Benet junior center Colin Stack hasn’t grown any taller since making his varsity debut last season, but his game has grown tremendously.
The 7-foot Stack is faster, stronger and more versatile.
“A lot of it came from lifting,” he said. “As soon as the season ended last year, I got in the gym almost immediately.
“My strength has improved a lot. I’m more confident in my own body. I know what I can do and what I can’t, and that just leads to me knowing where I can do my best things.”
Stack’s work in the weight room added 20 pounds of muscle to his lanky frame. He said he began the season weighing 207.
That extra strength allows Stack to more easily body up heavier opponents and muscle up more shots around the basket. It also helped in other aspects.
“My legs got stronger, so I got a little bit faster,” he said. “Now I have better stamina and can also run the floor.”
Stack has also dramatically expanded his range and is dangerous from distance. He hit back-to-back 3-pointers and made 7 of 10 shots to help the Redwings beat host Schaumburg 62-43 in a nonconference game on Monday.
Despite attempting only one shot in the first half, Stack finished with a game-high 16 points, nine rebounds and six blocks.
Benet coach Gene Heidkamp was not surprised to see that from Stack, who is averaging 13.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 1.2 assists while shooting 68%.
“Colin has played at a high level all year,” Heidkamp said. “I don’t think there’s any secret about him. He can hurt you around the rim with his length. He shoots the three well. He’s big on the glass.
“He had 20 rebounds in a game on Saturday, and he’s a factor defensively. He changes a lot of shots. He’s had a really consistent year for us.”
Heidkamp said Stack is moving well without the ball. That situational awareness was evident on one fourth-quarter play against the Saxons in which Stack, who was on the right baseline, saw junior guard Jayden Wright attacking from the top of the key. Stack moved toward the rim before Wright tossed up an alley-oop pass. Stack’s resulting dunk made it 60-37.
“We play together a lot, so we’re getting good chemistry,” Wright said. “He’s a very important piece of our team. He helps us all go, so without him, we wouldn’t be the team that we are.”
The Redwings (15-2) are an excellent team. Their starting five consists of Stack, Wright, 6-9 senior forward Daniel Pauliukonis, senior guard Blake Fagbemi and junior guard Ryan Walsh. Edvardas Stasys, a 6-7 sophomore forward who had 14 points against Schaumburg, is the first player off the bench.
All are solid players, but Stack is perhaps a step above due to his size and potential.
“A huge lift,” Wright said of Stack’s impact. “A 7-footer stepping out and making threes and then protecting the rim, dunking, getting putbacks and rebounds, he can do it all.”
Stack recorded 10 points and five blocks during the third quarter as the Redwings extended the lead over Schaumburg to 48-34.
Most of Stack’s blocks came on shots by 6-7 center Zion Young, who hit two early 3-pointers but finished with just 11 points.
“I was warned (Young) could shoot,” Stack said. “I wanted to see how much I could get out of him from the three because if you see one go in, you’re probably going to shoot more.
“If they’re a low-percentage shooter, they’re going to want to shoot more, so I just wanted to see what he could do. And down low, he’s a bigger body, so all I had to do was wall up, stand my ground and keep my legs strong.”
Expect Stack to continue improving.
“By the end of the season, I hope to be bigger and stronger,” he said. “We’re still lifting before practices. We’re still shooting.
“The one thing that I want to improve on is my shooting. Even though it’s good right now, I still want to do a little bit more, like moving off screens and stuff, getting into space and shooting.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter.
