1 for the Show

Jacob Keller played a leading role as the quarterback of the Fenwick High School football team last fall.

This winter finds the 6-foot-2, 175-pound junior playing a supporting role in what Fenwick basketball coach Rick Malnati likes to call “The Mike and Mike Show.”

Seniors Mike Smith and Mike Ballard may be the stars of that show, but Keller appears to be in line for the equivalent of a Best Supporting Actor award.

“He’s very capable,” Malnati said. “He’s having a really good season. He’s had some terrific games.”

Keller’s best performances have come in some of the Friars’ most notable victories. He made all seven of his shots in recording 18 points, nine rebounds three assists and no turnovers in Fenwick’s 55-46 win over crosstown rival Oak Park and River Forest on Dec. 4 at the UIC Pavilion.

But what really made people sit up and take notice was his 23-point, 11-rebound outburst on Dec. 28 in a 56-50 defeat of Whitney Young at the Proviso West Tournament. The Friars (13-0) reached the title game of that tournament for the first time since 1977.

 Despite high expectations inside and outside the program, the run to the final caught some fans by surprise, but not Keller.

“I actually thought that we could win the Proviso Tournament and we wanted to be 15-0 (at this point),” Keller said. “We go hard in practice and the pressure doesn’t get to us. We’re having fun.”

Keller is enjoying the added attention from the media and college recruiters but he is keeping it in perspective.

“All the publicity is fun and cool but I just want to win more than anything,” Keller said. “I’d rather have 10 assists and win than score 20 and lose.”

Like many of his teammates, Keller is capable of facilitating as well as scoring. That versatility is what makes the Friars so dangerous. Keller, for instance, is one of Fenwick’s four point guards, all of whom are often on the court at the same time.

 “My natural position is point guard but I slid over to the ‘3’ this year because of my size and rebounding ability,” Keller said. “We really have four point guards and we basically play five guards. It’s great playing with these guys.”

While Smith is the starting point guard, the team is just as capable with Keller bringing the ball up.

 “When that happens, it means Mike is on the perimeter and he’s a good shooter so you can’t leave him,” Malnati said. “You can’t leave Ballard and you can’t leave Quinn (Fisher) and (Jamal) Nixon can get his own shot.

“When everyone is in sync we’re tough to beat. We haven’t had a game where all five starters have all played great.”

That didn’t stop the Friars from winning their first 11 games against a brutally tough schedule. The reason is a burning desire to get better in all facets and for Keller that meant learning to attack the boards.

“My role is basically to get stops on ‘D,’ rebound and give assists and do anything coach asks of me,” Keller said. “During the summer I worked on finishing a lot. I don’t normally rebound but Coach wanted me to work on going to the offensive rebounds.”

The work has paid off. Keller is averaging 8.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists, ranking third on the team in scoring and rebounding.

“He has a nose for the ball so he can be a terrific rebounder,” Malnati said. “Normally he’s matched up against a guard so (that helps) us.”

To be sure, Keller has room for improvement. He wants to work on his outside shooting and needs to get better with his decision-making and finishing around the basket, but Malnati said he has made great strides.

“When he’s focused in I think he wants to be great all the time,” Malnati said. “Sometimes when he makes a mistake he has a hard time turning the page. He keeps thinking about the last play.

“But (the Jan. 9 Benet game) was a turning point. He struggled in the first half but his second half was much better. We didn’t win the game but it wasn’t because he wasn’t able to turn the page.”

Keller is being recruited for both football and basketball and has a basketball scholarship offer from Vermont, but he isn’t close to making a decision. He’s focused on making sure the Friars remain on the same page.

“Our goal is to go Downstate but we’re just focused on wining one game at a time,” Keller said. “We were talking about this the other day that we’re halfway through the season. We’re having fun each game and drinking it all in.”