Busy offseason for Batavia’s Jax Abalos includes committing to Cornell. ‘Nothing better than an Ivy League degree.’

The scales don’t lie.

In the offseason, Batavia’s Jax Abalos knew he wanted to continue adding weight and improving his strength to help his overall game. But he also realized he needed to take it to another level.

“In the spring, he took to the weight room even more because he wanted to get stronger and hit all-time highs in his maxes on his lifts,” coach Jim Nazos said. “Even now, he’s the last to leave.”

The 6-foot-8 Abalos, a senior shooting guard/small forward, will be the first player opposing teams notice as he enters his third varsity season. He also has committed to Cornell of the Ivy League.

Last winter, Abalos played at 6-7 and 175 pounds. He was the team’s co-leader in scoring with senior point guard Nate Nazos, both averaging 11 points. Now, Abalos is up to 195 pounds.

Jax is the youngest of Danny and Amy Abalos’ four children. His siblings range from ages 23-26. None of them played basketball and neither did his parents, but Jax may have been born for it.

“I’m the tallest in my family by eight inches,” he said.

Abalos credited junior guard Joseph Daly for introducing him to the sport when Jax was in first grade and both lived in Aurora.

“He lived about 30 seconds away and had a basketball rim in his driveway,” Abalos said.

Daly moved to Batavia when he was in fourth grade. Abalos and his family moved when he was in seventh grade but he continued at Holy Angels “during that COVID year” before transferring to Sam Rotolo Middle School in eighth grade.

Nazos met Abalos in sixth grade when he started coming to Batavia’s summer camps.

“Jax was a gym rat right away,” Nazos said. “He was always the first into camp and the last to leave. You could always tell he loved to play.”

As a 6-2 freshman, Abalos hoped he would move up to the sophomore team but Nazos told him he wanted him to stay with his group.

“I told him the most important thing is where you are when you leave, not where you are now,” Nazos said.

Abalos worked a little with the varsity the next summer, and when the Bulldogs made their usual extended playoff run in football, there were openings on varsity, at least during the Thanksgiving tournament.

“If I could hold my own, I’d get the nod to stay up,” Abalos said.

He did just that, coming off the bench as a role player while he continued to grow — both his game and stature.

“I didn’t do as well as I hoped,” Abalos said. “I wasn’t real confident, and I learned then I needed to gain weight and strength.”

His outside shot was fine, but other facets of the game like rebounding, defending and attacking the basket needed work.

Things would come around in time.

Still, Abalos averaged 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists, earning all-conference honors last season. He also sank a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer to beat Wheaton North 44-41.

In the teams’ second meeting, Abalos had 28 points with seven 3-pointers in a 54-51 overtime win. He then sank a 3-pointer to force OT in an eventual sectional semifinal loss to York.

Abalos also continued playing travel with M14 Hoops, where he started in fifth grade.

His game has evolved, and with it came recruiting interest that led to at least 10 scholarship offers. He narrowed down official visits last month to Cornell and Cal Poly.

“One of the biggest things was academics, and there’s nothing better than an Ivy League degree,” Abalos said. “Plus, they recruited me hard all summer and fall.

“It just felt good to be recruited and wanted that much.”

He plans to major in economics in college but wants to improve his basketball numbers as a senior, looking to average 20 points and 10 rebounds.

The work won’t be a problem, according to Nazos.

“Even now, he’s the last to leave, whether it’s open gym or the weight room,” Nazos said. “This summer, he’s putting the ball on the floor and attacking the rim with authority.”