Athlete Spotlight: Jonathan Nicely

When Evans High School senior Jonathan Nicely hits the basketball court, his opponents are out to stop him.

//

But wanting to do something and actually accomplishing it are two different things, Evans basketball Coach Kevin Kenny said.

"If it's a big guy that tries to block him, he's fast enough to just work him outside," Kenny said of the 17-year-old. "If it's a small guy, he'll just post up on him."

For Nicely, it's about teamwork.

He said he knows other teams tend to focus on him, but his teammates always rise to the challenge.

"They're always there to step up their game if I'm having a hard time," he said.

"I know I can count on them and they can count on me."

Nicely, at 6 feet, 5 inches tall and 190 pounds, is averaging 16 points, seven rebounds and two blocks per game.

During the first round of the recent Firehouse Subs Classic basketball tournament, he posted 30 points against Lincoln County.

"He's an incredible athlete," Kenny said. "He has a lot of options open to him."

Nicely's options lean more toward football.

As a star wide receiver for the Knights, Nicely has been approached by football recruiters from Coastal Carolina University, Illinois University and University of Connecticut.

Though he enjoys football, Nicely said he'd rather continue his sports career by playing basketball on a collegiate level.

"It's what I grew up with," he said. "My brothers played basketball. My mom played basketball. My father played basketball."

The youngest of five boys, Nicely said his elder brothers instructed him early in the ways of the game.

"They taught me everything," he said. "They taught he how to shoot, to block, to dribble, to pass. Everything."