Sophomore forward Grady Ruane is the newcomer, representing a burst of fresh air for Lockport.
Called up to the varsity earlier in the season, Ruane has emerged as a versatile and heady talent who knows what is expected out of him for the Porters. And it’s a tad bit different now.
“When I was on the sophomore team, I was expected to score a lot more,” Ruane said. “Rebounding, boxing out, getting physical, my role is more about doing all of the little things.”
Those little things added up Tuesday night.
The 6-foot Ruane scored 10 points and added seven rebounds and four steals, lifting the Porters to a 60-41 SouthWest Suburban Conference win over host Lincoln-Way Central in New Lenox.
Junior guard Nedas Venckus made six 3-pointers and scored 22 of his career-high 36 points in the first half for Lockport (16-4, 7-2), which avenged a 57-53 loss to the Knights on Dec. 9 in double overtime. His twin brother, Nojus, also a junior guard, chipped in with nine points.
Senior forward Micah Evans and junior forward Nick Brzezniak scored 12 points apiece for Lincoln-Way Central (13-6, 6-3). Senior guard Alex Panos picked up 10 points.
Ruane, meanwhile, converted a 3-pointer and also finished off a 3-point play in helping the Porters build a 38-22 lead at halftime.
“Grady is a very tough player,” Nedas Venckus said. “He’s unselfish and very smart. He knows how to be in the right place to make the plays. He’s on the court to win and do whatever we need.”
Lockport coach David Wilson has watched Ruane flourish as a 3-point and defensive specialist.
“He’s smart as hell and he’s physical — those are two qualities that coaches dream about,” Wilson said. “He’s a welcome addition who’s not a liability on the floor. He has great feet, great instincts.
“He complements what we’re trying to do defensively and he’s not afraid of competition by any means.”
Being on varsity as a sophomore is almost like a shock to the system.
“Originally, I thought I was just up for practice because we had some injuries,” Ruane said. “The coaches had me stay up and play games and I was really excited.
“At first, I thought I’d just get ready for next season. Now, I’m playing a lot more.”
With the amount of defensive attention the Venckus twins command, Ruane has learned how to adjust his game accordingly.
He showed a deft touch passing out of the high post or the wing as well as taking bigger defenders off the dribble and getting to the basket.
“I look to follow the twins because they’re our scorers or set screens and roll to the basket,” Ruane said. “I’ve spent a lot of time working on my shot and that has become a bigger part of my game.”
His ability as a secondary scoring option hasn’t gone unnoticed.
“When defenses are trying to put their best defenders on me and my brother, Grady just gets to shine out there,” Nojus Venckus said. “He’s really smart for a sophomore.
“He’s very reliable and knows where to be on the floor all the time.”
As his time on the court has expanded, Ruane’s confidence and maturity have reached a different level. Quiet and studious off the court, he loves listening to music.
“I’m pretty quiet, but I’m also very competitive and I love to win and I’ll do whatever it takes,” he said. “I’m just trying to figure out whatever is missing out there and fill that spot.”
Ruane has thrived as an energy and hustle player who does not need the ball to be effective. His impact also goes beyond traditional stats.
“I started playing the game when I was younger and I’ve just always loved it,” he said. “Now playing in all of these big games has given me a lot of confidence.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
