Rapidly improving Ryan Lipke helps lead Joliet West past Plainfield East
One of the most enjoyable aspects of high school sports is watching a player improve significantly over the course of a year, or even a few months. Young players, especially taller players, sometimes mature rapidly and evolve from bench players to impactful starters in a shockingly short period of time.
That’s happening at Joliet West for 6-7 senior Ryan Lipke. The Tigers knocked off host Plainfield East 76-61 on Friday.
Lipke finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds and made 2 of 3 three-pointers. Tigers coach Jeremy Kreiger saw Lipke's high-level play in practice early in the season, but it took a while for it to arrive in games.
"He didn't quite believe in himself yet," Kreiger said. "The versatility he offers to step out and make threes while also commanding the paint makes him very special. He's shooting 43% from three on high volume. It’s been a positive thing to see over the course of the season."
Lipke transferred from Providence.
"The culture and the coaches are great here, so that was an easy adjustment," Lipke said. "This improvement was just mental with me. I had to increase my motor and work harder."
Lipke scored 23 points in an overtime loss to Bolingbrook last month. Taking the Raiders to the limit was the first sign that Joliet West (18-8, 12-2 Southwest Prairie East) had significantly improved since the Pontiac Holiday Tournament in December.
The Tigers led Plainfield East by 22 at halftime, but KJ Miller, one of the state's most highly-regarded junior prospects, scored 10 points in the third quarter to help get the Bengals (16-11, 8-6) back in the game.
Miller finished with 26 points. He drained a three-pointer with 4:33 left to pull Plainfield East within 61-55, but that was as close as it would get.
"We knew [Plainfield East] had a load of offensive talent," Kreiger said. "They are really good at making tough shots and when they start to go in that feeds their confidence."
Senior guard Deven Triplett led Joliet West with 21 points and six rebounds and Aamir Shannon added 20 points and seven rebounds. The Tigers out-rebounded Plainfield East 33-24.
"We weren't making the shots we did in the first half," Shannon said. "So we had to double down on our defense and stay focused on our principles."
Senior Alijah Little, who started high school at Plainfield East and transferred to Young last season, added 14 points for the Bengals.
Joliet West shot 10-for-23 from three-point range. Kreiger isn't allowing his team to take midrange shots.
"Not even at the end of the shot clock," Kreiger said. "There are four shots you are allowed to take: free throws, layups and dunks, catch and shoot threes or any shot you master. High school kids don't usually master shots. So we have three shots we take. That's why we have been more efficient offensively."
Joliet West is hosting a Class 4A sectional and has gone from an afterthought to a contender. The much-improved Tigers will be able to compete with Marist, Homewood-Flossmoor, Lockport and Rich.
"The Bolingbrook game went bad for us in overtime," Shannon said. "But after that we knew what we had and we knew we could push ahead and make a run in the state tournament."