Basketball has been part of Lake Zurich senior forward Alex Nowak-Tice’s life for as long as she can remember.

Her father, Brad Tice, a 6-foot-9 forward, played college basketball at Central Florida and Loyola and has been a significant influence.

“I’ve been playing since my eyes were open,” Nowak-Tice said. “I’ve always had a basketball in my hand. I’ve tried other sports, but basketball spoke to me. I had a strong feel for the game.”

The 6-foot-3 Nowak-Tice is showing that more than ever in her fourth varsity season, averaging 10.4 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists for the Bears (14-8, 8-1), who are in second place in the North Suburban Conference.

The Winona State recruit scored 20 points in a conference win against Warren on Dec. 2, grabbed a season-high 16 rebounds in a conference loss to first-place Libertyville on Dec. 12, had 19 points and six rebounds in a loss to Hersey on Dec. 23, and had 18 points, nine rebounds and four assists in a win against Lyons on Jan. 17.

“Alex has grown by leaps and bounds and improved a lot,” Lake Zurich coach Chris Bennett said. “A lot of it was getting that confidence every player gets as a college scholarship player. She realized she can dominate this game, not just react. She can make plays, passes and finishes around the basket. She’s rebounding like a beast.”

Rebounding has been a point of emphasis for Nowak-Tice this season.

“I think my rebounding has excelled compared to the past few years,” she said. “My No. 1 goal is to be the best rebounder on the team or at least get a hand on every ball. … Rebounding is such an important skill you have to have.”

Lake Zurich junior forward Kaitlin Wahlund said Nowak-Tice’s efforts are paying dividends.

“Alex uses her strength to get good positioning in the paint and secure rebounds,” Wahlund said. “Her ability to finish through contact makes her a very reliable scoring option and a dependable post player. She also creates opportunities for her teammates and succeeds during high-pressure situations.”

Lake Zurich senior point guard Layne Nordstrom said Nowak-Tice is also a good leader.

“Alex stays calm under pressure and communicates well with everyone on the team,” Nordstrom said.

As for handling pressure, Tice said he has emphasized the mental side of the sport to help his daughter overcome the highs and lows.

“Pressure is something we’ve talked about throughout her career,” Tice said. “The biggest thing is to have the courage and the preparation to take that shot. Individual pressure in a team game is just something we put in our head. It’s more about never getting too high and never getting too low.

“You have to learn from any mistakes you make, and it’s always on to the next play. Deep breath, visualize and live with the result.”

Nowak-Tice said working with Legos helps too. Figuring out how the pieces fit is a more low-key challenge than hitting a big shot.

“Legos puts my mind at ease when I’m stressed out,” she said. “I will build Legos, especially when I have a bad game or I’m down, or do a puzzle. Both take a lot of time.”

With time, the Bears have rounded into shape, winning five games in a row before a loss to Indiana power Crown Point at Coach Kipp’s Hoopsfest at Benet on Monday.

“The team is playing well now,” Nowak-Tice said. “I think we can make it pretty far this year with the height we have. We have to be one of the tallest teams in Illinois.”

Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/21/basketball-lake-zurich-alex-nowak-tice/