Stagg’s Petar Zoko took a year off from basketball for personal reasons, but the Chargers herd has been very welcoming since his return.

“No issues,” Stagg coach Marty Strus said of Zoko rejoining the team this season.

“He’s a great addition and he’s done a lot for us,” junior Mohammad Farhan said. “Like, it shocked me when he did not play.”

After winning one game last season, Stagg jumped out to a 10-2 start this winter with Zoko back in the fold.

One of his better games came in a 61-53 win over St. Charles East at Sandburg’s Shot Clock Charity Shootout on Dec. 20.

The senior scored 12 points — including a contested, buzzer-beating 3-pointer at halftime — and grabbed four rebounds. He might not always be the top scorer, but usually makes impactful plays for the Chargers.

“He has some things you can’t coach, you can’t teach,” Strus said. “He just keeps getting better as the year goes on and as he’s gotten reacclimated to playing organized basketball.”

“I was winded going into practices, and it took a bit to get back into rhythm,” Zoko said. “Being back with the guys and playing has been great.”

Farhan, who had 20 points and seven rebounds vs. St. Charles East, has long appreciated his teammate.

“Playing with Petar before, I thought he was just the best player I ever saw play basketball,” Farhan said. “I’m glad he’s back.”

So is Zoko, who is excited to see what the Chargers can accomplish this season.

“We all know we are a good team,” Zoko said. “Whether nothing is going good or everything is going good, we know how to keep our confidence.”

Helping hand

Sandburg coach John Daniels surrounds himself with assistants he trusts deeply who step in to coach in-game at times.

A big part of the Eagles’ defensive success is assistant coach Bob Curran, a longtime head coach at Thornwood, Lincoln-Way North and Lincoln-Way Central.

“He deserves all the credit,” Daniels said of Curran, who led Thornwood to a pair of state trophies (second in Class AA in 2003 and fourth in AA in 2006). “They should get rid of me and thank him. The defense is much better.”

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