Carmel’s Jackson Stavros didn’t expect a roller-coaster ride in his first varsity season.
But two injuries, including one over the summer, have sidelined the 6-foot-1 junior guard for extended periods of time.
“I had put in a lot of really good work with my travel team the spring and summer before, and I was really looking forward to proving myself,” Stavros said. “It hurt a lot mentally after putting in all that work. But the only thing I can do now is keep getting better.”
Stavros, who is averaging 9.0 points this season, appears to be on the upswing again after his more recent injury, which forced him to miss nearly a month.
Stavros contributed 14 points, hitting four 3-pointers, during an East Suburban Catholic Conference loss to Joliet Catholic on Jan. 9 and scored a team-high 15 points during a nonconference win against Zion-Benton on Jan. 13 as the Corsairs (7-11, 2-2) snapped a five-game losing streak.
“Our offense has struggled at times, and I have a feeling that if he was available, our record would be better than it is,” Carmel coach Mike Wasielewski said.
Stavros’ first injury occurred during the Corsairs’ initial summer league game in early June, when he suffered a broken left collarbone. That wiped out his entire summer slate of high school and AAU games. Stavros trusted the medical advice he received and endured a summer of inactivity.
“I knew they were telling me the truth, so I waited, and as soon as they told me I could shoot, I was in the gym every single day,” he said. “I got to play some fall AAU tournaments, and I felt better than ever by tryouts.”
Stavros convinced Carmel’s coaches that he was worthy of extensive varsity minutes at the beginning of the season, and he impressed early. He helped the Corsairs finish second in Mundelein’s Thanksgiving Tournament and beat St. Viator in a conference game Dec. 5.
Within a matter of days, however, Stavros suffered a severely sprained ankle during a scrimmage. The Corsairs had to play without him.
“Jackson’s injury really set us back,” Wasielewski said. “Through the St. Viator game, he was our second-leading scorer, averaging 11 points a game.”
Stavros clearly makes a difference when he’s on the court. His best attribute — outside shooting — is otherwise in fairly short supply in Carmel’s rotation and complements the strengths of senior guard Ethan Matz, who leads the team in scoring with his midrange shooting and drives to the basket. Stavros has made 37% of his 3-point attempts this season.
“He definitely helps me, too, because once he starts hitting shots, teams have to honor him and lay off of me,” Matz said. “Sometimes when I pass it to him and he shoots, I can tell before it leaves his hands that it’s going in, and I can start heading down the court. He’s a big threat for us and really gives us a spark.”
Stavros and Matz put that connection on display during the Corsairs’ double-overtime loss to Lake Park on Dec. 6, when Stavros was 3-for-4 from long distance in the first half.
“Ethan took one step toward the basket, and it was like the whole defense crumbled toward him,” Stavros said. “The whole perimeter opened wide open, and he kicked it to me on two possessions in a row. It’s huge for us to be on the court at the same time.”
Stavros has always had an affinity for shooting, and he displayed it as the leading scorer on Carmel’s sophomore team last season. But instructors in his travel program helped him make some adjustments to his shot during the offseason.
“They saw little things that I could fix, and it’s increased my 3-point shooting percentage by about 5 percent,” Stavros said. “One of the first things they told me was to flex my abs when I shot. The goal was to keep my shoulders forward. It makes for a more fluid shot.”
Stavros moved into the starting lineup for the game against Zion-Benton, and he expects that to be beneficial for all parties.
“It gives a great opportunity to start off the game strong,” he said. “I loved the energy of starting, and I’ll keep working to solidify myself as a starter.
“While I was out, all I could do was watch, and I developed so much trust in my teammates. I think we have the pieces to compete with anyone we go up against.”
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter.
