Lane coach Nick LoGalbo confidently declared that Shaheed Solebo was the most talented player he had coached at the school when Solebo was just a sophomore.
Solebo is now a senior, so all those expectations built up over the past few seasons have arrived. Over the summer, promising 6-8 junior Dalton Scantlebury took his game to another level. That took those expectations for the Champions to another level.
Add in experienced seniors Jackson Labkon and Parker Williams and a pair of lengthy juniors, 6-7 Zach Mazanowski and 6-4 Dylan Pepper, and all the pieces are in place for one of the best seasons in school history.
Scantlebury played in the first six games of the season before going down with an injury. LoGalbo is hoping he’ll return in the next few weeks. With Scantlebury, Lane is a top contender to win the Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic.
“We’re taking it as a way to improve,” Solebo said. “It’s on us to get really, really good without [Scantlebury] so that when he’s back we are ten times better.”
The Champions won their first game without Scantlebury, taking down North Lawndale 72-51 at home on Wednesday in the Red-North/West opener for both teams.
Lane out-rebounded the Phoenix 40-26 and Solebo finished with 23 points and 12 rebounds.
“[Solebo’s] maturity and his leadership, we are seeing it now,” LoGalbo said. “That’s why we coach, to see these guys become men. Tonight his shot wasn’t falling but he was rebounding like a monster and impacted the game in other ways.”
North Lawndale doesn’t have a star player this season. Randy Stonewall, who has filled in as coach for the Phoenix, is now the full-time head coach.
“[North Lawndale’s] style was very different from what we’ve seen so far this season,” LoGalbo said. “As much as we had seen it on film it was hard for guys to visualize what it was really like.”
Lane (5-2, 1-0) held a double-digit lead for good after the first quarter. Pepper scored 16 points. Williams had eight points and seven rebounds and Mazanowski added seven points and four rebounds.
Tyshun Moore led the Phoenix (4-1, 0-1) with 15 points and six rebounds and junior Antwan Mosley scored 14.
“We try to keep our heads straight and not worry about outside noise,” Labkon said. “But it’s definitely a good feeling knowing that people are expecting a lot out of us. But we know that doesn’t mean anything.”
The Champions have a challenging schedule this season. So far they’ve fallen short in their two biggest games, losing 63-61 to Niles North and 60-49 to DePaul Prep.
Those results haven’t dulled the dreams at Lane for this season. The school’s last city championship was in 1926 and it has never won a regional. Solebo and Scantlebury are the best chance Lane has had in years to end those droughts.
“At first some of the expectations on me were really tough,” Solebo said. “But I talked with my coaches and family and I’ve learned to embrace it. My dad told me that people rely on me and that isn’t pressure, it is freedom. So I try to remember that and keep moving. Lets go win some [championships].”
