Senior guard Ethan Howard always has a vital piece at his command for Homewood-Flossmoor.
He instinctively knows how to optimize his 3-point shooting to sharpen all avenues of his game.
“It opens up the floor for me and my teammates, and it just gets us going on offense,” Howard said. “I wanted to keep my team composed, knowing how aggressive we like to play.
“I just wanted to be a leader and step up.”
Howard stepped up Friday, making two 3-pointers and scoring all 12 of his points in the first half for the Vikings in a 69-52 victory over Bloom in the Chicago Heights Classic championship game.
Senior point guard Jayden Tyler earned tournament MVP honors for H-F (4-0), coming through with a game-high 21 points and seven assists. Senior guard Aiden Derose added 11 points, while senior forward Arlen Eaves contributed 10 points and five rebounds.
Senior guard Elijah Lovemore scored 19 points and senior guard Payton Edwards tallied 11 for Bloom (3-1).
Howard, however, was a revelation in being named all-tournament. His composure, athleticism and playmaking highlighted his remarkable transformation from rarely used bench player to significant contributor.
Last season as a junior, Howard averaged just 1.2 points as H-F won the Class 4A state title.
“I put my trust in the coach, the organization and the rest of the team,” Howard said. “I just knew if I took my opportunity, I was going to succeed.
“Even though I wasn’t getting as much time or even seeing the floor at all, I just wanted to have their backs all the time.”
Tyler expressed deep affection and happiness at his teammate’s resiliency and unselfish mentality.
“It feels great to see him blossom,” Tyler said of Howard. “We played freshman year together and we always did well. He’s always been good. He just didn’t get the opportunity last year.
“Now that he’s getting it, he’s making the most out of it. It feels great to know he’s taking advantage of his opportunities.”
Homewood-Flossmoor coach Jamere Dismukes said Howard never lost his confidence nor desire.
“He knew he wasn’t going to play a lot last year,” Dismukes said. “But every day he battled, he learned and he got better. Now it’s his time to step up, and he’s done it tremendously.
“He’s already a very unselfish player with a very high IQ. He’s one of the best playmakers I’ve coached — not just making plays for himself but for each other.”
Even if Howard only saw action in 14 games last season, he had the benefit of practicing against elite talent every day.
He also has grown, going from 5-foot-11 with a slender frame to a physical, filled-out 6-1. He recognized improvement was internal and had to start with him.
“I knew if I wanted to get better, I had to spend time in the weight room and gym and get stronger,” he said. “Last year, I just felt it, the way everybody just pushed me around.
“Now, I worked on my body the whole summer, and it has definitely helped me a lot.”
As the second youngest child in his family, Howard said that support helped ease any frustration at not playing a year ago.
His older sister, Meagan, was a standout at Rich South. She was his role model growing up.
“She was a really good shooter and she taught me a lot of stuff on the court,” Howard said. “It’s a big part of who I am. Competing with my siblings, I never liked losing. My personality is like that.
“If I know you, I’m going to be a really funny and outgoing person. Playing like this helps me come out of my shell.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
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