Kremer: Joliet West Coach Lauds Efforts of Senior Class

When a basketball dream comes to an end, the harsh reality of a final setback always is tough to swallow—doesn’t matter if you’re a teen-ager or an adult.

For the seven seniors on Joliet West’s boys basketball roster, that bitter pill went down hard following the Tigers’ 65-54 loss to Marian Catholic in a semifinal game Wednesday at the Class 4A Thornton Sectional in Harvey.

Yet, that loss is not what should be remembered here.

Joliet West’s seniors brought Tiger basketball back, winning 19 games during a stirring run that included a championship at the Lockport Regional. The last time Joliet West won a boys basketball regional title was near the completion of the 1992-93 season—before the players on this year’s team were born.

What separated this group from many in the recent JT past is how they dared to dream big, talking about turning the postseason into a party a month ago. Coach Luke Yaklich brought up the subject of playing in a supersectional at Illinois State University’s Redbird Arena and instantly saw Morris Dunnigan’s eyes light up.

Dunnigan was a freshman cutting his teeth in the varsity ranks when the old, combined JT program last reached the Sweet 16 in 2009-10. He has done a lot of growing up since then—on the court and off—and next will move on to play collegiately at Vincennes (Ind.).

Don’t be surprised if he uses his two years in the JUCO ranks as a springboard to D-I basketball. Dunnigan is one of those rare players who can create his own shot in almost any situation. The key word in that sentence is “almost.”

The Spartans’ Ki-Jana Crawford and John Oliver shut down Dunnigan, a 6-2 guard/forward, in the second half of the Tigers’ loss to Marian Catholic. The two Spartan defenders double-teamed Dunnigan nearly every time he touched the ball and trapped him often on the sidelines, far from the basket.

Dunnigan was forced to give up the ball.  He was limited to one shot in the second half—that an errant 3-ball after he ran out of gas. He scored two points—both on free throws. He finished with 12 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists—good totals, but not the great ones he dreamed of when picturing his final Tiger Tale.

Joliet West’s six other seniors—Carl Terrell, Phil McClellan, Brandon McCullum, Ryan Modiest, Andre Hardy and LeJon Wise—likewise saw their bubble burst. Say this: They brought great energy; they put forth great effort against a team with more offensive weapons; and they even made Marian Catholic’s Tyler Ulis look less like Houdini and more like a human on occasion.

Ulis, the Spartans’ 5-10 junior point guard, missed two straight free throws in the final moments as Marian Catholic wrapped up its school-record 28th victory. Spartan coach Mike Taylor said he couldn’t recall another time when he saw that happen—ever—and Ulis has been a starter since he walked in the door at Marian Catholic three years ago.

The little guard plays big with the basketball, and it’s no wonder Michigan State coach Tom Izzo stopped by to watch him play earlier this season. Good point guards are hard to find.

Ulis is the real deal. He stops and starts on a dime, keeps his dribble when others would give it up and has the uncanny ability to put the ball in the hands of whoever is open, no matter the spot on the floor.

Ulis scored a game-high 16 points. He was credited with three assists—but easily could have had three times that number were it not for fouls, fumbles or missed opportunities by his teammates.

Give Joliet West credit for forcing some of Marian Catholic’s offensive miscues. McCullum used his 6-2 frame to pester Ulis the best he could as Yaklich attempted to create a favorable matchup for the Tigers on the defensive end.

Know this about McCullum: He is the epitome of what Joliet West basketball is all about—an unselfish sort. He took on the responsibility of guarding the opponent’s top scorer night-in and night-out. He exited with 13 points and 11 rebounds.

And, he exited with the adoration of his coach, just like his classmates. Yaklich challenged them to rise up against a daunting schedule and the end result was a 19-8 record for Joliet West. All eight losses were to Illinois basketball goliaths: Marian Catholic (2), Bolingbrook (2), Homewood-Flossmoor (2), Curie (1) and Bloomington (1).

Rest assured, these Tigers won’t be viewed as Davids for much longer.

“I love these guys like sons,” Yaklich said as he spoke from the heart in the aftermath of Wednesday’s setback. “We have spent an incredible amount of time together—in good times on the court, after tough losses, but the most enjoyable times have been at the restaurants, the times in the hotel at Pontiac and the times on the practice floor.

“I’m blessed to coach a special group of seven (seniors) that have given everything we’ve ever asked of them to do. I’m really proud of them.”

I’ll remember those words as much as all of Joliet West’s actions. How about you?