Evan Weslek joins elite Shelter Island athletes

Every so often, there is a standout moment in sports – years in the making – that asks everyone watching to pause and take it in. 

In professional sports, it might be a final home game for a franchise legend or a jersey number being retired. On the high school level, it can be a senior checking into their final home game, or a player scoring their 1,000th career point. But when Evan Weslek was offered this opportunity last Tuesday night, Jan. 20, when he scored his 1,000th varsity point at home against St. Pius V, he declined. Weslek insisted recognition wait until after the game.

It had been a decade since a Shelter Island player reached the milestone. Tristan Wissemann last did so on Jan. 2, 2016, joining a short list that includes names like Kelsey McGayhey, Christopher Evangelista, Cori Cass, and other names that hang on the wall in the Islanders’ gymnasium. Weslek became the eighth Islander to reach the mark.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want the moment. Anyone would, after years of early mornings in the weight room, late nights in the gym, and countless offseason workouts. Reaching 1,000 points is no small feat, and only a handful of athletes ever do it. But Weslek placed the team and the game above all else.

“I started playing basketball in 7th grade,” Weslek told the Reporter following the game. “I really had no intentions of doing anything like this. Tonight, honestly, felt like any other game. I just really wanted to come out with the win.”

After a standout junior high season, Weslek was quickly moved up to the junior varsity and varsity levels as an eighth-grader, where he quickly became a key contributor. Much of that growth, Weslek explained, came from the people who stayed around long after their own playing days ended. 

Cori Cass is one of those figures. Cass surpassed the 1,000 mark and has his jersey number retired, and frequents the gym during the team’s practices to offer guidance to the coaches and players. Tristan Wissemann, who reached the 1,000-point mark before going on to play college hoops, now coaches his own team and has worked with Weslek during recent summers. Former player, longtime head coach, and Shelter Island Athletic Hall of Famer Jay Card Jr. also remains closely involved, attending practices, offering insight, and spending time with the team through the highs and the lows.

“Cory’s been a mentor I can look up to. The way he plays, the way he passes, the way he communicates. I try to translate my game into the way he plays,” Weslek said. “The culture around Shelter Island basketball doesn’t get much better than this,” he added. “The whole community is so supportive. All they want is to see everyone succeed, and that’s what I love about it.”

He was quick to credit those closest to him. “I just really want to thank my parents, our coaches, and my teammates. But especially my parents,” Weslek said. “They have always been there for me, and have been so supportive of basketball. Making my breakfast before a workout, or a late dinner after practice. I couldn’t be more thankful for everything they do for me.”

Then came one final thank-you. “Lastly, I’d like to thank my brother Harrison. He’s been on my side the whole way. During all the struggles, he was always there to pick me up, even when I was too tired to put in the work,” Weslek said, adding, “I’ll always look up to him. Much love.”

Head Coach Michael “Zack” Mundy said moments like Tuesday night reflect years of steady growth. “It’s awesome to say that we’ve coached a player who’s scored 1,000 points,” Coach Mundy said. “Evan has gotten increasingly better every single year. We knew what he could be as soon as he stepped on the court at a practice during his 8th-grade year. Seeing him improve this much is a great feeling.”

The coach also pointed to the scale of the accomplishment. “He’s the number-three scorer in the County right now and number six on Long Island,” he said. “That’s a huge accomplishment coming from a school this small.”

Assistant Coach Matt Dunning said, “Normally in a situation like this, you’d say now the focus shifts, but that was never the case. That was never his goal. Now it’s just him continuing to grow into a leader, which he’s been doing every single day.”

“The sky’s the limit for him,” Coach Mundy said. “Whatever he wants to accomplish, he can accomplish. Evan doesn’t care about the points. He cares about building this program and winning.”