Go big or go home.
That message — short and sweet — could fast be developing into a mantra for both sophomore center Jordan Weeks and Aurora Christian.
The high-ceiling potential is hard to miss when the 6-foot-8 Weeks steps onto the court for the Eagles.
“Jordan is a very young player and this is his first varsity experience,” Aurora Christian coach Dan Beebe said of the Oswego transfer. “He played freshman ball last year, but he’s growing leaps and bounds.
“Obviously, he’s always had the talent. Now, he’s starting to understand the game and its nuances a lot better. I’m super proud of him, how he continues to get better and better each game.”
Weeks had a second straight double-double Tuesday night with 12 points and a game-high 16 rebounds in a 52-36 win over North Shore Country Day in a Class 1A Somonauk Sectional semifinal.
Junior guard Jacob Baumann scored a game-high 18 points for the upstart Eagles (18-12), while sophomore guard Preston Morel added 10.
Aurora Christian, seeded fifth in its half of the bracket, plays at 7 p.m. Friday for the sectional title against the winner of Wednesday’s semifinal between top-seeded Skokie Ida Crown (18-4) and second-seeded Hinckley-Big Rock (25-8).
Weeks’ effort against third-seeded North Shore Country Day (15-15) didn’t go unnoticed, according to junior forward Asa Johnson.
“He’s grown a lot,” Johnson said. “He has the mentality that, ‘No one is bigger than me and I need to play like it.’
“He’s really been showing it lately, boxing out really well, posting up and understanding that playing defense and rebounding are very good keys to the game.”
Johnson had just five points but tallied seven rebounds and four assists for the Eagles, who could do little wrong in taking a 13-2 lead in the first quarter.
North Shore Country Day could do little right, missing nine straight shots, unable to make a basket until 32 seconds remained in the quarter. The Raiders, who trailed by as many as 19 points, could get no closer than 10 the rest of the way.
“We didn’t have as much chemistry at first, but we’ve improved our post entry passing,” Weeks said. “We’ve been working on that and me, kicking the ball back out when teams double down.
“Our chemistry is a lot better.”
Weeks said daily work in practice with assistant coach Josh Wayne has helped his game, too.
“He’s taught me how to use my post moves better,” Weeks said.
It was the fourth playoff win for the Eagles, who dispatched 12th-seeded Leland 71-35, fourth- seeded Indian Creek 46-41 and top-seeded Yorkville Christian 68-48 for the regional title.
Weeks, who had 10 points and 12 rebounds in the regional final, was still fuming about his start.
“I had two turnovers back-to-back the first two possessions of the game,” he said. “Those are some plays I can’t get back but I wish I had done a lot better.”
Weeks has come a long way this season.
“Definitely, my fight for rebounds has improved,” he said. “My effort is a lot better, and I’ve learned to keep the ball up when I’m catching it so they can’t slap it away.
“And practicing early in the year with the varsity and JV has gotten me in a lot better shape. I come out here and there, but I can play the whole game.”
While new to Aurora Christian, Weeks still had familiarity with the school.
His older sister Aspen, a 5-6 guard, averaged 10.7 points as a freshman in 2019-20 as the Eagles finished fourth in state. She finished at West Aurora after the program was suspended due to lack of numbers. She’s now a sophomore at NCAA Division II Flagler in St. Augustine, Florida.
“I don’t know how she didn’t get the height, too,” Jordan said. “My mom (Carmen) is 6-3 and my dad (Deshawn) is 6-6.”
