Freeman-Liberty – Whatever It Takes

Valparaiso Sophomore Is All In

(St. Louis, MO) – Javon Freeman-Liberty almost sat out this season. Instead the Valparaiso super sophomore has risen above the competition for Missouri Valley Conference ‘Player of the Year‘ by doing whatever it takes to push his short-handed Crusaders to victory.

Heading into their final non-conference game, Freeman-Liberty leads the Valley in scoring (21.8) and steals (2.3) and he ranks in the league’s top ten in rebounding, assists (both ninth) and made three-pointers (sixth). He is a transcendent player.

After a spectacular freshman season, Freeman-Liberty was named to the Valley’s All-Freshman and All-Defensive Teams. His 60 steals led the conference. Then, he almost left Valpo.

During an offseason that saw Derrik Smits, Jaume Sorolla, Bakari Evelyn and Markus Golder leave, coach Matt Lottich almost witnessed the departure of the best Valpo player since Alec Peters. Valpo misses those other players, but losing Freeman-Liberty would have been crushing.

For reasons never made known, Freeman-Liberty announced he was leaving. After offseason conversations with his mother (Deanna Liberty) and his famous uncle Marcus Liberty. He chose to return.

The 6’3 Freeman-Liberty is extremely close to his mother and his uncle. Marcus Liberty is one of the State of Illinois’ all-time great high school players. He was a 1987 McDonald’s All-American and was the ‘Parade Magazine’ national ‘Player of the Year’.

Javon’s uncle went on to play at Illinois where he was a part of the Illini squad that went to the 1989 Final Four. Marcus Liberty played four NBA seasons.

Their bond is very close. Freeman-Liberty says they talk daily and about more than just basketball. By-the-way, his thoughts about leaving Valparaiso were never about coach Lottich whom he describes as a family friend and a ‘players coach’.

 

 

Doing Whatever It Takes

Losing all those veterans was a blow. Then losing the team’s returning leading scorer Ryan Fazekas, during the team’s third game was a gut punch. Freeman-Liberty is unfazed and says the Crusaders just keep doing whatever it takes to win.

Today, the Crusaders battle Arkansas in Little Rock. While the odds are against this Valley squad, Freeman-Liberty says it presents a great opportunity.

“We can prove a lot of people wrong,” he says. “It is exciting to play an SEC team, but all we have to do is go ahead and play our game.”

Freeman-Liberty has nearly doubled his last season scoring average from 11.0 per game to just under 22. His rebounds and steals are higher too. He has already made more triples than all of last season. After topping the 20-point mark once last season, the Chicago native has done so seven times in the team’s first 12 contests.

Why the explosive outputs?

“I’m just trying to do whatever it takes for us to win,” he humbly says. “If we need rebounds, I need to get them, if we need points, I need to score them. If we need a steal, I have to grab one.”

Concerning is exploding steals totals, he merely says that comes down to hard work.

Valpo (7-5) has knocked off the two preseason favorites to win the MAC’s West Division (Toledo and Central Michigan) and the team to finish second in the WAC (Grand Canyon). Close, hard fought losses at Saint Louis (when they lost Fazekas) and an overtime game to Cincinnati indicate the Crusaders have the ability to compete at high levels.

While no one else averages double figures in scoring and the Brown and Gold lack a true center, Freeman-Liberty has faith in his team.

Gritty Teammates

Freeman-Liberty says the Crusaders are a tight bunch and they believe in one another.

He says transfers Nick Robinson (7.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game) and Eron Gordon (20 points against High Point) are guys that ‘fight until the end’.

“They talk to us everyday about how hard we have to play everyday,” he says.

The team doesn’t have a true center, so forward Mileek McMillan (8.5 ppg) is playing there. Freeman-Liberty says Valpo uses that to their advantage.

“We just have to play smarter,” said the sophomore. “We can’t get in foul trouble. What makes him (Mileek) so special is we’ve got him playing the five. A lot of people really can’t guard him, so that’s a big advantage. We can get their big men in foul trouble.”

Fellow sophomore Daniel Sackey is Freeman-Liberty’s back court running mate. He leads the team and is second in the Valley in assists (4.9 per game). The Whitney Young graduate says his Canadian teammate is very important.

“He is a very important piece to this team,” he said. “Daniel guards you and can do everything with the ball. He can pass it and shoot it. He’s an energy guy who can do it all.”

Senior John Kiser was a freshman walk on. This season he is averaging seven points per game and is second to Freeman-Liberty in rebounds with 5.1 per contest. The star says of Kiser, an ultimate ‘glue type of guy’, that he is ‘always ready to work’. Of players in the Valpo regular rotation, Kiser is third in assists, second in three-point percentage and third in minutes played.

How High Can He Go?

This observer sees former Loyola star Milton Doyle (but with better defense) when he watches Freeman-Liberty. They were both City of Chicago stars that are great in the open floor. They have adequate size and significant athleticism. Freeman-Liberty might be more explosive and Doyle might have been a better shooter earlier in his career.

This young man seems to have his feet on the ground and limitless potential, and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to succeed.

Do Good

 

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