Grayslake Central’s Aidan Bechard has been paying attention.
Putting in the work in the weight room and the gym aren’t the only reasons for the 6-foot-2 senior guard’s ascension in the program.
“I remember watching the guys before me, and what really struck me was how they led off the court, whether it’s how they were in the classroom or the examples they set in the hallways,” he said. “Now I try to be respectful of everyone, lead by example and especially try to be vocal.”
A complementary player on the Rams’ Northern Lake County Conference championship team last year, Bechard quickly established himself as a go-to teammate both on and off the court this season.
Bechard ensures everyone is on the same page, and that can be as simple as repeating what’s coming from coach Brian Centella and his staff.
“Things like echoing the calls that coach makes, especially when we inbound the ball after the other team scores, or calling out matchups at free throws when subs come in, doing things like that can lead to a free basket or make an opponent’s possession harder — the things we pride ourselves on to make smart, winning plays,” Bechard said.
Bechard, who averages 6.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steal for the Rams (11-5, 5-0), isn’t trying to be splashy.
“I take pride in doing the little things well,” he said ahead of a showdown at conference co-leader Wauconda on Wednesday. “Coach always talks about being the star in our own role, and I try to do what I do well and do it to 100% of my ability.”
No one outhustles Bechard.
“Aidan’s fairly soft-spoken and is as polite as you can be, but he’s an absolute competitor on the basketball court,” Centella said. “We preach in our program that you have to play hard to succeed, and not everyone knows what that truly means.
“Down the road, I’m going to show clips of him playing hard as an example. He’s so valuable and gives us so much flexibility.”
Bechard also guards the opposing team’s top scorer, regardless of that player’s physical makeup.
“I love the responsibility of being expected to excel on defense, and I take a lot of pride in knowing that the coaches and my teammates trust me to do that,” he said. “Always having the opportunity to guard someone who’s very skilled is a challenge, but it’s a fun challenge.”
Bechard confronts a wide variety of skill sets in his defensive assignments but relies on certain fundamentals in every matchup.
“I think I do a really good job of anticipating where the ball is going to be,” he said. “I also have pretty good hands and have gotten good at helping if someone gets beat and then recovering back to my man.”
Bechard’s teammates know he will always be there for them.
“In practice, if a coach is getting on us for not doing a drill correctly, he’ll explain what we’re not doing correctly in a calm and clear way,” junior point guard Alex Wolff said.
“Earlier in the year, we were doing a scramble drill on defense where you have to find your new man. I wasn’t doing it very well, and I asked him which rotation to go to, and he put it in a different way that clicked. He’s always willing to help and helps us see what a leader is.”
That’s music to Bechard’s ears. Basketball is his only sport, and he pours every ounce of energy into helping meet the high expectations that follow four straight 20-win seasons.
“Riding the bus over the holidays, it crept into my head that we’re halfway through the season, and it has felt like a blur,” Bechard said. “The success and standard we have was set by guys before me, and I want to repeat that or even raise it for future generations.”
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter.