Nazareth junior Stella Sakalas finds herself in a unique time and place this season.
The 6-foot-1 forward is the bridge between a cadre of decorated players that graduated in 2024 and a younger group that is poised to extend Nazareth’s golden age.
As a freshman, Sakalas was the sixth player on the team that went 35-1 and won the Class 3A state championship, the first state title in program history. Last season, she replaced Grace Carstensen, who plays at DePaul, in the starting lineup and helped the Roadrunners finish second in Class 4A.
This season, Sakalas is the only returning starter and is a co-captain along with Valparaiso-bound senior guard Allia von Schlegell.
“It’s just so fun being able to lead a team,” Sakalas said. “It’s definitely more of a role. There were four graduating seniors, but Naz always plays the same system and the same way.
“The kids that enter the program and keep getting older fill into the spots in the system, and it’s been really successful for coach Eddie Stritzel and his career so far.”
Stritzel usually identifies his leaders several years before they assume the position. That was the case with Sakalas.
“Stella has been in our little neighborhood program since she was in sixth grade, so we knew she was going to be a special player from when she was a little kid,” Stritzel said. “She got her experience the last two years going downstate with the team. She knows this year is kind of her team, and she’s doing everything she can.”
All of Nazareth’s players have extensive basketball experience, but Sakalas has a particularly interesting background. Her parents, Mike and Cindy, met as students at Iowa State, where Mike played center for the football team and Cindy was a swimmer.
But athletes’ genes aren’t the only thing Sakalas received from her parents. She also got a sense of adventure.
Sakalas was only 1 year old when her family moved to Melbourne, Australia. At the time, her mother was pregnant with Sakalas’ twin brothers, Henry and Hank, who are sophomores and two-sport athletes at Nazareth.
“My mom’s sister got married in Australia, but we had no family there,” Sakalas said. “Ultimately, they went for the experience.
“They were just up for the adventure and wanted to see somewhere new. My dad was able to find a job over there, and he fitted in nicely.”
Sakalas’ family moved back to the United States in March 2019. She said she enjoyed her time in Australia but was happy to return to the U.S.
“I like both,” she said. “The biggest difference is there is more outside life in Australia. We lived right on the beach, so there was so much more activity outside.”
Sakalas said fresh air was a significant factor in developing her athleticism. Cross country, rugby and netball were among her sports in Australia.
But it was all basketball upon her return to the U.S., and Sakalas had no problem adjusting at Nazareth. She averaged 7.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists as a freshman and 7.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists as a sophomore.
Sakalas’ production has risen dramatically along with her responsibilities this season. She scored 31 points in Nazareth’s 74-51 win against the host Eagles in the Sandburg Holiday Classic championship game on Dec. 28 and is averaging 16.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.8 blocks.
Sakalas can play any position for the Roadrunners (12-2). She can handle the ball and is a dangerous 3-point shooter as well as a strong rebounder.
“It’s definitely because of my height and just being very long that I’m kind of able to play a little bit of everywhere,” she said. “I love playing the 3 and the 4, but I’m able to be put in other positions as well because of my size.
“I just love being on the court. It doesn’t really matter where I am as long as I have the ability to be out there.”
Sakalas rarely comes off the court, and she has become the focus of opposing defenses. For instance, Sakalas had 15 points, nine rebounds, three steals and two assists against Benet on Dec. 14. That’s a solid performance by any measure, but Benet coach Joe Kilbride was thrilled his team, which pulled away late to win 66-49, held Sakalas relatively in check.
“Stella is really good, and we were able to contain her,” Kilbride said. “She can do a little bit of everything, right? She can hurt you inside, she can make shots, she’s a good driver. They run a lot of things for her.”
Stritzel had to use Sakalas as a guard due to Benet’s pressure defense.
“We were hoping the backcourt could handle the pressure and get the ball into the frontcourt to Stella for more scoring opportunities,” Stritzel said. “For whatever reason, that didn’t happen, and we had to bring her back in the backcourt.
“We desperately needed her there. That limited her scoring opportunities.”
That was only the seventh loss in 82 games since Sakalas joined the team.
Stritzel said he wants to see more forceful leadership from her.
“That’s where she’s got to continue to grow,” Stritzel said. “She’s a great kid, and she’s been so used to the team we had in the past. She’s got to improve on leading more vocally. She’s not a quiet kid, but on the floor she’s quiet.
“We start two sophomores, and our first bench (player) is a sophomore, and Stella needs to lead those guys, especially this season. She’s a remarkable player.”
Sakalas knows this and is working diligently to follow the example set by 2024 graduates Olivia Austin, Danielle Scully, Amalia Dray and Mary Bridget Wilson.
“I’m definitely learning,” Sakalas said. “It was really fun being able to have that leadership and learn from them, so I’m trying to apply what I’ve been taught.
“We have such a young team that is so ready to get back at it for the rest of this year and next year and the future as well. We’re all kind of learning as we go.”
Sakalas, who has offers from two Big Ten programs, is clearly going places. So might the Roadrunners, who are shooting to advance to state for the fourth straight season and sixth in the past eight under Stritzel.
“We definitely want to thank coach Eddie for giving us a hard schedule,” Sakalas said. “That’s the only way to get better.
“So I think if we keep growing and we keep developing and learning from all these games, anything is possible.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter.
