Oswego East junior Dennis made a name for himself with huge junior season
Ray J Dennis inherited the name.
The game, though, is all his.
"That's what the J stands for, is junior. They call my dad Ray, so instead of calling me Ray Jr. they call me Ray J," Dennis said, "He played in high school, too, but he was a baseball player."
The younger Dennis sure made a name for himself on the basketball court this winter. With a smooth style that fits his name, and a jumper that could be his middle name, Dennis helped Oswego East open eyes.
The Wolves lost just twice between the second week of December and first week of March. They beat every other top team in the Southwest Prairie Conference – Romeoville, Joliet Central and Plainfield East – during a two-week stretch in February to finish tied for second in the league.
"We had a really good season, one of the best seasons Oswego East has ever had," said Dennis, a 6-foot-2 junior guard, "but we came up a little short in the regional championship which we had in mind winning. That game will add a lot of fuel to the fire for next year."
Fueling Oswego East's rise this year, Dennis is the Record/Ledger Newspapers Player of the Year. He averaged a team-high 17.2 points and 4.9 assists per game, was third on the team in rebounds (4.3) and made 66 3-pointers at a 39 percent rate for the 20-8 Wolves.
"When we needed some big shots he was able to provide it," Oswego East coach Ryan Velasquez said. "He hit a big shot to beat Plainfield East at their place. He's a guy not afraid to take those shots. That's encouraging to see as a junior."
It's the confidence of a young man with athletics in the DNA.
Dennis' cousin just won a state basketball title in Oklahoma. His uncle played college and pro football.
Dennis grew up in District 308, but opted to attend Montini his first two years of high school. He felt the call home last summer.
It proved a good fit with other talented underclassmen like sophomore Sam Schultz and junior Kamron Battle.
"I was ready to come back and play in my home town," Dennis said. "It was more of a family environment. I was able to click with the guys."
He certainly clicked as the season wore on.
Dennis scored a career-high 32 points in an overtime win over Oswego, and 31 against Plainfield East. He scored 14 of his 23 points during a spectacular first quarter against Plainfield Central, and hit six straight shots in a regional rematch with Oswego.
"I haven't seen a kid shoot like that in a long time," Oswego coach Chad Pohlmann said. "The second half of the season he was incredible."
Dennis, to his credit, didn't let success get to his head.
In February, Oswego East football coach Tyson LeBlanc tweeted that he walked into the school gym at 6:30 a.m. and saw Dennis working on his game, all by himself.
It wasn't unusual.
"He knows what it takes – a lot of hard work while others are sleeping," Velasquez said. "That's a credit to his character and work ethic."
His sweet jump shot was indeed honed through hours shooting with his dad, or in the gym, and he isn't about to stop now. A focus now is Dennis' diet, to add muscle to his wiry frame.
"Our work here isn't done," Dennis said.
His work has already put him on the Division I radar. Dennis received his first offer, from Northern Illinois, in February. He visited Butler in December. He's recently had contact with Drake, and also been in touch with Lafayette, Wisconsin-Green Bay and IUPUI.
Dennis, who is joining the Team Rose AAU club this year, plans to take more visits in May.
"I think my decision will come in time," Dennis said. "If I can get an offer, or the one I have, I might be ready to commit early. I have no preference."