Joliet Township's Jeremy Fears is quickly emerging as an all-state contender.

Fears to Ohio

--1-6-04--
By Frank Rusnak
    When the Joliet Township team gets ready to travel to road games, Jeremy Fears makes sure he jumps into the van that Steelmen head coach Bob Koskosky drives.

    Is it to talk game plans, sort out playing time or decipher how to stop the opposing team’s top player? None of the above in this case.

    Koskosky, or Coach Ski as he is more commonly referred to, said it all has to do with his music selection of “Chicago’s Oldies Station” 104.3 WJMK.

    “The Beach Boys are his favorite,” Koskosky said.

    Fears, a 6’4” point guard, has a different side of the story.

    “I always just hope in the first van,” Fears said. Then, after denying his affinity for the “oldies”, he retraces his steps. “Wait, I did say that I want to listen to the oldies. But I just make fun of Ski and listen to his music. He’s always playing the Beach Boys, Bob Marley and stuff like that. He drives and he sings.”

    However Fears gets ready for games, he shouldn’t change his approach anytime soon. He is quickly emerging as an all-state contender and one of the most overlooked players after committing to Ohio from the Mid-American Conference.

    In a quarterfinal game against nationally ranked West Aurora at the Pontiac Holiday Tournament on Dec. 30, Fears nearly led his Steelmen to an unthinkable upset.

    The slender and athletic Fears finished as the game’s high scorer with 29 points on 10-of-14 shooting from the field. He also added seven rebounds, six assists and three steals in a four-point loss.

    “I don’t fear nobody,” Fears said. “I’ll play against whoever, whenever. And I always perform well against the best competition.”

    Joliet stands at a modest 8-4, but has losses against state powers Peoria Central, Rich Central, Limestone and West Aurora.

    Prior to Peoria Central losing to Indianapolis Pike on Friday (Jan. 2) and ruining their 40-game winning streak, Joliet gave the Lions their toughest game of the season at the Decatur Thanksgiving Tournament.

    “[Jeremy is] tough, and if the defense brings it back and backs off, he can shoot it,” Koskosky said. “He shot 50 percent last year and is shooting 48 this year; and that’s not to bad averaging 20 points a game.”

    Fears topped that in four games at Pontiac. He finished with 85 points on 62-percent shooting from the floor, good for first-team all-tournament honors along with Simeon’s Calvin Brock, Oak Park’s Christian Cornelius and West Aurora’s Shaun Pruitt and Justin Cerasoli.

    “He’s never really been selfish with the ball,” Koskosky said. “I think he’s matured as a player, which he should. He knows he can score, but what makes it nice about him is he’s willing to give the ball up. And that makes us better as a team.”

    After his high school career is over, Fears plans to revert back to his beginnings at Ohio and be a three-sport star again.

    As a freshman, Fears entered Joliet Catholic Academy as a long and speedy wide receiver, track runner, and, of course, he starred on the hardwood.

    Out of Troy Middle School in Joliet, where Fears finished his three years there with an 88-2 record for basketball, most of his friends went to Joliet Catholic. And he followed. After realizing his love for basketball was much stronger and with the school a perennial state football power, Fears made the move across town to Joliet Township.

    As a sophomore at Joliet Township, Fears played football through an injury plagued season, but hasn’t played again since.

    “I didn’t want to take the risk of getting hurt before I could get my basketball scholarship, so now I’m going to Ohio trying to do all three,” Fears said. “I didn’t really give up track; I just didn’t play last year. I’m better at football than basketball, a lot of people say. And track I’m just fast, so I just do it to be doing something and keep busy. I just can’t sit down.”

    And when he stands up, the competition is slowing taking notice that he won’t back down. After all, he has no fears.

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