BASKETBALL: Wheeler, Hirsch set to begin hoops careers at Logan

CARTERVILLE, IL - When basketball season tips off for John A. Logan College in a few weeks, both the mens' and womens' squads will have Du Quoin High School graduates on their rosters.

Both Connor Wheeler and Jessica Hirsch left their mark in the DHS record books - Wheeler for leading the Indians to a sectional in basketball and to state in baseball in 2011, and Hirsch for helping the Lady Indians' softball squad set a team record for wins in 2012 as well as becoming the school's all-time leading scorer in girls basketball.

Their paths to John A. Logan may differ, but both cited being close to home as one of their main reasons for joining the Vols when the school hosted basketball media day on Monday.

"Being close to home definitely had a lot to do with it," said Wheeler. "I'm a family guy and I love southern Illinois, my dad will get to see me play all the time here."

Most fans probably remember Wheeler as the 6'1, 165-pound guard that returned to Du Quoin following four years in the Carbondale school system for his senior season and routinely put up big numbers in the scoring column. After enrolling at Illinois Wesleyan University last fall and then spending a year on medical red-shirt recovering from a stress fracture, Wheeler has transformed both his body and his game.

"I spent all of last year on the sidelines, lifting, trying to get bigger and better," said Wheeler. "The opportunity arose to come to John A. and play and I jumped on it. Playing college basketball in southern Illinois, there isn't much better than that."

Wheeler is now listed at 6'2, 180 pounds, and according to first-year Volunteers head coach Kyle Smithpeters, his game has gotten better as well.

"Even with a year off, the thing that has improved with Connor is that he's added some more versatility," Smithpeters said. "I think Connor has the ability to be a point guard, and you can also play him off the ball, which he's very comfortable with. It's hard to find guys now these days that are comfortable both with the ball and without the ball."

"That year away as a redshirt, just preparing his body and changing some things in his lifestyle as far as diet and food, I think it's paid dividends for him. He's done a great job here and he's going to be a very integral part of what we do."

When asked if there were any lingering concerns with the stress fracture injury, Wheeler put it simply: "I'm good to go now." Smithpeters was also without doubt, pointing out that Wheeler has the third-highest vertical leap on the team.

"Connor has been one of the biggest and best surprises we've had so far," Smithpeters said. "I've known Connor for a long time, I got a chance to see him throughout his high school career. The one thing about Connor that's kind of been a lingering question is that he's never really been healthy. I think now we're fortunate enough to get him when he's actually at 100% healthy. He's put in a lot of work and sweat and it's paid off."

While Wheeler has been on the court preparing for the season, Hirsch has spent most of the fall working out with the softball team where she will remain until October 10th when she's able to join head basketball coach Marty Hawkins and the Lady Vols.

Staying closer to home was important to Hirsch when choosing a college destination, but also of value was the opportunity to be a two-sport athlete.

"Among my options, John A. Logan seemed to be the most successful in both sports, and I wanted to play both sports, that was a big part of my decision," said Hirsch.

"I had already planned on coming here for softball heading into basketball season, and then once basketball season started I didn't want to give it up yet, I wasn't ready to. I know it's going to be tough, I knew it was going to be tough coming in here, but I didn't want to give up either sport."

Coach Hawkins hasn't seen a whole lot of Hirsch on the floor much since her high school days, but what he recalls from her senior season at DHS leads him to believe she will be able to contribute right away.

"We're playing an up-tempo game, we'll play four out and one in, so we have a lot of guards and we're going to play a lot of guards," said Hawkins. "We shoot the ball from the perimeter a lot, so I think her best days as a basketball player are probably ahead of her. The college game will help good players, the shot clock and the tempo make it a better game."

"I think once we get her next Wednesday, she'll be able to catch up and get right into the flow, shoot the ball, and run the floor."

Hirsch will be one of ten freshman joining three sophomores on the Lady Vols' roster, and one of nine players listed as a guard.

"We have a really good point guard, she's really quick," said Hirsch. "I feel like I'm more comfortable as the two guard than bringing it up the floor. I feel like I can do more for the team there and be more versatile."

The 5'5 Hirsch knows she's in store for bigger, stronger opposition than she saw as a Lady Indian and said she's excited to play a new style of game at the next level.

"There's going to be quicker players, better defensive players than at the high school level, I'll have to move my feet better. We're a team of mostly guards, we only have four or five bigs, so it's definitely going to be different."

The first home games for both the Logan men and women will come during the November 2-4 Invitational.