Downers Grove South senior point guard Adam Flowers is doing it all this season.

The Mustangs (6-2, 2-0) have won six games in a row since dropping their first two games of the season to Lincoln Park and Hinsdale Central. Downers Grove South beat Morton and Willowbrook in their first two West Suburban Conference Gold Division games.

Flowers said the season opening loss to Lincoln Park was an eye-opener for the Mustangs. Flowers did his part, scoring a game-high 33 points in the overtime defeat.

“We started off the season rocky with two losses, but we have picked it up with a six-game winning streak,” Flowers said. “The Lincoln Park game stunned us. We were up 10 points with two minutes to go I think. We didn’t know how to win a basketball game at that point,

“In our six-game winning streak, we’ve been staying together and uplifting each other up when things don’t go well in a game and we make the correct adjustments. A big thing is we’ve locked in on defense.”

The 6-foot-4 Flowers, who averaged 18.5 points a game last season, is one of the focal players for the Mustangs. He surpassed the 1,000-point mark last week, scoring 27 points in a nonconference win over St. Viator.

“I’m doing good, just flowing on offense and the game is a lot easier and runs smoother for me this year,” Flowers said. “I’m letting the game come to me, finding teammates and getting them involved. I’ve taken a big step, especially with my maturity on my shots. Last year I took a lot of rushed shots and wasn’t letting the game come to me. This year I’m more efficient. I put in the hours of work to get to this point. My level of play is different.

“I targeted my mid-range and three-point shot in the offseason. I started practicing closer to the rim, which is the key to hitting outside shots. I did countless reps getting my mid-range shots up. That’s where most of my points come from.”

Flowers and senior guard/forward Sean Day have helped the Mustangs move closer to topping last season’s 18-13 record, according to Miller.

“Adam Flowers has been dynamite,” Miller said. “He’s doing it just not offensively, but also defensively and rebounding. Sean Day is scoring, but he had eight assists and seven rebounds on Saturday. He defends really well.”

Downers Grove South has two big games left this week, with Naperville Central on Wednesday and local rival Downers Grove North on Saturday.

“Saturday is a really big game,” Flowers said. “We’re not trying to focus on that right now. We have to take care of business. (Saturday) should be a good game between two good teams.”

Miller liked the way the Mustangs are playing.

“I’m really happy with this group in terms of competing at a high level,” Miller said. “They love coming to work every day and grinding. That part makes me feel good. They’re not satisfied. They still got the bad taste in their mouth from the loss in the opener. These guys know how high their ceiling and potential could be. The (opener) was a reference point and showed what we need to do to take the next step. The seniors are leading the way, but the younger guys are helping us.”

Lyons update

Lyons sophomore forward Grant Smith is playing like a veteran. Just over a month into his varsity career, the 6-foot-6 Smith is the Lions’ go-to player.

His size, ability to bring the ball up the court, snare a defensive rebound and go coast-to-coast, Eurostep move and shooting prowess has galvanized the Lions early this season. The Lions (6-1, 2-0) are one of the surprise teams in the West Suburban Silver Division heading into Friday’s road game against Glenbard West.

Smith scored nearly 50% of the Lions’ points in a 39-33 victory over Hinsdale Central on Dec. 12. A wide receiver on the football team, Smith is making his mark on the hardwood for the Lions.

Lyons coach Tom Sloan said Smith is showing potential to a special player for his program. Smith scored 11 points in Saturday’s loss at Neuqua Valley.

“The guy has been around the game a long time, not like he’s thrown in there,” Sloan said. “He’s been around the guys a long time. He fits right in. The whole summer and now the whole preseason. Grant is a varsity athlete in another sport. He’s been on big stages and performed.”

After playing on the sophomore team last season, Smith was elevated to the varsity following a strong showing in the summer, especially on the second day of the Riverside-Brookfield shootout.

“I was hoping to play on the varsity, but I was happy to be moved up and get the experience,” Smith said. “I think I’ve definitely started well this season. I want to be as consistent as possible and keep on improving. My goal is to continue to get better and more confident, so eventually when spring comes, I can really show out.”

This and that

Riverside-Brookfield (7-2, 4-0) is slated to play a big game on Friday at Glenbard East but dropped a 66-50 decision to Leo at the Team Rose Shootout. Senior Cameron Mercer poured in 25 points against Leo….York earned a quality 58-34 win over Hinsdale Central last week, led by Joseph Lubbe’s 16 points.