Freshman guard Naji Meux received valuable advice before he played his first game for East Chicago Central.
The words came from senior captains Jamarie Pollard, Joseph Watkins Jr. and JeVaughn Wofford.
“Don’t be scared,” Meux was told. “Be you. Get out there and hoop.”
That message has become a driving force behind the 6-foot-1 Meux’s impressive debut season for the Cardinals (9-10, 2-1). He’s averaging 9.7 points, which leads all freshmen in the Great Lakes Athletic Conference, and scored a career-high 21 points against Portage in January.
Meux, who recently turned 14, is also averaging 4.4 rebounds, more than half of which have come on the offensive end. That stands out most to East Chicago Central coach Alaa Mroueh.
“He just has a knack for the ball,” Mroueh said. “You look up, the ball comes off the rim and somehow always ends up in his hands. That’s a credit to how he’s embraced the physicality at this level.
“Getting second- and third-chance shots has allowed him to get some easy scores, and once he gets those, he finds a way to get going.”
Meux is showing signs that he can be a complete player.
“His 3-point shot has been decent this year as well,” Mroueh said. “He spots up well and takes great, in-rhythm looks. But again, his ability to come up with not only offensive rebounds but defensive rebounds as a guard is what’s going to give him the edge over a lot of players for years to come.
“He’s developing into a pretty good defensive player, too, and I think all of those things are why he has the upside that he has.”
Meux is one of three freshmen — along with 5-11 guard Mekhi Gillis and 5-9 guard Zayden Johnson — whom Mroueh trusts in big moments. Gillis averages 7.1 points and 1.3 steals, and Johnson averages 5.8 points and 4.2 rebounds. They’re a promising core for the Cardinals’ future.
“We’re good at a lot of the same things,” Meux said. “We can all be the point guard, we can all facilitate and we’re all capable of being patient.”
The trio’s chemistry extends beyond the court.
“Outside of basketball, if you see Naji, you’re going to see Mekhi and Zayden, too, and vice versa,” Mroueh said. “You’re going to see all three of them together wherever you go. Just seeing the relationship they possess, I think their biggest strong suit is how close they all are.”
That has caught Pollard’s attention as well.
“The future of the program is in good hands with them three and other freshmen stepping up into the room,” he said. “All three of them can be Indiana All-Stars because I see the potential they all have if they keep bringing the hard work.”
Then came Pollard’s boldest prediction.
“They can win a state championship,” he said.
Pollard has additional advice for Meux.
“Naji will become one of the top players in the region by his junior year if he keeps putting in the hard work that he puts in now,” Pollard said. “Just stay positive with your team. Don’t let anybody get down on themselves. If they make a mistake, pick them back up. Keep a positive energy and always be positive when it comes to game time.”
Mroueh shares that belief in Meux.
“The sky’s the limit,” Mroueh said. “I think this kid could play with the best of them. He could be among the top players in the state, and one day, I think he’s going to play (at the level) of some of the top players in the country.”
But Meux is approaching the future one day at a time. He believes in himself and in the potential of his fellow freshmen, even tossing out the word “dynasty” in the spirit of his favorite NFL team, the Kansas City Chiefs, but keeps his personal expectations grounded.
“I see myself becoming a big part of this program for years to come, especially for the underclassmen coming in,” he said. “With my energy, being around people, I like to make people feel warm.”
Noah Poser is a freelance reporter.
