Boys Basketball notes: “She’s with me every step’ York senior Jeff Grace is motivated by his late mother’s memory

York senior point guard Jeff Grace is playing with a heavy heart this season.

A four-year varsity player, Grace has been a constant contributor on the court during York’s recent success.

The Dukes posted a 57-10 mark the past two seasons, one of the best two-year runs in the storied history of a program that dates to the 1920-21 season.

The steady leadership, poise and unsung production of Grace helped the Dukes reach those new heights in former coach Vince Doran’s final two seasons.

But Grace, a quiet and team-first player who was a cornerstone on those two memorable York teams, endured a difficult transition leading up to the start of this delayed basketball season.

His beloved mother, Tonia Grace, died Dec. 30.

The York community and basketball program came to his rescue.

“She’s with me every step of the way,” Grace said of his mother. “She means so much to me. It’s just more than a game. You can’t take life for granted. Every moment of your life is precious. You have to make the most out of it and the best opportunity you get.

“It’s been pretty hard. She would want me to keep going. I have to do it with her. All my motivation is just for her, in general. She’s with me each and every day, and raised me.”

First-year coach Mike Dunn said the community came to Grace’s aid during a difficult period of his life.

“Jeffrey has been the ultimate inspiration for not only our varsity team but our whole program and the Elmhurst community,” Dunn said. “He’s a wonderful student-athlete that has represented York High School the right way for the past four years.

“The community was devastated to hear the passing of Mrs. Grace. Jeffrey has maintained his great attitude throughout these challenging times and has exemplified how to handle life’s extreme challenges. We continue to rally around Jeffrey and be the supportive basketball family that York and the Elmhurst community pride itself on being.”

Grace, who’s averaging 11.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.8 steals per game, remains uncommitted about his basketball future. He’s received interest from a number of small schools. His ability to impact a game on many levels is a driving force behind York’s strong start. Grace improved his perimeter shot during the offseason to add another aspect to his game. He made two key 3-pointers in a win at Downers Grove North on Feb. 26.

“I have a couple of schools looking at me,” Grace said. “I worked on my shot a lot over the summer and with my coaches. I’ve been in the gym a lot, getting up shots. That was a weak part of my game last year, but I’ve improved and I want to thank the guys for giving me good reps in practice.”

End of the line

Downers Grove North senior guards Jake and Nate Demos are hitting the final days of a memorable family basketball career. The twins have been a staple in the program for the past four years, while older brother, Cam, also played two seasons for the Trojans before concussions forced him to stick to baseball.

“They are super competitive kids,” Downers Grove North coach James Thomas said. “They are very quiet kids, very competitive and take things very seriously and are great teammates. They are awesome to have, and are a big part of what we do. They both bring so much for our program and their whole family has been really good for our program.”

Memorable season for Lemont

Lemont coach Rick Runaas admittedly is becoming a fan — of his own team.

The Indians are among the breakout teams in the Chicago area, winning seven of their first eight games.

Built around a senior core of Kyle Kostes, Austin Murray and Luke Logiurato, the Indians have won all their games by double digits, including a 72-40 rout over previously unbeaten Richards on March 1.

“I enjoy watching us play,” Runaas said. “I should be coaching but I enjoy watching us play, move the ball and share the ball. It’s fun to watch.”

Winning and fun have been the two staples for the Indians.

Runaas credits his three seniors for helping build a positive culture that promotes teamwork and chemistry.

“Kyle and Luke are our captains, and they just may be the best captains I’ve ever had, just in terms of leadership and guiding the younger players,” he said. “They share their experience and work ethic and joy of the game. Austin works hard and plays hard. So nice for a coach not to worry about whether the team will play hard.”

Six-foot-4 freshman forward Nojus Indrusaitis is the X-factor for the Indians. He joins sophomores Mates Castillo and Rokas Castillo to form the future of the program.

“Nojus and Kyle are our leading scorers,” Runaas said. “Kyle wants to play in college, but we’re looking for the right opportunity. He’s most victimized by [the] pandemic, not got exposure from summer and normal recruiting process that would’ve been very high on Kyle. Not happened. We have to be proactive. He’s been focused on the season. Afterward everything will take [shape].

“Nojus is great and has been an unassuming freshman. He’s come in and listened to the coaches and the seniors. I thought he would be good, but he’s even better than I thought.”