advertisement

Stevenson set to honor Brunson

The greatest player in Stevenson boys basketball history, Jalen Brunson, is returning to his alma mater on Friday, Feb. 15. The school's all­-time leading scorer and Dallas Mavericks rookie guard will be honored before the final home game of the season against Warren.

Stevenson community members are invited to a reception for Brunson at 6 p.m. in the West Staff Dining Room, and he also will be honored before the 7 p.m. tipoff. Tickets to the game are $5 for adults and $3 for students and senior citizens, and can be purchased at the door.

"It's going to be great time to recall some of those memories (we) have of Jalen's time (at Stevenson)," Stevenson boys basketball coach Pat Ambrose said.

Brunson was an integral member of the Stevenson boys basketball program from 2011-15. During that time, the Patriots earned three consecutive trips to the IHSA state finals in Peoria from 2013-15. Stevenson won the Class 4A state championship in 2015, after placing third in 2014 and second in 2013.

In addition to rewriting the record books during his time with the green and gold, Brunson was named a McDonald's all-American and Mr. Basketball of Illinois during his senior season in 2014-15. He also won the Illinois Gatorade player of the year award as a junior and senior.

He finished with 2,682 points.

Brunson attended Villanova University and helped the Wildcats win NCAA national championships in 2016 and 2018. He was the consensus national collegiate player of the year in 2018, and also was chosen as Big East player of the year and Big East scholar athlete of the year, and earned Academic All-America honors.

Last June, Brunson was drafted by Dallas with the No. 33 pick in the NBA Draft. In 42 games this season, the 6-foot-3 Brunson is averaging 6.4 points and 2.1 assists per game.

Brunson continues to give back to the Stevenson community through his generosity and time. He held the Jalen Brunson Basketball Skills Academy at Stevenson in July 2018, and has sponsored two scholarships for SHS student­-athletes. His commitment to the Stevenson community is ongoing, as evident by his frequent outreach to former and current Stevenson faculty, staff, teammates and community members.

"It was an amazing time," Ambrose said of Brunson's four years in Lincolnshire. "It was a lot of fun, and it was an amazing experience. Jalen is an incredible young man now."

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.