Warren QB Jack Wolf will go to any length on the court to win. ‘Every great team needs a Dennis Rodman type.'
A three-sport athlete, the 6-foot-4 Wolf was the starting quarterback for the Warren football team for two seasons, and his no-holds-barred style of play is one of the keys to the Blue Devils' success on the court.
'Football gave me that gift, being hit and driven into the ground,' he said. 'I have the mindset that no one's going to take the ball from me. Every great team needs a Dennis Rodman type, a dude who's gritty and says, 'I'm going to make this team win with my effort.''
Wolf is unarguably that player for Warren (26-10), which will take on Rich Township (26-8) in the Class 4A state semifinals at the State Farm Center in Champaign at 7:45 p.m. Friday in its first state appearance since 2011. He will carry the responsibility of setting the tone early, showing both his teammates and the Raptors from the opening tip that no one will outwork him.
Wolf's initial burst during the Blue Devils' 60-48 win against Rolling Meadows in the NIU Supersectional on Monday included the game's first basket on an aggressive drive.
'He's a warrior,' Warren coach Zack Ryan said. 'He does everything you want as a coach to help the team win. A lot of it isn't scoring. It's defense. It's leadership. We wouldn't be here without Jack. But as hard as he plays and how tough he is, we can play with anyone.'
Wolf, who does get credit for leading the team in charges taken, has a skill set that complements the free-flowing guard trio of senior Javerion Banks, junior Braylon Walker and sophomore Jaxson Davis and the interior force that is senior Zach Ausburn.
Wolf's all-out effort and his uncommon athleticism make him a plus defender with the ability to go toe-to-toe with both guards and forwards.
A case in point, Wolf initially drew the assignment to check Rolling Meadows' 6-8 senior forward Ian Miletic, a Marquette recruit, during the supersectional. After Wolf got two early fouls, Walker took turns on Miletic, who finished with 21 points after he had scored a combined 70 points in two sectional games.
'We knew that we had to play him physically, so that's what I was doing,' Wolf said. 'I consider myself a defense-first player, and I want to be a guy to lock down anybody.'
Intangibles are a strong suit for Wolf, but he also produces statistically. He'll enter the state semifinals averaging 8.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists. Although he typically plies his trade inside the arc, Wolf has made 24 3-pointers, the third-highest total on the team.
'When I need to score, I'm going to score too,' he said. 'There's no problem with that. Winning is my top priority, though, and if we win, I'm the happiest guy on this planet.'
There have been a lot of smiles for Wolf, who has been part of 57 wins in basketball and two state quarterfinal appearances in football during his junior and senior years. After basketball ends, he'll pitch for the Warren baseball team too.
Staying busy with sports is all Wolf has ever known.
'Playing those three sports is what I want to be doing, and I find interest in all three,' he said. 'Obviously, I get a little sore, but my body is adjusted to it. The experience of all three actually makes me more agile, and I can rest when I get older.'
Down the road, Wolf hopes he'll also be able to look back at the upcoming weekend and consider it among his most memorable athletic experiences. As this week progressed, he finally came to grips with the fact that the Blue Devils are two wins away from a state title.
'It's been since I was like 6 or 7 years old that I was wishing that one day I'll be out there playing in huge games like these,' Wolf said. 'I realized it earlier today when we were getting some details about the trip that we'll be playing on the sport's biggest stage.
'To have a chance to really go and do this is pretty special.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Chicago Tribune
15 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
Bears coach Ben Johnson purchased a $3.25M mansion in Lake Forest earlier this year
Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson and his wife, Jessica, in March paid $3.25 million for a six-bedroom, 6,227-square-foot mansion in Lake Forest, not far from the Bears' Halas Hall headquarters and offices. Johnson held a variety of assistant coaching roles for the Detroit Lions for six years — including his final three years as offensive coordinator — before the Bears hired him on Jan. 21. Through an opaque land trust that masks their identities, Johnson and his wife bought their new house in Lake Forest, which was built in 2013 and has five full bathrooms, three half bathrooms, four fireplaces, white oak hardwood floors, 10-foot ceilings on all floors, four-piece moldings, radiant heat floors in every full bathroom and a spiral staircase. Other features include an office with custom walnut paneling and built-in Burmeister shelving, French doors and a kitchen with quartz countertops, custom Burmeister soft-close cabinetry, Wolf double ovens, a Wolf six-burner cooktop, a 48-inch Sub-Zero refrigerator and freezer, two Miele dishwashers, a walk-in pantry and work area and a large island that contains a quartz countertop, a breakfast bar that seats four and a Shaws farmhouse-style prep sink. The mansion also has a mud room and a lower level with radiant heat flooring, an exercise room, a theater room with a retractable screen and a rec room with a fireplace and a wood bar. On the second floor, the primary bedroom suite has a vaulted ceiling, a walk-in closet with an island and a primary bathroom with radiant heat flooring and a double vanity. Outdoor features include a cedar shake roof, copper gutters and downspouts, a three-car garage with radiant heat floors, a lighted sport court, a brick fireplace and a bluestone patio with a built-in Fisher & Paykel grill with separate gas burners. The mansion sits on a 2.45-acre property. The sellers first listed it in February for $3.35 million, and went under contract with the Johnsons just five days later. Ellen Chukerman of Compass represented the Johnsons in their purchase. She declined to comment on the deal. The mansion had a $50,159 property tax bill in the 2023 tax year. As Elite Street first reported, the Johnsons on July 19 listed their four-bedroom, 3,940-square-foot house in Plymouth, Mich. for $1.1 million, and the home currently has a contract pending. Johnson's predecessor as the Bears' permanent head coach, Matt Eberflus, continues to own a seven-bedroom, 11,310-square-foot lakefront mansion in Lake Bluff that he purchased in 2022 for $3.9 million. Eberflus now is the defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Raptors' Collin Murray-Boyles chooses new jersey number to begin NBA career
