Tigers’ Epenesa focuses on present

Among college coaches, Edwardsville’s A.J. Epenesa ranks among the most coveted high school athletes in the nation.

Which sport? Name one.

It’s hard to remember that Epenesa (6-foot-5, 260 pounds) is rated by three football recruiting sites as the top junior defensive end in the country, especially when he dominates on the basketball court.

On Dec. 8, the day he received a scholarship offer to play football from No. 2 Alabama, Epenesa scored 25 points and 16 rebounds to lead Edwardsville to a 63-51 win over Belleville East. He followed up that performance Friday with 30 points and 12 rebounds in a 65-42 win over Belleville West.

There is no such confusion to Epensea, the Belleville News-Democrat Athlete of the Week. He is very clear about his future is in football, where he’ll also considering offers from Oklahoma, Florida State, Illinois and Iowa, among others.

For the here-and-now, however, his focus is basketball.

“I’m playing basketball now, I go into track in the spring, then football,” Epenesa said. “I just try to focus on whatever sport I’m playing at the time.”

Speaking of track, Epenesa excels on that field as well.

As a sophomore last spring, his discus throw of 194-feet, 3-inches at the Collinsville Invitational was the seventh best throw in the nation at the time. He placed second only to Belleville West’s Rickey Nelson at the Illinois Class 3A State Track and Field Meet.

That ability to live in the moment, says Edwardsville head basketball coach Mike Waldo, is what sets Epenesa apart from other exceptional athletes, even with college recruiters from three sports at his doorstep.

“I’ve told people that A.J. can be an example to all of us,” said Waldo, now in his 27th season at Edwardsville. “You can waste a lifetime away thinking about what you’re going to do next, but A.J. has been able to focus on enjoying the moment, appreciating the opportunity to play.

“When you can still enjoy the game and working hard to get better, the rest has a way of taking care of itself.”

All said, Epenesa is averaging 17.3 points per game for the 5-2 Tigers. His 13.2 rebounds ranks third in the St. Louis region and tops in the metro-east.

It’s not all offense for Epenesa, who has a basketball offer on the table from Eastern Illinois. From the post, Epenesa has 18 assists for the Tigers, second only to point guard Mark Smith. He also averages more than one steal per game.

In Friday’s win against Belleville West, Epenesa fed junior sharp-shooter Oliver Stephen on three of his five 3-point baskets.

“A.J. is very smart and he can apply his intelligence to the game,” Waldo said. “He does a good job scoring when he has the opportunity, but if he’s doubled he does a good job picking out who’s open and kicking the ball out. That takes intelligence and poise under pressure.”

Such poise is what’s helping Epenesa manage the crush of attention he’s receiving. That ability to stay in the moment, enjoy the game he’s playing and letting the future take care of itself has as much to do with Epenesa’s success as his athletic ability, Waldo says.

“A.J.’s best characteristics are his personal traits, “ said Waldo. “He truly appreciates the opportunity just to play and he appreciates being coached. Along with that, he’s very thoughtful and is consequently an excellent teammate. The kids on the team like him, and it’s not just because of what he does as an athlete, they respect him.”

This story was originally published December 16, 2015 at 3:43 PM with the headline "Tigers’ Epenesa focuses on present."