Pewaukee's Nick Janowski taking over games as Pirates chase fourth title

PEWAUKEE – Perhaps Pewaukee Pirates senior guard Nick Janowski is sustaining a few more bumps and bruises this year than last, but he wears them as badges of honor.

He was one of the last out of the building after Thursday's 84-71 win in overtime over Pius XI Catholic, a game that already had gotten a late tip after the JV game and Parent's Night festivities pushed the start past 7:30. Janowski had taken a knee to his left quad late in the first half that flared up on him as the night went on. Adrenaline had gotten him through the second half and overtime to the tune of a 40-point night, but he quickly limped from the locker room to the training room to get ice on it afterward.

"It'll be a day or two thing and I'll be back," Janowski said after the game with a smile. "Just hurts so bad right now."

Life without reigning co-Mr. Basketball winner Milan Momcilovic on the floor with him has meant more attention on Janowski, from opposing defenses and occasionally the training staff. The state's most prolific pick-and-roll duo was broken up by Momcilovic's departure, as the 2023 high school grad is now gaining national attention as a breakout freshman for Iowa State. Losing a versatile wing presence has been a transition for Momcilovic's alma mater, but one Janowski says he and his teammates have embraced.

"Instead of having that second guy we can go to, we have four other guys we can go to," Janowski said. "When I get to my spots, I either hit my shots or they send double or triple (teams) and my teammates are wide open."

Thursday's game presented a unique matchup of players ranked in the top 10 in the state in scoring. Popes senior and Bradley University commit Jaquan Johnson entered the night with a 34.3 scoring average that ranked third according to stats posted to wissports.net, while Janowski (30.6) came into the game ranked eighth. While a critical Woodland Conference West Division win was forefront on his mind, Janowski admitted there was some added motivation to show he was the best with ball in hand.

"At the end of the day I’m all about winning, so whatever it takes to win, but (Johnson)’s a scrappy player. He throws his body into you, he creates contact and gets foul calls. He’s really good at getting to the hoop, so we’ve got to keep him out of the paint better," Janowski said. "All credit to him, he played well, they played well, but at the end of the day, I took it personal and finished the job."

Johnson and Janowski each finished regulation with 33 points as their teams were knotted at 71. But Janowski had seven points in overtime, including a coast-to-coast finish while guarded by Johnson that pushed the lead to 80-71 with a minute left.

"I knew he had four fouls, so if he touched me he was out, so I knew I could attack his hip," Janowski said. "Got around his hip and at that point it was kind of over. I saw an opening, and there was no one at the rim who could stop me."

"Taking over" for the Nebraska commit Janowski is a burden he does not shy away from, but one he also refuses to define merely by taking the most shots.

"Taking over means starting with the ball in my hands, attacking. If it’s there, I take it. If it’s not I draw three (defenders) and my teammates are wide open," Janowski said. "It’s about getting the ball in the right guy’s hands at the right time to make the right play."

In another sense, taking over sole leadership of the Pirates on the floor has meant some adaption of leadership style as well. He described the shared dynamic with Momcilovic a year ago as "good cop, bad cop" with him assuming the latter of those roles. This season, the self-described "authoritarian leader" has taken on a softer approach at times.

"I have had to learn this year to kind of be that Milan, the good cop side of things," Janowski said. "I have to try and be that leader who is picking guys up when they need it, and getting on them when they need it too."

The result is a Pirates team off to a 9-1 start in its quest for a fourth straight WIAA Division 2 state title. Janowski said the win Thursday was one of the more impressive of the season in terms of the fight, rebounding and offensive production throughout the lineup.

"When we can get me at whatever I get, 30, 40, 50 (points), and then we’ve got Luka (Momcilovic) at 15, Karson (Osterman) at 13, Owen (Hake) at 10, rotate it however you want, that is how we win basketball games," Janowski said. "It’s not just me at all, I love my teammates, and they’ve done so much for me, so I give all the credit to them."

It is that kind of team effort that makes a limp to the training table every once in a while all the more tolerable for the Pewaukee star.