Joel Paasch provided valuable practice repetitions during Warren’s run to the Class 4A state championship game last year, a source of pride for a first-year varsity reserve.
Nearly 10 months later, the Blue Devils’ aspirations remain the same, but Paasch is in a much different position as a starter.
“Last year, there were some dudes ahead of me, and I knew that my role was to help get them better in practice,” he said. “Now to be a bigger part of all this means a ton. To make an impact on the game feels great. It’s cool to be getting my shot.”
On the strength of his shot, Paasch begins the week averaging 11.0 points for North Suburban Conference contender Warren (11-1, 2-0). The 6-foot-3 senior guard’s outside shooting has been a key addition to an offense that also features junior guard Jaxson Davis, the reigning Mr. Basketball of Illinois, and steady senior guard Braylon Walker.
“We knew he would be big for us after what we saw in the summer,” Warren coach Zack Ryan said of Paasch. “He’s always been a guy who could really shoot, and he can get hot really fast.”
That was apparent during Warren’s 69-41 win over East Chicago Central of Indiana on Dec. 20, when Paasch hit five 3-pointers in the first quarter and finished with a career-high 24 points.
Then during Warren’s most high-profile game of the young season, a resounding 88-54 win over highly regarded Kenwood in the Big Dipper Tournament championship game at Rich Township on Dec. 30, Davis scored a career-high 51 points, but Paasch added 17 points on 5-for-6 shooting from beyond the arc.
Performances like those provide validation for Paasch, who knew he could be a significant contributor if he got the opportunity.
“I was at every morning open gym we’ve had since freshman and sophomore year,” he said. “I’ve always tried to find ways to get shots up. I love to be in a gym perfecting my shot.”
But Ryan had a challenge for Paasch entering the season.
“You can never have too many guys who can shoot, but we went to him and told him, ‘You don’t want to think of yourself as just a shooting guy,’” Ryan said. “He’s a competitor. We challenged him to become a complete player, and he’s done that.”
Paasch didn’t need to be convinced. He saw what was required to pursue a state title.
“The biggest difference for me from last year to this year is that I’ve gotten a lot better defensively,” he said. “That was a big step for me to take. And on offense, I’m using shot fakes now and then going by guys, which either opens up a drive or I can find someone. I’m finding other ways to contribute.”
Warren senior forward Avonn King, who is Paasch’s teammate for the fourth straight season, has seen not only what Paasch can do between the lines but also how he spreads positivity.
“I don’t think I’ve ever heard him say anything negative,” King said. “I’ve seen him grow a lot, and he always puts his teammates first. A lot of teams could use someone like him who can boost a team up.”
Paasch is also contributing on the boards, averaging 4.0 rebounds. He had eight rebounds, including four on the offensive end, during Warren’s 53-43 come-from-behind win over Marion, Arkansas, in the Big Dipper quarterfinals on Dec. 27. That’s serious production.
“When I can get a lot of rebounds is when we shoot from three and I can tell off the release where the ball will bounce,” Paasch said. “And a lot of teams don’t box out, so that helps allow me to get into position.”
Paasch was an all-state honorable mention as a setter on Warren’s boys volleyball team. He sees parallels between the two sports.
“For one, it’s nice to be able to jump well in both sports,” he said. “Setting a volleyball and shooting a basketball are not different things at all. In volleyball, my job is to get the ball into the right spot for my team, and in basketball it’s important to be able to either place the ball into the basket or work the ball to an open teammate.”
As much as Paasch enjoys playing basketball, volleyball is important to him too. That’s partly because his mother, Kim, an English teacher whose classroom is next to Ryan’s, is the coach of the boys volleyball team. Paasch also plays in doubles tournaments with his father, Patrick, and his younger brother, Kyle, who is a Warren sophomore.
The outlier in the family is Paasch’s older brother, Brandon, who plays tennis at North Central College.
“I had never played organized volleyball until my freshman year, so to have my mom at home to ask questions was great,” Paasch said. “It’s awesome to be able to go to either parent and ask for advice. I trust their knowledge.”
Paasch, who would like to play one of the sports in college, is focused on basketball and helping create more lifelong memories.
“Seeing how the community came together as we made our playoff run was special,” he said. “What I’m happiest about this year is how the team is meshing together on the court. We’ve faced adversity, and I’m proud of how we reacted.”
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter.