Jakob Blakely can score 30 or 40 points if the occasion calls for it.
The Payton senior has been doing it all season long.
But he can also impact a game in other ways when the Grizzlies get offense elsewhere, as they did on Tuesday.
Blakely, who came in averaging 31 points a game, provided 18 points, eight rebounds and sticky defense as Payton beat visiting Carver 61-49 in the first round of the Public League playoffs.
Kai Fogelson had a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Grizzlies (9-13), while Myles Townsend scored 12.
Blakely’s contributions don’t even end on the court.
“He’s probably the funniest guy I know,” Fogelson said. “He just brings up the team chemistry and brings up our mood. He leads us through everything.”
Blakely isn’t shoot-first, especially now that Fogelson is back at full strength after dealing with a variety of injuries earlier in the season.
The Division I recruit — he’s heading to LeMoyne — shot 8-for-16 on Tuesday, a typical shooting line for him.
Having Fogelson healthy is a game changer for the Grizzlies, Blakely said. “Especially when they come double me — I’m a shooter, I can kick it out. And then to just rely on him to make shots has just been amazing.”
So are Blakely’s scoring numbers, which have been well beyond what he envisioned coming into the season.
“I was honestly just expecting to come in and play basketball for Payton and just do my best to try to get a win every single day,” Blakely said. ”But I’ve been really thankful for the numbers I’ve been able to put up for sure.”
Ditto for Grizzlies coach Reggie Bates.
“Jakob Blakely has had probably the top senior season of any guard in the Chicago Public League,” Bates said. “He’s just a winner, he does whatever the team needs. We got a couple of our shooters going [Tuesday] and he fed the hot hand. That’s what leaders do, he’s a selfless kid.”
Payton never trailed, going up 31-20 at halftime and stretching its lead to as many as 19 in the fourth quarter.
Jamari Milner scored a game-high 21 points for Carver (13-10), while Zoquan Lee had 16 points and eight rebounds. Trevion Shatteen added four points, 11 rebounds and four blocks.
It’s been an emotional season for the Challengers. They won the White South to earn promotion to the Red next season. But longtime coach Johnnail Evans, who beat cancer twice, died on Dec. 30 at the age of 61.
“He’s one one of the great coaches of all time, but even better one of the great people of all time,” Antonio Wiltz, who took over as Carver’s interim coach after Evans’ death, said earlier this season.
The Grizzlies, meanwhile, have had some ups and downs, including a six-game losing streak. But they also have quality wins over Westinghouse and Lincoln Park.
“We’ve been playing well,” Bates said. “The second half of the season we’ve hit our stride. I know we go into a juggernaut of probably Curie in the next round. But we play tough competition all season. That’s what Red West basketball is all about and we look forward to the new challenges.”