Penn recruit Niklas Polonowski’s ascent didn’t happen overnight. Lyons teammates ‘saw it coming’ for a while.

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Niklas Polonowski has taken in a wealth of knowledge about basketball.

Whether he was learning from his father Steve, who played at Michigan State. Or from his former teammate Tavari Johnson, who plays at Akron. Or from his experiences in Denmark.

Polonowski, a senior guard/forward who has signed to play at Penn, is using it all to lead Lyons to success.

“On and off the floor, whether it be basketball or leadership skills, I feel like I’ve improved a lot,” he said. “I think my shot has gotten better. My driving has gotten better. I post up a bit more now. I’ve expanded my game to be more versatile.

“With the seniors gone, there’s that leadership role that everyone has to take on. I went headfirst for that. I love leading others, showing others how much I care, giving 100%. There’s the respect aspect too. I want to show them I’m giving my all so they can give their all.”

Johnson averaged 16.6 points over his final two years at Lyons and was named to the all-state second team last season. After Johnson graduated, Polonowski knew he would have to become the top scoring option for the Lions (19-3), and he has delivered.

Polonowski entered the new year averaging more than 15 points and has had some big performances since then, scoring 25 points in a win against Perspectives Leadership on Jan. 7, 24 points in a one-point loss to defending Class 4A state champion Glenbard West on Jan. 10 and 20 points in a win against Marian Central Catholic on Jan. 14.

Lyons coach Tom Sloan has seen Polonowski develop his all-around game and become a dominant player.

“I think this year he’s going to the basket more,” Sloan said. “That’s natural. He’s playing with kids his age as opposed to a year older, so it’s a bit more natural to be more aggressive going to the basket. He’s improved his jump shot. He’s gotten better in all aspects.”

Polonowski points to his versatility.

“Attacking the rim instead of just being a catch-and-shoot guy, that’s big for me,” he said. “I know my shot has improved too. I’ve put in a lot of work, and I think I’m a tougher guy to defend now.”

Polonowski’s mother Marianne is from Denmark. That has opened significant doors for him.

Polonowski was selected to play for the Denmark U16 national team in 2021 and spent that summer in Europe. He plans to do the same this summer while competing with the Denmark U18 team.

“Playing in Denmark was such a cool experience inside and outside of basketball,” he said. “Euro ball is so cool, but it’s so hard as well. It’s in your head a lot. It’s very high-level basketball. That 3-point line is so far back, I think that’s where I developed my 3-point shot. It really made me a better player.”

The trip gave Polonowski special family moments off the court.

“My mom still has family over there who I had never met,” he said. “So I got to see them. I’m super blessed to have gotten to do that. It was the experience of a lifetime.”

Polonowski returned from Europe with new skills and a bit of a different outlook about how basketball should be played and what kind of energy should be brought to games.

“In Europe, they play with such a passion for the sport,” he said. “It’s kind of like soccer. That’s something I’ve brought over here. They’ll get on each other and tell each other what they need to do, not just be a cheerleader. I’ve tried to bring that to this team. I want to help my teammates, show them where they can get better and motivate them.

“Playing over there taught me a lot about the game too. It showed me inside and outside stuff I needed to work on. I learned a lot about basket cuts and all kinds of stuff like that.”

While outsiders see Polonowski as a player who has turned from something of a sidekick to Johnson into a star overnight, Lyons senior point guard Jackson Niego has witnessed Polonowski’s growth over the past couple of years.

“For someone watching from the stands, it’s like, ‘Oh, this guy got a lot better,’” Niego said. “For me, I kind of saw it developing every day. I’m in the gym with him most days, even when we’re not in the season. I saw all the work he put in, getting in the weight room, putting shots up.

“He really improved, and I kind of saw it coming.”

Having a father who played at Michigan State sets the bar awfully high for a basketball player. But while Polonowski has been motivated by the stories of his father’s career, he said he was never burdened with any pressure.

“It’s always been a goal of mine to play at the next level, and my dad’s always been very helpful for me,” Polonowski said. “He never forced basketball into my life, but he always paved the path for me and made it easy for me by telling me what I need help with and what I need to work on.

“Seeing what he did is definitely something I’ve looked forward to doing my whole life. I’ll pave my own path while following in his footsteps.”

Polonowski and his younger brothers Ian and Max grew up playing basketball together and with their dad. It has always been a big part of life in their family.

“We’re on the court all the time,” Polonowski said. “Basketball kind of runs in our blood. We all have fun with it. My dad always says, ‘Play hard, have fun, and the rest will come.’”

When Polonowski embarked on the recruiting process, he got some valuable advice from his father, who had been through it himself.

“He told me going into the recruiting process that when you get on the campus that is right for you, you’ll feel it right away,” Polonowski said. “He said, ‘You’ll feel at home.’”

For Polonowski, that feeling came at Penn.

“The coaches, players, alumni, professors, everything felt like something I wanted to be a part of the next four years,” he said. “Ivy League basketball is something I really love. It’s kind of like Euro ball when I went and played over there.

“There are high-academic guys who know what they’re doing on the floor. There are a lot of driven guys, people I want to surround myself with.”

Polonowski is ready to embrace the academic and athletic challenges as an Ivy League student-athlete.

“It’s definitely a challenge I’m ready for,” he said. “I look at it as I’m going to be surrounded by a lot of guys who are doing it, as well. When you surround yourself with successful players, you’re going to be successful yourself. I’m just really excited about Penn, and I can’t wait to get there.”

Polonowski has some unfinished business at Lyons, which is looking for more after going 26-6 and reaching a Class 4A sectional final last season.

“The success we had last year sets the bar high,” he said. “It gives us that drive to know, ‘We can do this. We have done this, so let’s go show them.’”

While Polonowski has improved his game, Sloan is impressed with how he makes the players around him better.

“Nik knows it’s not all about him,” Sloan said. “He’s a team guy. He’s not selfish. He doesn’t force things. He plays within the system. He’s a 6-foot-6 athlete who can run, jump and shoot, so that helps too.

“He works on his game all the time. He’s not satisfied with wherever he is. He always wants to get better the next game, the next practice.”

These Lions have a long history of playing together, and Niego said that makes them tough to beat.

“What we have off the court shows on the court,” he said. “I’m out there playing with my friends, and we’re hitting shots. We all want to dive on loose balls because we know the other guys are going to do the same thing. It’s all chemistry.”

Polonowski shares that belief in the Lions’ bond. He’s ready to make one last run with his best friends.

“I think what’s going to set us apart is our chemistry,” Polonowski said. “I’ve been playing with these guys for eight years now. I hang out with them all the time. We have such a tight bond. I’m passing the ball to a guy I go out for dinner with. I know them so well. I think our chemistry is through the roof.

“The ball is in our court now, and we’ve just got to try to do something with it.”

Steve Millar is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.