Boys basketball notes: Sophomore guard Michael Nee has future looking bright for Glenbard East

Glenbard East sophomore guard Michael Nee is a workhorse.

After starting 29 of 32 games last season, Nee has started every game this season for the Rams. His durability and consistency helped the Rams inch closer to a .500 record, averaging 17 points per game.

Nee said playing last season on the varsity gave him a head start on how to handle his final three years.

“It helped me adjust to the pace and defense,” Nee said. “I feel like I have the skills, but just being able to get used to the change of speed in game and the defensive rotations helped me a lot. I mainly worked on my ballhandling skills in the offseason because I knew I would have to take a bigger role handling the ball.”

The 6-foot Nee is one of the key reasons the future looks bright for the Rams. He scored 22 points to go with seven assists and six rebounds in a marquee win over Fenton on Jan. 30. Ari Pierson added 10 points, 10 rebounds and four assists and Aleks Jajic pumped in 10 points and 12 rebounds in a Upstate Eight Conference overtime road victory.

Nee credits his solid season to Glenbard East coach Eric Kelly pushing him and expanding his role on offense.

On Jan. 27, Nee exploded for 29 points in a nonconference win over Antioch, which captured its first Northern Lake County Conference title since 1981.

“Coach asked me to be our point guard, but also be able to knock down three balls,” Nee said. “He has really challenged me to work on becoming a better ballhandler and a passer.”

Kelly said his team is hitting their stride late in the regular season. The Rams (14-17, 12-6) are in the middle of the pack in the Upstate Eight Conference but defeated East Aurora and Elgin last week.

“I feel pretty good,” Kelly said. “We have a young team with two sophomores and a junior. We have some guys who can knock it in as far as shooters. It’s a young group trying to get experience and trying to grow. We’re playing well right now. Our team defense has improved. We’re also not settling for the first shot. We’re looking for a good shot. We have multiple guys who can score. We move the ball and trust each other.”

The No. 12 seed Rams start the Class 4A playoffs against fifth-seed Wheaton North on Wednesday in a Glenbard North Regional semifinals. Nee said the team’s late-season growth is a promising sign.

“I think our team has a lot of potential,” he said. “We have seven sophomores who dress and five juniors, so I think our future will be bright,” Nee said. “For a good playoff run, we just need to play the right way by controlling the controllable. We need to take care of the ball and be intense on the defensive end. We definitely have the offensive weapons, but we really need to defend well if we want to make a run.”

Glenbard South update

Right above Glenbard East in the conference standings, Glenbard South also heads into the playoffs with momentum.

The Raiders (18-13, 12-6) open the Class 3A playoffs battling Bogan in a Mt. Carmel Regional semifinal on Wednesday. The winner will most likely face No. 1 seed Mt. Carmel.

“Our team has grown tremendously in terms of executing and playing with discipline,” Glenbard South coach Jason Mead said. “We play hard and seem to like each other. We’re in a tough spot for the playoffs, heading to Mt. Carmel. We’ll give it our best shot. We expect to compete.”

Mead said junior point guard Mitchell Erickson and senior forward Harper Bryan have been reliable players all season long. Erickson torched Larkin for 24 points, five rebounds, five assists and five steals on Tuesday.

“Mitchell has been a steady workhorse for us, doing quite a bit of scoring, rebounding, defending and handling the ball against pressure,” Mead said. “Harper Bryan has really come on strong as a scoring threat lately.”

IC Catholic update

Two more wins. That would seal a banner season for IC Catholic.

The Knights (18-13, 5-3 Chicago Catholic League White) would reach the 20-win mark, plus capture a Class 2A regional title on their home floor, if they can win their first two playoff games.

The Knights are a team to watch in the Class 2A playoffs, opening up against the quarterfinal winner between Foreman-Chicago Academy on Wednesday in an IC Catholic Regional semifinal.

“Our team has been playing very well, winning five straight after coming off back-to-back losses to DePaul Prep and Loyola,” IC Catholic coach TJ Tyrrell said. “Our chemistry is at a high level and the team seems to be peaking at the right time. Our juniors are settling in and their confidence is rising. We have been battle-tested all year playing some of the best teams in the state – Loyola, York, Mt. Carmel, DePaul Prep, Brother Rice and Beecher. We believe our conference and the level of our nonconference schedule has prepared us for the challenge ahead.”

Senior Jake Gallagher hit the 1,000-point mark of his career against Aurora Central Catholic on Jan. 26, while junior Andrew Hill is averaging 15 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.2 blocks over his last five games.