Local News |

Jon Kreidler overcomes scary injury to give Prospect his best shot

Jon Kreidler had one persistent goal as a high school newcomer.

“My goal was to be a starter on my high school team,” he said. “I wasn’t going to let that stop me.”

By “that,” Kreidler means the health obstacles he had to overcome to accomplish his goal. Kreidler, a 6-foot-3 junior forward, is a main cog in Prospect’s pursuit of a 20-win season and ninth Mid-Suburban League East title in the last 11 years.

With David Swedura as the only returning starter from last season’s MSL East championship team, the Knights had plenty of spots to fill, and Kreidler has stepped in capably. He scored a team-high 14 points, pulled down eight rebounds and added three assists to lead Prospect to a 52-46 win against Fremd on Jan. 9 in Palatine.

Kreidler said contributing to a winning basketball team is something he doesn’t take for granted.

Three years ago, Kreidler said he suffered a serious injury while playing eighth-grade travel basketball when he collided with another player. He missed six months and did not return until December of his freshman year.

“I was at a practice and got hit in the neck and went numb from the waist up, so I had to do physical therapy a lot,” Kreidler said. “It was tough. I thought I couldn’t play anymore, but I came back stronger and better. I worked hard with my physical therapy and want to keep getting better this year and next year.”

The Knights, led by Swedura at point guard, have plenty of players who can handle the ball and play on the perimeter. Kreidler, meanwhile, is a key contributor at forward despite being a bit on the small side for the position. The Knights don’t have a true threat in the low post, so Kreidler creates scoring chances by stretching the defense out to the 3-point line and then using the extra space to attack the rim.

Kreidler, the only junior starter for Prospect (11-4, 4-0 Mid-Suburban East as of Thursday), drained a pair of 3-pointers in the first quarter against Fremd.

“Jon is undersized, but he plays hard and he’s been an enormous part why we’re 11-4 right now,” Prospect coach John Camardella said. “His ability to finish inside and get those easy buckets is a luxury to have. He finishes extremely well around the hoop.”

Kreidler plays a pick-and-pop role in the Knights’ offense. His shooting ability helps open up driving lanes for Swedura, who had 13 points against Fremd, and his other teammates.

“(Jon) is a great help to our team when he’s scoring like (the Fremd game),” Swedura said. “He’s a really smart player.”

Kreidler is averaging 8.6 points and 3.2 rebounds per game and is shooting 70 percent from inside the arc. He’s also shooting 41 percent on 3-pointers.

“He’s our utility guy and gets the absolute most out of his talent,” Camardella said. “He’s stepped into a major role and been a great contributor.”

After not playing on varsity last season, Kreidler, a year-round basketball player, anticipated a reserve role for his junior season. Little did he realize he would spur the Knights to a road victory against Fremd, a team that won the MSL last season and finished fourth in Class 4A.

“Once coach told me I would be starting this year, I just knew I had to play hard every game,” Kreidler said. “I just try and work my game inside-out but start inside first and develop my outside shot. I’ve gained a lot of confidence this year that has helped me a lot.”

Bob Narang is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.

Twitter @Pioneer_Press