Thornton’s Dakari Nesbitt is used to taking a 3-pointer and thinking “nothing but net.” In the first half, though, he took a shot from beyond the arc that missed everything and hit the floor. Nesbitt wasn’t about to lose his confidence or stop shooting Friday night. But the precocious freshm an point guard also felt like that stretch sounded a warning alarm inside of him. “I was pretty devastated during that first half,” Nesbiit said, nodding his head. “I just knew that I had to turn it up and get my team involved. And the coaches saw I was pretty dry. “I had to start making great plays and hitting my shots when we got out to the third quarter.” Nesbitt got going from there, scoring 18 of his game-high 23 points in the second half to spark the host Wildcats to a 72-39 Southland Athletic Conference win over Crete-Monee in Harvey. Senior guard Kobe Stevenson contributed 11 points and four steals for Thornton (11-11, 7-3), while sophomore forward DeAndre Higgs added eight points. Thornton’s Dakari Nesbitt (5) puts up a shot over Crete-Monee’s Kyhree Burton (22) during a Southland Athletic Conference game in Harvey on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (Troy Stolt / Daily Southtown) Senior forward Joe Jones led Crete-Monee (12-15, 3-8) with 17 points and eight rebounds. Senior guard Markell Slaughter-Harris hit two 3-pointers in scoring eight points. The dynamic 5-foot-10 Nesbitt put on a show in the third quarter, making three 3-pointers and scoring 11 points. His double-clutch 3-pointer at the buzzer punctuated a 25-8 run. “He’s a great shooter,” Stevenson said. “It really helps with my game because I like to get into the paint, drive and get to the basket. Teams have to watch out for his shot “That lets me get into the lane or do what I like out there.” Thornton’s Dakari Nesbitt (5) drives to the basket as Crete-Monee’s Jayden Speed (1) defends during a Southland Athletic Conference game in Harvey on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (Troy Stolt / Daily Southtown) Nesbitt’s personal best is a 30-point game this season. His rapid success is hardly a shock to coach Tai Streets. “He’s as tough as they come,” Streets said. “He’s just getting better and better every game. He has great moxie. He thinks he can do anything on the court and we love that swagger.” Nesbitt built a reputation even before he arrived at Thornton. He led his Calumet City middle school team to a state championship in eighth grade. “Some kids, you just see it in them, they have quality about them,” Streets said. “I knew watching him he could come in here and play right away.” Thornton’s Kobe Stevenson (24) goes up for a layup against Crete-Monee during a Southland Athletic Conference game in Harvey on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (Troy Stolt / Daily Southtown) Nesbitt, who notched four assists and three steals, flashed both a sense of how to score and also get his teammates involved Friday. His outside shot helped clear the decks, opening up avenues. “It felt great,” he said. “I know when I start hitting my shots is when I’m starting to get the rest of the team involved. I like to play as a team player. You have to be a leader on the court “Even if I’m getting my shot, I still have to get the team involved.You can’t be a selfish player..” Shy and quiet off the court, Nesbitt likes to draw and listen to music. His confidence is a clear byproduct of being the youngest of seven kids. His five brothers and a sister all played basketball. ”They really made me tougher,” he said. “They always pushed me to be who I am. They were hard on me and they never made it easy. They yelled at me. They pushed me around. Thornton’s Dakari Nesbitt (5) heads to the basket through a crowd of players against Crete-Monee during a Southland Athletic Conference game in Harvey on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (Troy Stolt / Daily Southtown) “It was tough at times, but I realized they all did that to get my brain and my mentality ready.” In the tight-knit basketball circles of the Southland, most of the players grow up playing together. And Nesbitt isn’t one to back down. “I told myself when I came to high school I was not going to be scared,” he said. “I wasn’t going to play behind anybody and I was going to do whatever I could.” Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown. ...read more read less