LANSING, Ill. (June 27, 2024) – Coming off TF South boys basketball’s first losing season since before the pandemic, Eion Ikner sees better days ahead.
The rising senior is one of three key pieces back for the Red Wolves from a team that finished 11-19 overall and fifth in the South Suburban Blue at 6-7. Also among those returning are Rashad Peeples, who will be a senior, and Amari Dukes, who will be a sophomore.
South has been using its summer contact days to work on some weak spots and has had some encouraging results. The Red Wolves played perennial south suburban power Bloom tough before falling short and went 2-1 in a tournament at Stagg on June 14, beating Bremen and Lisle, and falling to Lemont.
The Red Wolves might have been sharper at Stagg had they been at full strength. Only eight players were available, and Dukes was among the missing. With nothing at stake, he sat out as a precaution after getting hurt the day before; the injury wasn’t believed to be serious.
“It’s been OK,” Ikner said of the summer. “We could have done better though. We’ve been a second-half team — we’ve got to come out in the first half and dominate.”
“We’ve got to work on consistency,” South coach Todd Gillespie said. “And developing winning habits. …
“We’re working on it, we’re a work in progress. But I like where we’ll be when the season starts.”
Gillespie has seen definite growth in one area this summer.
“We’re going to be better on defense,” he said. “We’re going to be better at trapping the ball and rotating, causing turnovers. We weren’t as good at that last year against the good teams.”
Ikner agreed with his coach.
“Our defense is gonna be way better,” Ikner said. “I feel like we’re going to bring more energy off the bench, and we’re just gonna bring each other up when we get tired.”
Gillespie is expecting more from this year’s senior class.
“Our seniors (last year), I hate to say it — they could have been a lot more locked in, being examples to the younger guys,” he said. “I think I’ve got seniors now that want that, and they want to be an example. We’re going to ride with them, and we’re going to get better every week.”
Again, Ikner sees the same thing.
“We’re getting better every day,” he said. “We’ve just got to get into the gym more and execute. …
“We’re gonna be more athletic. We’re gonna shoot better. Everything’s gonna be better.”
