Column: With younger brother Jaden at Duke, Colton Schutt carves out niche for Waubonsee. ‘Whatever it takes.’

He has a much lower profile than his younger brother, but sophomore Colton Schutt is still playing basketball for Waubonsee Community College. And that’s all that counts to him.

As a matter of fact, the Chiefs tip off at 1 p.m. Wednesday, facing Schutt’s former team, Iowa Lakes, in the NJCAA Division II National Tournament in Danville.

Meanwhile, the season ended last weekend for Duke and freshman guard Jaden Schutt, the more heralded of four brothers from Yorkville who have all played the sport.

The Blue Devils lost 65-52 to Tennessee in Saturday’s second round of the NCAA Tournament in Orlando, Florida.

Mention of it Sunday, shortly before the start of another practice for the Chiefs, brought a wry smile to Colton’s face.

“I caught the last eight minutes,” Schutt said, with WCC coach Lance Robinsonlimiting his television viewing time due to practice.

Jaden Schutt, the 2021-22 Beacon-News/Courier-News Player of the Year, led Yorkville Christian to the Class 1A state championship. He didn’t play in Duke’s ouster, averaging seven minutes in 14 games for first-year coach Jon Scheyer.

Jaden plans to return to Durham following a developmental freshman year. Colton, a 2019 Yorkville Christian graduate, also reflected on his journey four years out of high school.

“If you would have told me then I’d be here now, I wouldn’t have thought so,” Colton said.

A 6-foot-4 guard/forward, Schutt initially enrolled at Joliet Junior College, but a shoulder injury suffered in his last year of high school put those plans on the back burner.

“I went up for a dunk and a dude yanked on my arm,” he said.

It was the first of more than 20 times that season he dislocated his shoulder.

“I tore the labrum in three spots,” Schutt said. “I would have had to wear a brace.”

He had the surgery instead, taking a year off to rehab the injury, but he said it took two full years to feel 100%.

Schutt enrolled at Iowa Lakes and was the team’s seventh or eighth man for a team that reached nationals and finished third.

“It was interesting because I went in there expecting to play guard, but because of my strength, they had me playing a four or five,” Schutt said. “I didn’t mind doing the work, but I knew if I was going to go on and play at a four-year school, I wasn’t going to go in as a four or five.”

That’s how he ended up back home playing for Robinson last winter as the Chiefs’ sixth man, averaging 6.2 points and 2.8 rebounds in 24 games.

Robinson had coached Colton’s oldest brother, CJ, for two years when both were at Aurora University.

“I’d known the family for like 10 years,” Robinson said.

Schutt started 17 games for the Chiefs this season before a minor injury cost him time.

Waubonsee (25-8) started strong, winning 10 of its first 11 games and climbing to No. 12 in the national rankings. The Chiefs went through a 1-5 stretch before rallying to go 14-2 in their last 16 games.

The Chiefs, who are making the program’s seventh trip to nationals, are seeded 12th in the 16-team double-elimination event. Iowa Lakes (24-8) is seeded fifth.

Freshman guard/forward David Robinson stepped into the starting lineup with Schutt out and the team played well, creating a dilemma for coach Robinson.

“Colton deserves to start,” Lance Robinson said. “I kind of gave him the option and he said, ‘Coach, do what you think gives us the best chance to win.’”

Schutt has provided a boost.

“His maturity, leadership,” Lance Robinson said. “Honestly, he can sub in one through five in our starting group and makes us more versatile.

“He played 34 minutes the other day in the (Region IV) championship game. Sometimes, he’ll go in and won’t come out.”

Schutt averages 7.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists. He’s fourth on the team in minutes played.

“We were struggling off the bench,” said Schutt, who has committed to play next winter in the NAIA at Trinity Christian in Palos Heights. “We needed energy coming off the bench.

“Whatever it takes. The minutes ended up the same.”