Junior guard Reggie Stevens doesn’t let the score alter his approach for St. Laurence.
After the opening possession, Stevens went through a scoreless stretch Tuesday night as the Vikings promptly fell into a sizable hole. Even so, he wasn’t going to stop trying to climb out.
“I never let the points bother me,” Stevens said, showing his composure. “I just wanted to stay levelheaded and win the game. Eventually, I knew I would start doing the right thing.
“The basketball gods rewarded me when the shots started to fall.”
Stevens helped stage a nice comeback with 13 points, but the Vikings dropped a 64-57 decision to top-seeded Curie in a Class 4A Mount Carmel Sectional semifinal in Chicago.
Junior forward Markese Peoples picked up 16 points and seven rebounds for fifth-seeded St. Laurence (27-7). Sophomore point guard Noah Corro added 14 points.
Stevens, meanwhile, scored 11 of his points in the second half as the Vikings cut a 14-point deficit down to two during a 25-point surge in the third quarter.
“When Reggie is hot, he gets really hot,” Corro said. “There have been games where other guys were off and he stepped up. Once he hits a few shots, we all know he’s going to start rolling.”
St. Laurence coach Roshawn Russell confirmed that Stevens made a clean break from being an energy scorer off the bench to developing into an all-around talent.
“His growth throughout the season has been phenomenal,” Russell said of Stevens. “Even defensively, he has taken on huge assignments and done whatever the team needed.
“Everybody knows that he can really score, but his playmaking abilities and his voice have really contributed to him having a great year.”
The 6-foot-3 Stevens, who added five rebounds, three assists and a steal, is a sturdy, agile and long guard. He adjusted to a larger offensive role without sacrificing his efficiency or two-way play.
“I felt like I just got better as a player,” he said. “From my physicality to my IQ through my mindset and overall character, I thought I made a huge step in the road.
“I dealt with some adversity. I made some mistakes, but that helped me build and grow.”
Until the recent emergence of forward Jacob Johnson, St. Laurence didn’t have a single senior starter. Metaphorically, the underclassmen received the baton being passed at graduation.
Stevens rewarded the trust and confidence of the players who shaped him.
“I learned directly from those seniors last year,” he said. “I looked up to them. They were like my big brothers. They taught me what to do or not to do and what to expect.
“I just tried to apply everything they taught me.”
That process and growth comes naturally to Stevens, the youngest of seven siblings. His two abiding passions are aviation and fashion, but basketball still reigns supreme.
“I post a lot of pictures of myself with my outfits like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander,” Stevens said. “You look good and you naturally play well. I like to do things off the court that carry a positive image.”
His open and intriguing personality just shines through.
“My friends and my teammates know I’m a really outgoing person,” he said. “I let people come over to my house and kick it with me. They have nothing else to do.
“My mother cooks for them and we just do our thing.”
Although he doesn’t have an official offer yet, Stevens has drawn interest from Mid-American Conference and Missouri Valley Conference programs.
His dreams and ideas are just now taking flight.
“Basketball is not easy and that’s what I love about it,” he said. “I like to be challenged. I like the hard stuff. Not everybody can do it. Most players quit after high school.
“I’m ready for the process and want to pursue the next level.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
