
Central Invite at
Suburbanite Bowl, 1 p.m.
■Jan. ■ 21 – hosts Lockport
at Laraway Lanes, 4:30 p.m.
CHEERLEADING
■Jan. ■ 18 – at Lockport
Invite, TBA
■Jan. ■ 19 – at Oak Forest
Invite, TBA
BOYS SWIMMING
■Jan. ■ 17 – at Sandburg
Invite, 5 p.m.
■Jan. ■ 18 – at Sandburg
Invite, 11 a.m.
WRESTLING
■Jan. ■ 16 – hosts Stagg, 5
p.m.
■Jan. ■ 17 – hosts Illini
Classic, 5 p.m.
■Jan. ■ 18 – hosts Illini
Classic, 9 a.m.
GRIFFINS VARSITY
ATHLETICS
BOYS BASKETBALL
■Jan. ■ 17 – at Bolingbrook,
7 p.m.
■Jan. ■ 20 – at Hyde Park
MLK Classic, TBA
GIRLS BASKETBALL
■Jan. ■ 16 – at LW Central,
6:30 p.m.
■Jan. ■ 18-20 – at DeKalb
MLK Tournament, TBA
■Jan. ■ 21 – hosts Lockport,
6:30 p.m.
BOYS BOWLING
■Jan. ■ 18 – Joliet West
Regional at Town and
Country, 9 a.m.
GIRLS BOWLING
■Jan. ■ 16 – hosts LW
Central at Thunder Bowl,
4:30 p.m.
■Jan. ■ 18 – Hinsdale
Central Invite at
Suburbanite Bowl, 1 p.m.
■Jan. ■ 21 – hosts Andrew at
Thunder Bowl, 4:30 p.m.
CHEERLEADING
■Jan. ■ 18 – at Lockport
Invite, TBA
■Jan. ■ 19 – at Oak Forest
Invite, TBA
BOYS SWIMMING
■Jan. ■ 16 – hosts Lockport,
5 p.m.
■Jan. ■ 18 – at Glenbrook
South Relays, Noon
■Jan. ■ 21 – at Andrew
triangular with Joliet
Township, 5 p.m.
WRESTLING
■Jan. ■ 16 – at Sandburg, 5
p.m.
■Jan. ■ 17 – hosts Illini
Classic, 5 p.m.
■Jan. ■ 18 – hosts Illini
Classic, 9 a.m.
LINCOLN-WAY CO-OP
ATHLETICS
GIRLS GYMNASTICS
■Jan. ■ 18 – at Neuqua
Valley Invite, 1 p.m.