Chris Palombizio possesses a high level of self-awareness.
When Oakland plays Valparaiso on Friday night at the Athletics-Recreation Center, he knows he will have to keep his emotions in check.
It will be a homecoming for the former Chesterton star, a 2015 graduate who’s now a freshman for the Grizzlies.
Add the fact that Oakland is considered the top challenger to Horizon League favorite Valparaiso, and he’s going to be particularly amped for the ESPN2 game.
“I’m really excited,” Palombizio said. “I’ve always looked forward to playing at home. The main thing, I just have to play my role and not try to do anything spectacular. I just have to do what I can to help us come out with a ‘W’ and not force anything.
“I’ll want to be a lot more aggressive, looking for my shot more. But I have to stay composed and listen to my coach, just do what I do best and that’s rebound and shoot.”
Palombizio has played every game for the Grizzlies (12-3, 2-0), coming off the bench for a team he describes as 11 deep. Going into the game against the Crusaders (11-3, 1-0), the 6-foot-6 swingman is averaging 3.2 points and 1.8 rebounds in 9.8 minutes.
He’s shooting 33.0 percent (15-for-45) from the floor, including 8-for-26 from 3-point range, and 10-for-13 from the foul line.
“Early in the season, I wasn’t making my shots, and that’s understandable as a freshman,” Palombizio said. “I just come into the game, try to rebound and play defense, whatever I can to contribute.”
After graduating from Chesterton, Palombizio went to Don Bosco Prep. He enrolled at Oakland for the second semester last year, taking a redshirt.
“The biggest adjustment is just the athleticism and doing the little things,” Palombizio said. “In high school, you can get away with staying straight up and you can’t in college. If you’re chillin’ on defense, you’re going to get yanked.”
Palombizio committed to Western Michigan before his junior year, reopening his recruitment before his senior year. He chose Oakland last fall, signing in the early period.
Valparaiso entered the picture toward the end.
“They stepped in really late, a couple weeks before the signing period,” Palombizio said. “They were getting ready to offer me, but I already had my eyes on the schools that were recruiting me.
“I didn’t hear from them in high school, so I wasn’t going to go out of my way to leave my recruiting process. I was around the whole time in high school and they didn’t show interest. I love Oakland. It fits my style.”
Crusaders coach Matt Lottich is well aware of Palombizio’s ability.
“You have to guard him — he can really shoot,” Lottich said. “I’m sure he’s going to be looking forward to this opportunity to play here. But he can really, really shoot. Keep a hand in his face and make it tough for him.”
Palombizio expects to have a large contingent of family members and friends at the ARC supporting him and the Grizzlies. His father, Dan, the 1981 Indiana Mr. Basketball at Michigan City Rogers who went on to play at Purdue and Ball State, bought 40 tickets. And Chris was trying to gather as many tickets as possible from teammates.
The only limiting factor might be that Chesterton plays Merrillville on Friday and Ky Palombizio, his cousin, is a junior for the Trojans.
“That’s a big game for them and I hope they get the win,” Chris Palombizio said. “But pretty much everyone in town who’s around is coming to our game.”
Twitter @MichaelOsipoff
