Michael Nee, son of a coach and ace shooter, has Glenbard East on the rise

Michael Nee has had the same routine now for five years, since he was a sixth-grader during the pandemic.

Three days a week the Glenbard East junior punches the clock at 5 a.m. Nee and his dad Mike, a retired assistant coach at Maine South, head to Madison Meadows Athletic Center in Lombard to put up shots.

Nee’s lately implemented a lot of off the dribble stuff, instead of just stationary catch and shoot. He’ll work on pump fakes, crossover between his legs and works to elevate his midrange game. Nee estimates he gets up 500-600 shots a day.

“I’ve always been kind of an early bird,” Nee said, “but it’s definitely tough. It takes a lot of discipline. Being with my dad keeps me disciplined and keeps me consistent. It’s tough but it makes it a lot easier.”

Those early mornings have paid off.

Nee in January became just the seventh player in Glenbard East history to score 1,000 points. The 18-8 Rams, after four consecutive losing seasons, are back, winners of nine straight games and leading the Upstate Eight East while poised for a top four sectional seed.

The catalyst is Nee, who third-year Glenbard East coach Eric Kelly calls “one of the best shooters in the state, if not the best.”

Indeed, Nee on the season is averaging 19 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists while shooting 92% from the free throw line, 51% from the field and 53% from the 3-point line.

“He has added a midrange game,” Kelly said. “In tough games, when the offensive is sputtering and breaking down, you need guys like that who can get you a bucket. Mike is 6-foot-2, can shoot over smaller guys, he’s mastered that Dirk [Nowitski] fadeaway shot. It’s a real weapon for him.”

Nee spent just three games his freshman year on the sophomore team before Kelly plucked him for his first varsity team.

No surprise that the young guard was ahead of the curve. Nee’s dad played basketball at Augustana, and was a long-time assistant for Tony Lavorato at Maine South.

“It’s an advantage that he is the son of a coach, that I could attest to. My dad was a coach, went to Augustana,” Kelly said. “He comes from a good IQ, IQ is something we value very much and he had it from Day 1.”

Nee was one of Kelly’s highest IQ guys as a freshman, and the body has caught up to the mind. Nee in the fall was the starting quarterback of Glenbard East’s football team, leading the Rams to a conference title.

Kelly calls him a model high school athlete, and that starts at home with Nee’s upbringing.

“Growing up, every other week day, that’s what I was doing, was going to my dad’s games,” Nee said. “I’ve always been around basketball. It developed my love for the game.”

Kelly said the difference during his team’s hot streak is that the Rams have balance now. They’re not just getting contributions from their two best players, Nee and junior Danny Snyder, but from all over the court.

Junior center Sam Walton had the game-winning block against Wheaton Academy. Senior point guard Devin Kraft is a rock on a roster full of juniors.

“Nee and Snyder get off the ball and Kraft is able to handle the ball, allows them to run around free and get open from three,” Kelly said. “He is a good size guard at 6-2, really fast, a good straight line driver. Teams can’t really help on him and then we have Nee and Snyder on the other side.”

Glenbard East, after a 67-59 win over Riverside-Brookfield last week, is tied with R-B atop the Upstate Eight East. Kelly said their focus is on winning the league, and getting the highest possible sectional seed.

He thinks the Rams can slot in at No. 4, and make a run. Glenbard East has come a long way since Kelly’s 9-22 first season.

“The program wasn’t in the greatest place when I got here,” Kelly said. “We had themes and goals for every year. First year was to bring the positivity and love of the game back. Last year was culture and how we wanted to play.

“Our guys have bought in. Up and down the program guys are starting to come together. We are nowhere near where we are going to be but we’re headed in the right direction.”