Skye and Summer Toussaint showed last season as freshmen that they belonged on a varsity court from the start.

Johnsburg’s talented, hard-working twin sisters made sure of it.

“That first game, they were ready to go,” Skyhawks coach Erin Stochl said. “They’ve been ready for this, this level of basketball, for several years now.

“Those two are in the gym constantly. Their work ethic, it rubs off on everyone else. They’ve helped build a culture we’re looking for, one where you enjoy being here, you enjoy working hard and enjoy being competitive.”

Summer Toussaint, a 5-foot-10 guard, broke the program’s freshman scoring record last year with 508 points. She averaged 15.8 a game and nailed a team-best 63 3-pointers, earning Illinois Basketball Coaches Association All-State special mention in Class 2A.

Skye Toussaint, a 6-3 forward, averaged 10.1 points and 9.5 rebounds a game while breaking the program’s single-season record with 313 rebounds.

Already this season, the Toussaints are showing their games are on the rise for an emerging Skyhawks’ team.

Last year, despite graduating their entire starting lineup in 2023-24, the Skyhawks won 20 games for the first time in eight seasons. This year’s team is off to a 6-0 start as it takes aim at its first conference championship since 2017.

“We learned what it’s like to be on varsity, what it takes, and it helped us be leaders,” Skye said of last year’s experience as a freshman starter on varsity.

“Kind of timid last year as a freshmen, but this year has been much better,” Summer said.

If the Toussaints have been timid, it hasn’t shown.

Summer leads Johnsburg in scoring through six games at 23.8 points, 3.3 assists and 4.3 steals a game with 15 3s. Skye is averaging 14.8 points and a team-high 10.3 rebounds a game. Skye leads the Skyhawks with a 61.8% shooting percentage, and Summer is at 54.2%.

Johnsburg is the area’s lone undefeated team, outscoring opponents by an average score of 62.2-35.8. The host Skyhawks won the Johnsburg Feast Mode Tournament championship, posting close wins against Freeport (55-53) and Rockford Lutheran (57-49).

Stochl said Skye Toussaint has improved her scoring range significantly and has been more vocal about getting the ball. She looks more confident, too.

“Skye’s really stretched her range, which is awesome to see,” Stochl said. “She can score from every level, from anywhere on the floor. She’s starting to become more vocal. She demands the ball down low, where last year she was more passive. So she’s taken on more of a scoring role.”

Stochl said, in addition to her scoring average, Summer’s biggest gains have come from her ability to adapt to the opposing team’s game plan, which most of the time focuses on limiting her offensive chances. Last year, Summer found herself in foul trouble at times, but she’s dialed back her aggressiveness when needed to stay on the court.

“Summer’s improved tremendously in her scoring abilities. Everybody knows she’s a big scorer. She’s got a target on her back, and I think I’ve been most impressed with her mental maturity from last year to this year,” Stochl said. “She’s so much more composed on the floor. Last year, if something didn’t go her way, it would bother her.”

Stochl said the Toussaints, who are already drawing NCAA Division-I interest, are like typical sisters on the court.

“They get along, but they’re sisters,” Stochl said. “They fight and bicker sometimes. They have very different personalities, which I think is cool to see. And they’re just the most positive people. They get more excited for a teammate to make a big play.

“Right now we’re 6-0, which is fun, but I’m sure we’re going to see the ups and downs like every season. The season’s been a lot of fun right now. We have a bunch of kids that love basketball.”