Tyler made: A point guard who can score? Sophomore Jayden Tyler starts to break the mold for H-F. ‘I just want to win.’

Sophomore Jayden Tyler is taking on the challenge of starting at point guard as a varsity newcomer for Homewood-Flossmoor.

But while Tyler is young, his basketball experience goes all the way back to when he was first able to walk. He’s got the evidence to prove it.

“My dad bought the Little Tikes hoop for me when I was probably 1 or 2 years old,” Tyler said. “We still have videos and everything of me playing on the hoop. I’ve been into basketball ever since.”

Tyler is playing like a savvy veteran lately, increasing his scoring while running the offense for the Vikings (11-8).

In recent victories, Tyler scored 22 points against Bradley-Bourbonnais, 19 points against Thornton and 20 points against Ag Science.

“I’m just trying to make the team better,” Tyler said. “I just want to win. I’m doing what I can and doing what my abilities can take me to. Even if I’m not scoring, I’m going to play hard, no matter what.”

H-F coach Jamere Dismukes sees Tyler starting to realize what he’s capable of doing.

“His confidence is growing every single game,” Dismukes said. “I think that has to do with the fact that not only do I have confidence in him, but the whole team has confidence in him. When you get a group of young men who all believe in somebody, I think that self-confidence comes even more so.”

For Tyler, the belief comes not only from success in games but from knowing he’s put in a full effort outside of games.

“I feel like I’ve been in the gym more often than I used to be,” Tyler said. “This summer, I worked my butt off every day. I feel like now I know that work is paying off and I’m getting more and more confident every game.”

The Vikings leaned heavily on junior guard Carson Brownfield to carry the offensive load early in the season. Brownfield is glad to be getting some help from Tyler.

“We’re giving him the green light,” Brownfield said of Tyler. “We’re telling him every shot is a good shot even if it’s a bad shot. We want him to take those shots.

“He’s really growing as a player and I’m glad to have him as a teammate. He’s got two more years after this, so I think there are some big things coming up for him.”

Tyler hopes to usher in a new chapter of H-F basketball and return the program to glory under Dismukes, who’s in his first year with the Vikings.

“I feel like it’s going to be a new H-F,” Tyler said. “New coach, new system, everything, but I think we’re going to be even better than what we’ve had in the past.”

Closing time: Bloom let late leads slip away against Brother Rice and Lincoln-Way East, so the Blazing Trojans (13-5) had to make sure to finish the job Sunday against Mount Carmel at the Prairie State Classic.

Behind 20 points and 12 rebounds from junior forward Santana Flowers, Bloom held on for a 60-55 win.

“We needed this,” Bloom coach Dante Maddox said. “What we need to get better at has nothing to do with the beginning of the game. It has to do with making free throws and making good decisions at the end.

“If we do, we can play with anyone in the state with the way we play defense.”

Meteoric rise: Senior guard Jevon Warren has been one of the area’s breakout stars, averaging 17.6 points for T.F. North (11-2).

Veteran coach Tim Bankston heaped some high praise on Warren.

“Jevon is one of the best players in the state, hands down,” Bankston said. “He’s a gym rat. He works on his game and he gives us everything. Without him, there’s no us.

“He’s up there as one of the best players I’ve ever coached, and I don’t say that lightly.”

Steve Millar is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.