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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.
mokenamessengerdaily.com sports the mokena messenger | January 16, 2020 | 39 fastbreak Boys Basketball Sean’s shot: Curran wins it for Knights in final seconds 4 Chip DeLorenzo/22nd Century Media 1st-and-3 THREE notes on the joliet west boys bowling regional on saturday, jan. 18 1. LW Central Alex Nolan (above, left) won the SWSC championship and has plenty of bigevent experience to lead the Knights, who hope to start the run toward their third consecutive state appearance. 2. LW East If Anthony Bria, Jason Ganser and Demitri Przbylinski all click, the Griffins, who were three pins short of sectionals last year, could make it this time. 3. Providence The young Celtics hope to surprise and grab one of the four advancing spots to the Lockport Sectional. RANDY WHALEN Freelance Reporter Sean Curran put it best. “We’ve got competitors on this team,” the Lincoln- Way Central junior guard said. The Knights certainly do. When the chips were down, they refused to fold Friday, Jan. 10. Down by 11 in the fourth quarter, the Knights rallied for a 46-44 victory over host Lockport in a SouthWest Suburban crossover. Curran hit the winning basket on a running shot from just inside the freethrow line with five seconds left in the game. That not only gave Central (11-5) the win, it was a redemption of sorts for Curran. He missed a pair of opportunities to do the same thing two days before. This time, he overcame foul trouble to score five points in the final minutes and help the Knights to the win. Junior guard Nick Tingley led Central with 16 points and five rebounds. Curran finished with 10 points. “I was absolutely not happy picking up those quick fouls in the third quarter,” Curran said. “But my teammates found their energy and I was happy to contribute with that last shot. It was nice to hit one of those. I had the same opportunity and missed Lincoln-Way Central junior Sean Curran, shown in a game earlier this season, hit the game-winning shot with five seconds left in a 46-44 win over Lockport. 22ND CENTURY MEDIA FILE PHOTO two of them against Glenbard West.” That was Jan 8., in a 72- 63 double-overtime home loss to a good Glenbard West team, which was 12-2 through Jan. 10. The Hilltoppers shot 35 free throws and Central attempted nine. But Curran also missed the two shots. He did not miss the big shot against the Porters. He took the inbounds pass from junior Mike Maloney on the right side and spun back to his left. His dribble took him a couple of feet inside the freethrow line and he calmly canned the shot. “I caught it, turned and hit the mid-range shot,” Curran said. “It was a good win. It’s been a super long week and to come to Lockport and get a win on the road was what we needed.” Lockport (7-8) called three timeouts after that, the last two with 1.6 seconds remaining. But the final inbounds attempt was tipped away by Maloney and the Knights celebrated their win. “He’s a player,” Lockport coach Brett Hespell said of Curran. “It’s not a surprise that he hit the shot. We just can’t give them those chances.” Part of the reason the Knights got those chances was because Lockport went 3-of-14 from the free-throw line, including missing the front end of three bonus situations, two of them in the fourth quarter. Things were looking good for the Porters when senior guard Tyrell Harris (nine points) had a steal and a layup to cap a 7-0 run which opened the fourth quarter. He missed an ensuing free throw and opportunity for a threepoint play. Still, Lockport led 42-31 with 6:18 to play in the game. Central answered with a 12-0 run, which included eight points by Tingley, to take its first lead since late in the second quarter. That came on Tingley’s second 3-pointer of the quarter with 1:42 to play. “I enjoy shooting the three and I work on it a lot in practice,” Tingley said. “We knew the situation we were in, but coach [Bob Curran] does an excellent job of putting us through different scenarios in practice. We knew how they play, and we just had to execute done the stretch.” Junior center Scott Szymkowiak (10 points) scored on a layup with 1:16 to play to give the Porters one last lead at 44-43. Sean Curran was fouled with 55.7 seconds to play and hit the first of two free throws to tie it. He missed the second, but the Knights were 9-of-12 from the line on the night. “I was worried about how tired we would be with the week,” Bob Curran said. “We have to give credit to Lockport, they made us work hard. Brett [Hespell] does a great job with his team and they are very good defensively. I was surprised that the last four minutes they really didn’t try to score, but I think our pressure and the double teaming we put on them sort of put some doubt in their mind. “I give our kids credit. We hung in there and I’ve known these kids a long time, so it really didn’t surprise me. It was a good high school basketball game to watch.” Senior guard Sean Michalak and junior forward James Ogrodnik added six points apiece for the Knights. The Knights opened the busy week Jan. 6 by traveling to Chicago and defeating Agricultural Science 51-40. Odgronik led Central with 13 points. Listen Up “It’s amazing because no matter how long the school is there, it’ll always be us who were the first champions.” Justin Siorek – Mokena native and LW East graduate, on establishing a tradition with a new basketball program at Governors State tunE in Boys Bowling, 9 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 18 Joliet West Regional at Town and Country Lanes • LW Central, LW West, LW East and Providence are among a 13-team field competing for four advancing spots to the sectional. Index 38 - This Week In 33 - Athlete of the Week FASTBREAK is compiled by Sports Editor Steve Millar, s.millar@22ndcm.com.
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