Toronto Raptors rookie forward Collin Murray-Boyles will have a new jersey number next season after previously wearing No. 30 for two years at the University of South Carolina. Murray-Boyles donned that number for the first three years of high school at AC Flora in Columbia, South Carolina. He switched to No. 23 for his senior year at the Wasatch Academy in Utah before returning to No. 30 with the Gamecocks. With No. 30 currently occupied by Ochai Agbaji, Murray-Boyles opted to wear No. 12 with the Raptors. It isn't exactly clear why Murray-Boyles chose that number, but it is also worn by his brother, James, who played a pivotal role in his basketball development growing up. Murray-Boyles was named to the All-SEC second team last season, averaging 16.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks. He was the first Gamecocks player since Jimmy Foster in 1983-84 to average at least 16 points and eight rebounds in a season. The ninth pick debuted with the Raptors in the NBA Summer League, averaging 10.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, two assists, 1.5 steals and one block on 57.1% shooting from the field in four games. He scored in double figures twice, including a 20-point, nine-rebound effort on July 17. Murray-Boyles is highly touted because of his defensive intensity, post presence and ability to make plays for others. The organization was excited to select him and is eager to watch him next season. Note: Throughout August, Rookie Wire is looking at every first-round pick and why each player selected their respective jersey number as they make the jump to the NBA. Previous: Cooper Flagg | Dylan Harper | VJ Edgecombe | Kon Knueppel | Ace Bailey | Tre Johnson | Jeremiah Fears | Egor Dёmin This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: Raptors news: Collin Murray-Boyles will begin career with a new look
USA Today
a day ago
- USA Today
Patriots trade targets: Top options if team deals early-round picks
The New England Patriots made significant upgrades to their roster during the offseason, but executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf wouldn't rule out making more ahead of the 2025 NFL season. Wolf was asked at Monday's practice whether he would consider trading a first-or second-round pick to add talent to the team. "Sure," the 43-year-old replied. Why would Wolf contemplate such a move? "Just doing what's best for the team," Wolf explained. "If there's a player out there that we feel like can help us and it costs that, then we would consider doing that." The Patriots are uniquely positioned to target top players via trade. They are armed with a league-high $59.8 million in cap space, per so they could extend any player they acquire using an early-round selection. Which players might be the Patriots top targets if they do get aggressive? Here's a look at a few candidates they could pursue. Trey Hendrickson Hendrickson is widely known to be available as he and the Bengals remain in a contract stalemate. The Patriots are among the teams to have called the Bengals to check in on veteran pass rusher, according to NFL insider Armando Salguero. Hendrickson led the NFL in sacks last season with 17.5. He, along with offseason signees Milton Williams and Harold Landry III, would provide a shot in the arm to a Patriots defense that totaled a league-low 28 sacks in 2024. While Hendrickson would fit well in New England, a deal between the two parties doesn't appear close, as NFL insider Josina Anderson outlined. "I'm told the New England Patriots currently feel the cost to acquire Bengals star rusher Trey Hendrickson is 'too much,' per a league source as of Monday," Anderson reported. "The club continues to do due diligence by monitoring the market for Hendrickson." Perhaps that will change if Cincinnati's reported asking price for the 30-year-old – a 2026 first-round pick and a young defensive player, per The Athletic's Dianna Russini – drops. Terry McLaurin The Patriots signed Stefon Diggs during the 2025 NFL offseason, and added depth at receiver during free agency and the draft. Still, New England could use more proven talent at the position and a true, No. 1 target for Drake Maye. McLaurin would qualify. The seven-year veteran has posted five consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons and generated a career-high 13 touchdowns last season as Jayden Daniels' top target. Despite McLaurin's success, he and the Commanders haven't been able to agree on a long-term extension, which prompted him to request a trade. The Commanders are currently projected to have the fourth-most cap space in the NFL during the 2026 offseason. As such, they may eventually find a middle ground with McLaurin, who could earn a contract similar to the four-year, $92 million pact the Denver Broncos reached with Courtland Sutton during the offseason. But if Washington is reluctant to give the soon-to-be 30-year-old McLaurin that type of contract, the Patriots could swoop in and target him to provide Maye a consistent weapon. Micah Parsons Like Hendrickson, Parsons and the Dallas Cowboys are embroiled in a contract dispute ahead of the 2025 NFL season. That led the two-time All-Pro first-teamer, who has recorded at least 12 sacks in all four of his NFL seasons, to request a trade out of Dallas. Will Jerry Jones capitulate to Parsons' demands? The Cowboys owner hasn't yet shown willingness to do while the team has insisted the two parties will eventually work something out. However, if the relationship becomes irreparable, Parsons would fetch the Cowboys a king's ransom on the trade market. There's little doubt the Patriots would be among the teams most interested in acquiring Parsons given their need for a long-term partner for Williams, a top interior rusher. Few teams would be as well-positioned as New England to send out draft capital for Parsons and give him a record-breaking contract.
