Boys Basketball: Patrick Robinson, Oswego East run past short-handed Yorkville

YORKVILLE – John Holakovsky labored to speak after losing his voice during last Friday’s overtime game – although that’s the least of the Yorkville coach’s worries right now.

The Foxes had just seven out of their 14 varsity kids practice this week. Four of the top seven were out for Tuesday’s game, due to injuries or COVID protocol. Yorkville had to call up some sophomores and a freshman just to have enough bodies.

So no, it wasn’t an ideal time to welcome unbeaten Oswego East.

“[Wolves] coach [Ryan] Velasquez asked me before the game what happened to all of our guys, and I said we’re rolling with what we got,” Holakovsky said. “We had some idea of what was going to happen. You got to do the best you can to get kids ready.”

Indeed.

Yorkville, which dropped two games by a combined eight points over the weekend, simply was overmatched by Oswego East’s defense Tuesday.

The Wolves forced seven turnovers in each of the first two quarters, led by 19 at half and coasted to a 62-35 win in the Southwest Prairie Conference matchup.

Patrick Robinson had nine points, three assists and two steals, DeVon Oregon nine points and three steals and Mekhi Lowery eight points and six rebounds for Oswego East (8-0, 3-0).

“That wasn’t their team, and we know that,” Velasquez said of Yorkville. “LeBarron [Lee] was out, he is a really good player, No. 20 [Michael Dunn], the sophomore, he is quick, he was not playing, the older brother [Justin Jakstys]. I’m proud of our guys for doing what they’re supposed to do.”

The Wolves did it with a collective defensive effort that has been their identity throughout most of the early going this season.

Oswego East had 10 steals in the first half alone, live-ball turnovers that turned into easy baskets the other way. In just a 9-2 start Darren Oregon had a follow shot off a turnover, Robinson a dunk off a steal and Darren Oregon turned a steal into a breakaway layup.

“Defense is something we focus on, especially in practice,” said Robinson, a Missouri-St Louis recruit. “Coach [Patrick] Molinari, coach V, they always stress that defense is going to win our games. Our defense creates most of our offense because we like to get out and run and that is what we expect to do every night.”

All five starters had at least one steal for Oswego East, which all but put the game away with a 10-0 run that started with Joey Patti’s 3-pointer to end the first quarter and seven quick points to start the second for a 21-7 lead.

“Our personnel is how we do it, really,” Robinson said. “We have Mekhi who is super lanky, and always gets steals, we have the [Oregon] twins who are really scrappy and then we are always just really anticipating every pass and every passing lane. It’s what we expect to do.”

That swarming defense led to offense, and it also kept promising 6-foot-8 Yorkville sophomore Jason Jakstys from getting any space offensively.

With fellow posts Lee and Justin Jakstys out, Jason Jakstys drew much of the attention of the Oswego East defense, and scored just six points, all in the first half. He also had nine rebounds for Yorkville (3-4, 1-2).

Lee is out with a foot injury, Justin Jakstys a knee injury, and senior guard Nate Kraus is nursing an ankle injury.

“We run our offense through the post and our two post guys are out. Jason is kind of a post four man, but mainly a four,” Holakovsky said. “Jason already gets a lot of attention of defenses to begin with, and he had way more tonight, and Oswego East is really good up front. They have big guys and it made Jason’s life a lot harder.”

Holakovsky hopes to get Lee back by next Friday’s game with Oswego.

“Before today we should have been 5-1. We have been awesome,” Holakovsky said. “Both games over the weekend we should have won, it’s execution at the end. We easily could have been 5-1.”

Velasquez likewise feels pretty good about where his team is at, with big tests ahead. The Wolves play Oswego in the crosstown Friday before hosting Yorkville Christian next Tuesday.

“We talk about conference games, on our side of the conference, those games are at a premium. We did what we’re supposed to do tonight,” Velasquez said. “We’re going to see a different team the next time around when we see those guys.”