A nail-biter in the fourth quarter?
Marian Catholic’s Zack Sharkey lives for that type of heightened drama. The senior guard doesn’t wilt in the moment or lose focus from the attention he draws from the opposing defense, either.
“When the games are that close, I just think the coaches and my teammates trust me to be the guy,” Sharkey said. “I’m the one setting everybody up and putting them in the right spots.
“If I need to, I can also get the bucket or create the assist.”
Sharkey did just about everything Friday night, scoring six of his game-high 20 points in the fourth quarter for the host Spartans in a 52-49 nonconference win over De La Salle in Chicago Heights.
Senior guard Delan Davis added 15 points for Marian (24-7), including a crucial 3-point play in the fourth quarter. Sharkey also contributed seven rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Junior forward Charles Barnes tallied 20 points and nine rebounds for De La Salle (14-17). Junior guard Morgan Travis made four 3-pointers and scored 15 of his 17 points in the first half.
Sharkey assisted or scored every basket for Marian Catholic in that fourth quarter. His two free throws with 0.3 seconds remaining sealed the victory.
“At the end of the day, it’s a team sport, five-on-five, and not just about me,” Sharkey said. “I’ve worked very hard to get to the point where I can create double-teams, and that just helps my teammates when they’re open and getting them in the right places on the floor.”
The pageantry of senior night created the perfect time to reflect on his four years of development. His journey includes a daily 30-mile commute from his hometown of Lowell, Indiana.
“Both of my parents went to Bloom, and that’s our connection here,” Sharkey said. “We’d make that 45-minute drive every day — my mother taking a nap in the parking lot at 5 a.m. so I could get my shots up before school.”
Rick Romeli has coached Sharkey his last two season at Marian after taking over for the retired Mike Taylor.
“I was fortunate enough to inherit him, and I believe he is now in the top five in program history for career scoring,” Romeli said. “What I like the most about him is how he gets his teammates involved when they’re sending double-teams and stuff at him.
“We know the attention is going to be there, and it shows his command of the game and what kind of player he is.”
Like Sharkey, Davis is a four-year varsity player. The two have a natural rapport.
“It’s great playing with him, especially somebody who can just take the pressure off you,” Davis said. “Teams put so much attention and focus on him. It just creates so many other opportunities.”
The 6-foot-3 Sharkey has the positional flexibility to play anywhere on the floor. He frequently demonstrated the ability to score off the dribble or get to the basket Friday.
He’s averaging 20 points a game this season, his third as a starter.
“Reading my defender, it all comes down to what angle he’s going to take,” Sharkey said. “I have range above the 3-point line.
“Honestly, my game is all about reading the court and just doing whatever I have to to help my team win.”
The youngest of four children from a sports family, Sharkey fostered an early passion for the game and an unending desire to compete, regardless of the situation.
“You just have to have the confidence to put in the work beforehand and get into these situations and be prepared for the moment,” he said. “I love the satisfaction of seeing hard work pay off.
“Coming here every day was definitely hard at first. I’m happy I’m here.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
