Argo’s Darron Greer Jr. Dominates, Leads Team to Decisive Victory Over Universal
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A dominant performance by senior forward Darron Greer Jr. propelled the Argo Argonauts to a 74-42 win over Universal on Dec. 19, showcasing a rising star in Illinois high school basketball. Greer Jr.’s consistent scoring and emerging leadership are quickly becoming hallmarks of the Argonauts’ season.
Greer Jr.’s Stellar Performance
Despite playing only three quarters, Greer Jr. led all scorers with 27 points, alongside six rebounds, four assists, and three steals. This performance builds on a recent string of impressive outings, including back-to-back 27 and 28-point games against TF North and Chicago Christian, and 23 points against Oak Forest. According to the Argonauts’ coach, Greer Jr. is currently averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds per game.
“Darron has been putting up outstanding numbers,” the coach stated. “He’s gotten better every year. The challenge of any young kid is how do they lead and he’s working on that. He’s being challenged with that every day.”
Team Effort Fuels Argo’s Success
While Greer Jr.’s individual brilliance is undeniable, the victory was far from a one-man show. Adrian Lee-Horton contributed 12 points, while Adam El Hadi and Ian Hernandez each added nine points, and Joseph Navarez chipped in with eight. The Argonauts’ improved ball movement and collective play were key to overcoming recent struggles.
“We’ve been struggling a little bit the last couple of games with moving the ball around and playing collectively as a team,” Greer Jr. explained. “We just really needed to get a good win and have a game where we trust everybody so that we can continue to excel.”
Greer Jr. emphasized his role in fostering this team-oriented approach, stating, “Since I’m a leader, I feel like I have to initiate certain things first in order to get everyone going.”
Building a Lead and Expanding the Advantage
The Argonauts established control early, leading 24-16 after the first quarter. An 18-7 run extended their advantage to 42-23 late in the second quarter, capped by a lefthanded layup from Greer Jr. He has been diligently working on expanding his offensive repertoire.
“My strengths are my driving, and I worked all summer on shooting the mid-range jumper,” Greer Jr. said. “Taking somebody off the bounce and going right into a mid-range is probably another one of my strengths now.”
Universal briefly threatened in the third quarter, narrowing the gap to 48-33 with a 3-pointer. However, Argo responded with a decisive 16-3 run, sealed by a runner from Lee-Horton.
Universal’s Performance and Argo’s Defensive Focus
AbuBakr Hasan led Universal with 13 points, including three 3-pointers, while Zedan Said added nine points. Despite the loss, the coach acknowledged the strength of the Universal team.
“Record-wise, I think they’re one of the better Universals teams in the last couple of years,” the coach noted. “We knew on film that their best scorers were going to be (No.) 1 (Said) and (No.) 13 (Hasan).”
The coach also highlighted a halftime adjustment focused on containing Universal’s key players. “At halftime, they had 17 of their 26 points and I challenged the guys. They knew who their best players were and to lock in on them defensively. We wanted to share the ball and go from there.”
With a record of 4-6, Argo is demonstrating a promising trajectory, fueled by the exceptional play of Darron Greer Jr. and a growing commitment to teamwork.
