If the Warren boys basketball team tracked floor burns, there’s no doubt that senior guard Jack Wolf would rank first in the category.
A three-sport athlete, the 6-foot-4 Wolf was the starting quarterback for the Warren football team for two seasons, and his no-holds-barred style of play is one of the keys to the Blue Devils’ success on the court.
“Football gave me that gift, being hit and driven into the ground,” he said. “I have the mindset that no one’s going to take the ball from me. Every great team needs a Dennis Rodman type, a dude who’s gritty and says, ‘I’m going to make this team win with my effort.’”
Wolf is unarguably that player for Warren (26-10), which will take on Rich Township (26-8) in the Class 4A state semifinals at the State Farm Center in Champaign at 7:45 p.m. Friday in its first state appearance since 2011. He will carry the responsibility of setting the tone early, showing both his teammates and the Raptors from the opening tip that no one will outwork him.
Wolf’s initial burst during the Blue Devils’ 60-48 win against Rolling Meadows in the NIU Supersectional on Monday included the game’s first basket on an aggressive drive.
“He’s a warrior,” Warren coach Zack Ryan said. “He does everything you want as a coach to help the team win. A lot of it isn’t scoring. It’s defense. It’s leadership. We wouldn’t be here without Jack. But as hard as he plays and how tough he is, we can play with anyone.”
Wolf, who does get credit for leading the team in charges taken, has a skill set that complements the free-flowing guard trio of senior Javerion Banks, junior Braylon Walker and sophomore Jaxson Davis and the interior force that is senior Zach Ausburn.
Wolf’s all-out effort and his uncommon athleticism make him a plus defender with the ability to go toe-to-toe with both guards and forwards.
A case in point, Wolf initially drew the assignment to check Rolling Meadows’ 6-8 senior forward Ian Miletic, a Marquette recruit, during the supersectional. After Wolf got two early fouls, Walker took turns on Miletic, who finished with 21 points after he had scored a combined 70 points in two sectional games.
“We knew that we had to play him physically, so that’s what I was doing,” Wolf said. “I consider myself a defense-first player, and I want to be a guy to lock down anybody.”
Intangibles are a strong suit for Wolf, but he also produces statistically. He’ll enter the state semifinals averaging 8.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists. Although he typically plies his trade inside the arc, Wolf has made 24 3-pointers, the third-highest total on the team.
“When I need to score, I’m going to score too,” he said. “There’s no problem with that. Winning is my top priority, though, and if we win, I’m the happiest guy on this planet.”
There have been a lot of smiles for Wolf, who has been part of 57 wins in basketball and two state quarterfinal appearances in football during his junior and senior years. After basketball ends, he’ll pitch for the Warren baseball team too.
Staying busy with sports is all Wolf has ever known.
“Playing those three sports is what I want to be doing, and I find interest in all three,” he said. “Obviously, I get a little sore, but my body is adjusted to it. The experience of all three actually makes me more agile, and I can rest when I get older.”
Down the road, Wolf hopes he’ll also be able to look back at the upcoming weekend and consider it among his most memorable athletic experiences. As this week progressed, he finally came to grips with the fact that the Blue Devils are two wins away from a state title.
“It’s been since I was like 6 or 7 years old that I was wishing that one day I’ll be out there playing in huge games like these,” Wolf said. “I realized it earlier today when we were getting some details about the trip that we’ll be playing on the sport’s biggest stage.
“To have a chance to really go and do this is pretty special.”
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter.
