It’s easy to understand why their Lockport teammates might sometimes struggle to differentiate junior guard Nedas Venckus from his twin brother, Nojus.
Aside from looking extremely alike, the Venckus twins have very similar games. But senior forward Owen Nemecek sees something that makes Nedas stand out.
“Nedas is a little more bouncy,” Nemecek said. “It’s just the way he plays. He gets off the ground more and elevates more. He plays an exciting style and he’s explosive.”
Nedas Venckus certainly showed that Tuesday night. He caught fire for 18 points in the second quarter alone and finished with 26 to lift the host Porters to a 67-49 SouthWest Suburban Conference win over Stagg.
Trace Schaaf added 16 points and five rebounds for Lockport (12-4, 4-2). Nojus Venckus finished with 12 points and six rebounds and Nemecek chipped in with six points.
Mohammad Farhan led Stagg (10-5, 2-2) with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Dovydas Zuperka scored 11 points and Omar Barakat added 10. Petar Zoko had eight points and five rebounds.
The Chargers, who have shown a ton of improvement after winning just one game last season, stayed even with Lockport through one quarter, with the game tied 14-14.
But Nedas Venckus, after missing all three of his first-quarter shots, was unstoppable in the second quarter.
“I missed the first couple and I don’t let it bother me,” Nedas said. “I just keep shooting. I see the first one go in, then the second one, then the third one. Then every possession, I’m looking to get a shot up and I’m thinking every one of them is going in.”
They nearly all did in the second quarter. He hit 7 of his 8 shots, including four 3-pointers, as the Porters took a 36-28 halftime lead.
Lockport coach Dave Wilson knows Nedas can flip the switch quickly.
“He’s an elite shooter,” Wilson said. “One thing that elite shooters have in common is a short-term memory. So, if he misses a couple, it doesn’t matter. He keeps getting shots up and it’s only a matter of time.”
When it comes to him and his twin, Nedas said they’re almost always on the same wavelength.
“Off the court, we’re pretty much similar,” Nedas said. “Everywhere we go, we’re together. When we’re hanging out with friends, we’re always together.”
When it comes to basketball, Nedas believes there are some differences. But the twins don’t always agree on what those are.
“I’d say I’m a better defender,” Nedas said.
That statement elicited a shocked, jaw-dropping reaction from Nojus.
“I definitely disagree with that,” Nojus said. “I think I’m better at staying in front of my man and maybe being smarter.”
Wilson sees many similar strengths in the twins but agreed with Nemecek about Nedas’ different style of play.
“I think Nedas is inherently more aggressive,” Wilson said. “Nojus is more of a thinker. He communicates more on the floor. Nedas is all go, all the time. They’re both extremely competitive and work their tails off, but I’d say Nedas is a bit more assertive.”
Nedas showed Tuesday night how fast he can take over a game. Nojus wasn’t surprised.
“He’s done that,” Nojus said. “He went off in the tournament at Pontiac, too. Once he gets going, he can really get hot. We’ve both been there. I know what it feels like. I know he can do that, too.”
The twins’ chemistry and complementary games have Lockport playing at a high level. After starring as sophomores last season, both believe they are more ready to lead now.
“I feel like we’ve been playing with more confidence,” Nedas Venckus said. “We both try to do whatever is good for us to win.”