Boys basketball notes: Carmel transfer Josh Stewart is ‘bridging the gap’ playing for the same coach at Warren

As Warren’s Josh Stewart adapted to a new school, basketball matters couldn’t have been more familiar to him.

The junior point guard already knew the vast majority of his teammates from either middle school or feeder basketball leagues.

Stewart, a Gurnee resident, also played under new Warren coach Zack Ryan for two years at Carmel.

“It’s been an easy transition,” Stewart said. “All of the guys have been very comforting and have made me feel at home.”

Stewart looked at home on Warren’s court from the get-go. He already had two years of varsity basketball under his wing and was a full-time starter for Carmel last season.

Stewart’s comfort level also is a result of his experience with Ryan’s system, expectations and manner of coaching. That has been crucial in getting everyone on the same page. The Blue Devils (15-12) have already matched their win total from last season.

“Josh holds everything together for us,” Ryan said. “He’s been a big help in bridging the gap between the players who were here before and how our system works and how we like to do things.”

Ryan also lauded Stewart’s on-the-ball defense, and Stewart is a true pass-first point guard, intent on getting his teammates involved. His court vision creates passing lanes that others sometimes don’t see.

In fact, he surpassed 200 career assists during an overtime loss against Stevenson on Jan. 24 and added seven more in a win against Lake Zurich on Jan. 27.

Stewart’s team-first attitude also could help him assume more of a leadership role as well. Warren’s win against North Suburban Conference leader Libertyville on Jan. 20 was a perfect venue to display that.

“They were coming back on us, and I was trying to talk to teammates at the foul line to keep everyone calm,” Stewart said. “I don’t care about stats. As long as everyone is involved and we’re winning, I’m happy.”

Bryce is nice for Cougars: Vernon Hills’ Bryce Drexler had no idea what to expect from his first varsity season.

But the junior guard has earned a prominent role for the Cougars (13-13).

“He’s forced his way into the rotation in the second half of the season, and particularly over the past three weeks he’s become a glue guy for us,” Vernon Hills coach Matt McCarty said. “He’s a hard-nosed kid, not flashy, but he doesn’t make many mistakes and gives us good energy off the bench.”

Even though Drexler doesn’t start, he has begun to find himself on the court at crunch time.

That was the case in the Cougars’ come-from-behind overtime win on the road against Highland Park on Jan. 27, when Drexler made two game-tying free throws to force the extra period. He earned his shot at the foul line with a strong box-out on a missed free throw at the other end.

“The Highland Park fans were going wild, and there was a lot of pressure,” Drexler said. “That was really big for me. I was proud of myself for making both of those.”

Scoring isn’t Drexler’s main focus, which leaves the defensive end as his primary venue to make an impact. So he has become a stickler for improving his defensive technique, and he has learned a lot by watching older teammates and asking questions.

“Little things like how to set up my feet and positioning my body have really helped me improve,” he said. “I know I’m not earning my time by taking shots. But I like having the accountability to contribute that has come with the extra playing time, and it can help solidify my spot for next year.”

Tidbits: Grayslake North senior guard Dominic Jankowski recently became the program’s all-time leading scorer. His 23 points in a road win against Wauconda on Jan. 27 pushed him past 2020 graduate Ryan Connolly. Jankowski’s career total stands at 1,547 after his 21-point effort in a win against Grant on Tuesday, and he’s averaging just under 20 points this season. … Stevenson’s win against Mundelein on Jan. 27 earned coach Pat Ambrose the 500th victory of his career. Ambrose, who is in his 24th season at Stevenson, is a member of the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame and led the Patriots to the 2015 Class 4A state championship. His resume also includes three other trips to the state finals, 10 regional titles and five sectional titles. … Antioch junior guard Carter Webb is on the cusp of setting the Sequoits’ record for most 3-pointers in a season. Heading into Tuesday’s game against Grayslake Central, Webb had 53, leaving him just seven shy of 2019 graduate Dan Filippone’s record.