Record Newspapers Athlete of the Week: Jayden Riley, Yorkville Christian, basketball, sophomore

Name: Jayden Riley

School: Yorkville Christian, sophomore

Sport: Basketball

Why he was selected: Riley scored 27 points in a win over Hiawatha, and also scored 27 points in a loss to Bosco Prep. He was chosen as the Athlete of the Week in an online vote. Here is his interview with Joshua Welge.

Welge: What’s the adjustment been like playing for a new team at a new school? Why did you decide to come to Yorkville Christian [transferring from Oswego)?

Riley: I came to Yorkville Christian to improve my academics. Last year, as a freshman, it was hard for me to balance basketball and schoolwork. Transferring to a smaller school helps me focus on what’s important and improve my academics. Also, Yorkville Christian has players that have gone D1, like Jaden Schutt and DJ Douglas. My goal is to go to a high D1 school.

Welge: You’ve put up some really impressive numbers this year. How do you feel your game has grown this year?

Riley: I feel like my game has grown a lot this year. I’m making better decisions with the ball and I’m in the gym a lot more. I also think my mindset has changed this year to show everyone that I can be one of the best players in the state.

Welge: You have a nice midrange game. How did you develop it?

Riley: I would say that I was at AAU practice with M14. My coach, Matt Miller, told me that I was going to have to develop some type of midrange/floater game because I wouldn’t be able to get to the basket all the way at the next level, and also just by getting shots up before school and after school.

Welge: You guys have a very young team, with no seniors and starting two freshmen. What do you think are some areas the team can continue to get better at? How has the team already improved?

Riley: We can improve on a lot of things, but we feel that if we want to make a run in the playoffs and just win in general we have to improve on our rebounding and communication. We have moments as a team where we talk and play well, but not consistently. So I would say we would have to play a full game of just being able to execute and just play our way. The Don Bosco game really opened our eyes as a team. The game was close, and we played our style, and I think that game is going to help us with the rest of the season because that game showed what we are capable of.

Welge: Do you have a favorite basketball player or team you like to watch?

Riley: My favorite player is Allen Iverson because he could handle the ball really well and he had a midrange game. He was also a small guard, but my favorite thing about him was how he led his team to the finals, which shows that he was a leader.

Welge: What’s your favorite TV show or movie?

Riley: My favorite movie is “Like Mike” because he gets really good just by wearing shoes.

Welge: What’s a favorite food or meal?

Riley: Chicken tenders and sugar cookies.