Jesuit’s Andrej Stojakovic and defensive-minded mates are great in win over Rio Americano
Everyone knows the lead act here.
It’s the long, lanky lad, the one with the handles, the who can score from anywhere. The guy who has the striking resemblance to a Kings All-Star shooter from a generation ago. The star power here is Andrej Stojakovic, the 6-foot-7 marvel at Jesuit High School, whose father, Peja, blends into packed stands to watch the show.
So, who are the other guys leading the charge for the Marauders? Stojakovic can’t score all the points and make all the plays, though he sometimes seems perfectly capable. But this much is clear: If Jesuit harbors hopes of winning the Delta League, which it does, of capturing its 12th Sac-Joaquin Section championship, then it can’t be just a one-man gang. Those teams don’t last long.
On Friday night at Jesuit, the top-ranked Marauders raced past No. 2 Rio Americano 84-46 in a nonleague game behind the area’s top player and, perhaps, the region’s best defensive outfit. It was the first time these programs faced off as The Bee’s top-ranked teams since 1991.
A full house saw Stojakovic do his thing, scoring 38 points with ease on a variety of drives, jumpers or thunder dunks. Stojakovic scored at will without dominating the ball. For all of his gifts, the Stanford-bound senior is also known by his teammates and coaches as a good teammate.
What makes Jesuit a dangerous draw is how well the Marauders play defense. Players contest the ball, crash the boards and hound opponents from start to finish. This is usually a plea and a prayer for a coach to perform this way. This season at Jesuit, it’s a thing, a real thing.
Leading the way defensively is 6-foot-3 senior guard Reid Jones, who has been flanked by 6-4 senior guard/forward Owen Ubaldo and a host of others, including the 6-8 Cole Epperson, a junior who improves by the week and can bomb away from 3-point range or power inside. He had 24 against Rio Americano. Reid had eight points and Ubaldo 10. The night ended with Jesuit’s spirited rooting section dancing and soaking it all in. Jesuit players hugged their coach in a jubilant locker room afterward.
“I like this team a lot,” Jesuit coach Tim Kelly said later. “It’s a good group to be around. We have a great core of returning players from last year, and we’ve grown.”
To be sure, the Marauders have grown, having put last season’s disappointing 14-14 campaign behind them as they have started this campaign 6-1, falling 74-65 to longtime Northern California powerhouse Mitty of San Jose, ranked second in NorCal by Cal-Hi Sports and NorCalPreps.
Was last season a downer, coach?
“Sure,” the coach said. “We weren’t up for the challenge. All spring, summer and fall, they’ve stepped up. When we play with energy and effort like tonight, we show signs of what we can do.”
Said Rio Americano coach Chris Jones, “Their defense is elite. It’s their length and their scheme. As for Andrej, we tried everything. That’s why he’s a Division I guy going to Stanford. We couldn’t stop him.”
Stojakovic is the first to remind that his teammates deserve as much credit as anyone for the fast start. Kelly joked that stoppers such as Reid help, and that the 4.2-GPA student hails from “the mean streets of Chicago.”
Well, sort of. Reid is indeed a transplant from Chicago, arriving in town at 9 p.m. the night before freshman orientation. He fast became friends with Stojakovic. They are kids beyond basketball, including hitting up fast food in the middle of the night via drive-thru. If Reid looks like he competes with an extra bounce in his step, he does. He missed his entire junior season with a torn left knee ligament. He counted down the days to his return. And he prides himself on doing the grunt work — defense.
“It’s nice to be back playing, meshing together, and right now, we’re on the right path,” Reid said.
Reid has for years guarded Stojakovic in practice or off-campus workouts. What? A glutton for punishment?
“I know all of his offensive secrets,” Reid said. “But I can’t share them here.”
Said Stojakovic of his pal, “He gives us silent energy with his defense and we reciprocate. He doesn’t talk much. He let’s his play do the talking.”
Stojakovic is expressive in facial expressions, with words and with his hoops actions. He had 20 points at the half against Rio Americano in a 42-23 game. He had 33 after three quarters while Rio had 35. The Jesuit starters were pulled with 4:30 to go, avenging a 2021 loss to the Raiders.
The support crew is superb at Jesuit, and so is the star attraction.
“His rise from his freshman year to now is just nuts,” Kelly said. “He’s a worker. He’s special. We’re so fortunate to have him. He’s no secret.”
And neither are his running mates.
This story was originally published December 17, 2022 at 1:47 PM.