Sophomore guard Lester Watson has had major weight on his shoulders since the first day of his high school career at Thornwood.
But Watson hasn’t been bothered by the challenge of taking on older players. He’s used to it. He’s the youngest of four basketball-playing brothers.
The oldest of the family, Nehemiah, played professionally in Europe, Asia and Mexico.
“It made me tougher at a young age from the physicality playing against my brothers,” Watson said. “I was getting bumped and I couldn’t cry, you know? They would just go harder. They told me, ‘You’ve got to be a dog.’
“That helped me a lot because when I got to varsity against these bigger guys, I’m not scared.”
Watson showed off that fearlessness again Monday night, scoring 16 points as the host Thunderbirds rolled to a 68-53 Southland Athletic Conference win over Bloom in South Holland.
Jordan Jones and Mekhi Young led Thornwood (18-9, 5-6) with 19 points apiece, with Jones also pulling down 10 rebounds. Antwaun Sims contributed seven points and eight rebounds as the Thunderbirds avenged an 83-80 loss to the Blazing Trojans on Dec. 12.
Troy Garner finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds to lead Bloom (13-12, 5-6). Jaqun Harris added nine points and seven rebounds, while Kaden McClellan and Keiwon Gulley each chipped in with eight points.
Watson, meanwhile, was thrown into the fire as a freshman last season when he immediately became one of the top players on the varsity for Thornwood.
“The physicality was the toughest part,” he said. “Coming into this season, I knew you have to get in the weight room. You have to be ready to finish through contact. My shooting got better, too.
“I spent a lot of time on shooting because I was more of a finisher last year, so I had to even out my game.”
Watson knocked down four 3-pointers Monday night. Thornwood was hot early, racing to a 20-7 lead in the first quarter and never trailed.
After Bloom closed within 43-35 late in the third quarter, Watson scored eight straight points to help the Thunderbirds pull away for good.
Thornwood coach Deoplus Williams pointed out that Watson has been more open to coaching this season.
“He took on the challenge of watching more film and allowing us to critique him a little bit more,” Williams said. “As a freshman, he didn’t want to hear it. He was used to being the best player.
“You get to high school and you figure out there are a lot of other guys who are just as good as you. Now he’s taking the critiques and learning from them and he’s executing a lot more.”
Jones, a senior guard, has tried to take Watson under his wing and offer him veteran guidance. He has seen Watson come a long way.
“He’s grown a lot,” Jones said. “He’s still quiet, but as a basketball player, he’s matured a lot. He’s improved mentally, emotionally and, of course, you see on the court he’s a lot better.”
For Watson, it was just a matter of staying patient and learning from his mistakes. He and Young, his longtime friend, are both sophomores who are quickly growing into dependable stars.
“I’ve just been growing with my teammates,” Watson said. “It’s been a long process. Even though we’re sophomores, we still want to lead the team. We just know we’re dogs and we want to win.”
Watson confirmed that he and Young are constantly pushing each other, comparing stats and staging their own side competition while they work together to help the Thunderbirds win.
“Mekhi and I have known each other since we were young and the chemistry is there,” Watson said. “Ever since kindergarten, we’ve been going back and forth talking about which one of us is a better basketball player.
“We definitely motivate each other and make each other better.”
