By JOHN BOHNENKAMP

J.J. Kalakon found a new home in an old home.

And the Western Illinois senior guard is glad he’s still with the Leathernecks.

Kalakon has become a key player for the Leathernecks, who are in second place in the Ohio Valley Conference heading into this weekend’s home games against Little Rock and UT-Martin.

“Basketball defines J.J., and he’s done a great job of stepping in,” Western Illinois coach Chad Boudreau said. “He was someone I thought could help us, but I’m glad he’s playing at the level he’s playing at.”

Kalakon averages 8.3 points per game overall this season, but in OVC play he is averaging 12.4 points and 6.1 rebounds. He is coming off a two-game road stretch in which he had 25 points in last Thursday’s 79-71 win at Lindenwood and 15 points in Saturday’s 76-55 win at Southeast Missouri State.

A season ago, he played in just 21 games, averaging 8.3 minutes. This season, he has been a starter for the last 14 games.

“Bigger role, more playing time,” Kalakon said when asked the difference between the two seasons. Coach is different, everything’s different. It’s fun. It’s a blessing.”

What makes Kalakon so important for the Leathernecks, Boudreau said, is his versatility, something he saw in Kalakon when he played at Triton College.

“He’s universal,” Boudreau said. “He can play everywhere, guard everybody.”

That versatility, Kalakon said, came from his days playing basketball in the park growing up in Louisville, Ky.

“I think I’ve always had that grittiness,” he said. “You had to play to get on the court, so what are you going to do? Everyone wants to score, but you’ve got to play defense and rebound, and just build on that.”

“He’s tough, he wants to mix it up,” Boudreau said. “He’s so good at everything, and he needs to keep doing everything. He’s not just a jump shooter, he’s not just a driver, he’s not just a post player, he’s everything.

“And when he’s everything, he’s really good.”

Kalakon, though, was tested last season when he didn’t get much playing time.

“It was pretty hard,” Kalakon said. “I had never really faced adversity through basketball. There was a life lesson through it, and I’m grateful for that. But it was pretty tough.”

“He’s a tough kid,” Boudreau said. “And last year was hard on him mentally.”

Kalakon was going to leave after last season, but when head coach Rob Jeter left for Southern Utah and Boudreau was promoted to the Leathernecks’ head coaching job, Kalakon decided to stay.

“Coach Boudy, the coaching staff, some of the players, they said they wanted me here,” Kalakon said. “I was a little iffy about it after everything last year. But the coaches, they wanted me here.”

“Before I got the job, he was leaving,” Boudreau said. “He was close to graduating, so after I got the job we sat down and I talked to him about coming back. One, it was about getting him graduated. But two, it was him getting back to the player he was two years ago.

“He’s really flourished, and I’m happy for him. It’s a good story, in the end. He could have gone somewhere else, and he probably would have needed more credits to graduate. Now he’s on course to graduate, and he’s having a heck of a year.”

Boudreau, though, didn’t guarantee a role for Kalakon.

“I just had to work hard, do what I do,” Kalakon said.

That, Boudreau said, was about getting back Kalakon’s versatility.

“He was a good shooter a couple of years ago, and that went away from him,” Boudreau said. “And I think it went away from him because he got caught up in doing just that. So, as we started defining post up, score inside, attack people off the dribble, face up, he’s accepted that, because he’s really good at it, and now shots are falling. Now he’s back to where he was two years ago, and that’s a mismatch nightmare. And defensively, he can guard everybody.”

“You’ve got to believe in yourself,” Kalakon said. “I’m glad I did. Things are going well. I’m glad he gave me another chance to be here, and I have a chance to play.”

Photo: Western Illinois guard J.J. Kalakon is averaging 12.4 points in OVC play this season. (Miranda Simpson/Intertia)