Junior ahead Cooper Mellican has earned the boldness of his coach at St. Charles North.
Tom Poulin, a veteran on the North Stars’ bench, made a easy evaluation of his sport.
“It’s one of many guys you don’t have to fret about,” Poulin mentioned of Mellican. “You already know he’s going to present you every part he has. You already know he’s going to pay attention and execute the sport plan.
“He’s a very good teammate. He’s simply any person we’re constructing round as we transfer ahead.”
Mellican took one other step ahead in his evolution Tuesday night time, together with his regular, star-filled presence carrying St. Charles North to a 79-72 nonconference victory at Bartlett.
Displaying how far his sport has come since making his varsity debut as a sophomore, Mellican scored 16 factors to guide 5 gamers in double figures for the North Stars (6-15).
Mellican additionally shot 10 of 10 from the free-throw line. Jacob Love scored 14 factors, whereas Auggie Hoffman added 13 off the bench. Colin Hopp had 11 factors and Camden Vine contributed 10.
Senior guard Colin Taylor led all scorers with 20 factors for Bartlett (8-13). Keegan Taylor chipped in with 13 factors, adopted by Deedum Lege with 12 and Quint’ion Wright with 10 for the Hawks.
Mellican knew St. Charles North would depend on him extra this winter, which factored into his offseason work.
“I used to be simply getting ready on taking up an even bigger position on this workforce as a result of I need to win,” Mellican mentioned. “I need to be a part of a workforce folks keep in mind, that they speak about years into the longer term.
“I wished to work on myself and work with my teammates to get that chemistry to get us prepared as a result of I simply need to win.”
Poulin has seen how Mellican has improved in all features of his sport. Along with beginning to fill out his 6-foot-5 body within the weight room, his sport progressed as effectively.
“He’s higher on the perimeter,” Poulin mentioned of Mellican. “He’s turn into a greater ball handler. He’s simply extra assertive, extra assured than he was. He labored on his physique. He’s getting stronger.
“He’s scratching the floor — nowhere close to his potential. He’s somebody we’re relying on.”
After Bartlett took a 33-32 result in begin the third quarter, a part of an 8-0 run that began on the finish of the primary half, it was Mellican who bought the lead again for good for the North Stars.
Mellican’s layup began a 22-7 spurt that all of the sudden constructed a 54-40 lead late within the third.
“I believed we performed effectively within the first half,” Bartlett coach Jim Wolfsmith mentioned. “We had a pleasant little end to the primary half. Then within the third quarter, I simply thought we stopped defending.
“We gave them simple appears to be like. We compelled pictures on our finish. I believed within the fourth quarter, we began to hit some pictures and tightened it slightly bit, however you may’t chase that a lot and make all of it up.”
Poulin was glad to see his workforce in an unfamiliar state of affairs, enjoying with a lead within the fourth.
After dropping 10 straight video games, St. Charles North has now gained two of three heading into Thursday’s DuKane Convention sport in opposition to Batavia.
“They put us in some conditions,” Poulin mentioned. “We made some errors, however we’re going to be taught from them. Every little thing we’re doing is getting ready to win a regional.
“Individuals may scoff at that concept, however I don’t suppose this can be a group that individuals are going to need to see in a regional.”
That mentality fits Mellican simply effective. Whereas he continues to finetune his sport for a possible faculty profession, wins are all he’s nervous about in the mean time.
“It simply will get us prepared for our final purpose of profitable a regional and making a run within the playoffs,” Mellican mentioned. “We’ve had some tough stretches the place we’ve misplaced lots of video games.
“That’s type of put us down slightly bit, however we’re engaged on specializing in the tip of the season and what we need to do, which is put a plaque on the wall.”
Paul Johnson is a contract reporter for The Beacon-Information.
