By Randy Whalen

When the Joliet Central boys basketball team had its best season in six years this past winter, the seeds for that success started the previous summer.

Yes, there were a lot of returners for the Steelmen last season. But each group is different, and summer league basketball brings guys together on the court for the first time as a school unit.

Take last month's Ray Milnes Summer Shootout as an example. The Steelmen played three games there on Friday, June 14 at Stagg High School in Palos Hills. While they lost all three games, the results weren't nearly as important as the participation.

"It's the summer and we had 16 kids here," Joliet Central coach Lawrence Thompson said of the games on June 14. "We've had 25 guys come to the varsity camp and I'm glad to see it. 

"A lot of kids from the sophomore team came to camp to see if they could make an impression. We have a bunch of guys between 5-foot-5 and 5-foot-11. So it goes a long way to see who can make the team."

Deven Triplett, who is entering his junior year, was on the varsity last season. He's enjoyed the summer play which went until the end of June, and featured a couple more shootouts.  

"I take from it that I can learn a lot and make the right play as much as possible," Triplett said of what he got from summer league. "We just need to keep the team together. We need to work through tough times and get better as a team."

At 6-foot-1, Tripplett, a guard, will be one of the taller guys on the team. He's going to enjoy the rest of the summer and what that brings. 

"I'm looking forward to the rest of the summer," he said. "It gives us good comradery. I love these games and getting real competition just prepares us for the season."

Someone who plans to be ready for the season is Danny Thompson. Now a senior, he knows he will be looked to as a leader on the team. He already was that last season as he had 30 points, including the game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer, as the Steelmen toppled No. 7-seeded Lincoln-Way East 62-59 in the second semifinal of the Class 4A Thornwood Regional.

While they lost 66-51 to Marist in the regional title game, the semifinal victory gave them 19 wins on the season, the most since going 23-6 in 2017-18 

Thompson was at the Ray Milnes Shootout but he didn't play. He suffered a meniscus tear following last season. He plans to play AAU ball with his travel team later in the summer. 

"Hopefully I'll be back by the end of the summer season," Thompson said. "I took a wrong step and just felt it. I will be going back to the doctor to see what they say."

As the top returner on the team, Thompson is looking for some individual goals as well as helping the team this coming winter.

"Oh man, I just want to get the honor of being All-Area and All-State," he said. "I'd like to get a scholarship and also get the team back to being better than ever. I just have to trust God and also trust in the new guys on the team. 

"Just trust them, encourage them, and keep working with them."

Coach Thompson is happy for that leadership.

"I'm glad he's here and we want him healthy," coach Thompson said. "But we just can't hurry when you have an injury. If can't play for us, he'll play for his AAU team."

In the three games at the Ray Milnes Shootout, Joliet Central played Oak Forest, Lockport Township, which was a 55-44 loss to coach Thompson's old team, and Andrew.

Still, the main thing that Lawrence Thompson was impressed with was the participation.

"That's great that we had guys coming here with hard work and looking to improve their skills," coach Thompson said. "We've had up to 25 guys here this summer in hopes of making the varsity team. I'm really impressed."