Naperville North freshman Lila Zitko was understandably nervous when the basketball season started.
Zitko didn’t know what to expect, but she eagerly listened to the advice she received from various people, including her brother Jack, who is a junior guard on the boys basketball team. Another was her teammate Sydney Smith, a sophomore guard who played on the varsity team last season.
Both told Zitko to play with confidence.
“’Don’t be scared,’” Smith said she told Zitko. “I was definitely scared when I started playing, and I could tell that her and the other freshmen were nervous.
“Lila especially has come a long way, especially tonight. I can tell she’s coming out of her shell, and I’m really proud of her, and I’m proud of all of them.”
Zitko has been in the playing rotation all season and is getting more minutes. The 5-foot-7 guard’s production is rising too.
But Zitko was at her best Tuesday night, when she came off the bench and hit five 3-pointers en route to a career-high 20 points during the Huskies’ 63-42 DuPage Valley Conference victory over Metea Valley in Naperville.
Zitko, whose previous high this season was eight points, said the most she had ever scored in a game was 19 in middle school. She made 7 of 10 shots against the Mustangs, and 14 of her points came in the first half as the Huskies (19-7, 3-5) sprinted to a 40-14 lead.
“It’s so crazy,” Zitko said of playing on the varsity team. “I’m so thankful to play on a team like this. I couldn’t ask for better teammates, and I’m just so glad I get an opportunity to play.”
Naperville North coach Aly Miller inserted Zitko into the game five minutes into the first quarter and got immediate results. Zitko took an entry pass from sophomore forward Katie Walker, was fouled and split a pair of free throws.
Senior guard Sam Kelly then made a steal, and Walker again fed Zitko, who scored inside to complete an opening 14-0 run by the Huskies.
Zitko made three consecutive 3-pointers at one point. Smith assisted on the first one, and Walker set up the second.
“It felt really nice,” Zitko said. “Right from the start, after I hit the first three, it brought my confidence up and overall allowed me to have a great game.
“I feel like I’ve been in a good headspace, and I feel like this game has really brought up my confidence. It felt so great, and I feel like the energy in our bench really helped us.”
Indeed, the Huskies got 38 points and 15 rebounds from their bench against the Mustangs (6-20, 0-8).
“I think it’s a testament to how hard they practice every day,” Miller said. “Our bench kids are going just as hard as our starting kids, and you see it out there.
“They know exactly what we want, and they play at the same energy level. It’s only going to help us for years to come.”
Naperville North’s bench includes four freshmen. The others are guards Savannah Shufelt, who had eight points, five rebounds and two steals against Metea Valley, and Keira Leen and forward Camille Hendren.
Like Smith was last season, Zitko is eager to learn.
“I love that she’s always ready to score, and I love that whenever we tell her to do something, she just does it,” Smith said. “She’s so coachable, and she’ll always take advice from anyone.
“At the start of the season, she would start off nervous, and now she does whatever, and she seems happy to play and has so much confidence.”
Miller is happy to see that from Zitko too.
“She’s a great kid,” Miller said. “She’s been great off the bench for us. She’s going to be a four-year player for us, for sure.
“We kind of laugh. She’s very low-key and not flashy and kind of just does what we ask and kind of flies under the radar.”
But probably not for long, if Zitko’s performance, which came with her brother in attendance, is any indication.
“I look up to so much of the older girls,” she said. “I feel like they’ve set a good example for me, and I feel like that gave me a lot more confidence.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter.
