Lancers’ Pickett among headliners in talented group of Belleville juniors

Javon Pickett was a freshman watching from the bench two years ago when the Belleville East Lancers last won 20 games and a regional championship.

Then the keys to the future of Lancers basketball were handed to him, classmate Rico Sylvester and others on a young, athletic but unproven roster. Picket led East in scoring at 14.3 points per game, but the Lancers limped to their worst finish in more than 20 years.

“It was a bumpy road for us last year because we were young,” Pickett recalled.

Now the 6-foot-4 Picket ranks among headliners in a talented Belleville Class of 2017 that includes Sylvester, Belleville’s West’s Tyler Dancy and Althoff’s Jordan Goodwin, among others.

His junior season debut was one for the books — Pickett scored 41 points against Springfield at the Centralia Thanksgiving Tournament. He went on to score 25 against Mascoutah and 20 more in a loss to Centralia to earn all-tournament and Belleville News-Democrat Athlete of the Week honors.

“When Javon was a freshman, we had a really good team and he didn’t get an opportunity,” said East third-year coach Abel Schrader. “But we knew he would be a good player and that he was a guy we’d be looking toward to build the program.

“He improved overall his game from last year. The one thing we need from him is consistency and in that tournament, he was consistent on the offensive end for us.”

Through four games, Pickett’s 24 points-per-game average is second in the metro-east only to Greenville’s David Holden, who scored 30 points in the only game the Comets have played.

He’s more than a scorer, though. Last season, Pickett led the Lancers with 6.4 rebounds per game, blocked shots with 14, and steals with 46. His 2.33 assists per game was second on the team.

Pickett says another year and summer of AAU basketball under his belt can only help.

“It’s a year later, though, so I feel like we’ve matured more, especially after a summer playing AAU,” he said. “There was a lot of competition out there. It just feels like I’m another year older and can help out with the younger guys showing them what I’ve learned. Our seniors have a lot to offer me, too, from their experience.”

Greater team depth, also will help Pickett, Schrader says. The Lancers also will get scoring from Sylvester (11 points per game last season), senior Jalen Jones (8.2 points) and senior point guard Drew Millas (6.6 points).

“Javon sticks out because he has the ability to score from mulitple spots on the floor. He can post up, he has a mid-range game, he’s a very good slasher to the basket, he’s improved his outside shot,” Schrader said. “He’s just a tough matchup one-on-one. We’re fortunate, though, because as teams try to take him away, we’ve got other guys who can score.”

Currently rated a three-star recruit by rivals.com, Pickett has been courted by Illinois, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Alabama-Birmingham, Cincinnati, Kansas State, and Creighton. He says, however, that he likely won’t commit to a college before the summer.

“It’s a great period because there is a lot of competition,” he said. “I can’t wait to play Althoff. There is a lot of competition over there and I like playing against those guys. I’ve known them since I was a young kid. Jordan (Goodwin) are getting recruited by the same schools, so we talk and have a nice bond.”

This story was originally published December 1, 2015 at 6:59 PM with the headline "Lancers’ Pickett among headliners in talented group of Belleville juniors."