Record Newspapers Athlete of the Week: David Douglas Jr., Yorkville Christian, basketball, senior

Name: David Douglas Jr.

School: Yorkville Christian, senior

Sport: Basketball

Why he was selected: Douglas scored 51 points, matching a school record, in a game against Lake Forest Academy and scored 37 points in a win over Westmont.

Douglas was voted by readers as the Record Newspapers Athlete of the Week in an online vote. Here is his interview with Sports Editor Joshua Welge.

Welge: So what happened in that 51-point game?

Douglas: It’s funny. We struggled in the first half, we were down by 14, got a good talk in the locker room that we have to bring the energy. Next thing you know shots were falling and we brought it to overtime. Coach told me afterward I had 51, and I was like wow, I didn’t know I had that many.

Welge: Did you know it tied a school record?

Douglas: Coach told me a little after that. I was shocked. I do remember hearing about Jaden [Schutt’s] 17 3s in a game but I didn’t know that was the school record. I was happy with that.

Welge: You had quite a week. What about the Westmont game?

Douglas: That was our first game back after a tough tournament playing a lot of nationally ranked teams. That game, I was telling the guys we have to take our frustrations out on Westmont, attack them hard and that’s what we did.

Welge: Is it just a matter of shots falling or are you being extra aggressive offensively?

Douglas: My teammates trust me. We have this offense, drive and attack and I was just making the right reads. If I have a shot, I’ll take it. If not, pass. It’s really in the flow of the game. It’s making the right play and the right read.

Welge: It’s obviously a totally different team this year. How have you adjusted to it?

Douglas: Definitely an increased leadership role. We have a lot of inexperienced guys that haven’t played a lot on varsity so I’m trying to get them together. Me being more on teams’ scouting reports, I can’t just catch and shoot. I have to work off screens and pick and rolls. Jaden had a lot of the attention last year. It’s been tougher but I’m adapting to it pretty well.