Marist’s Achilles Anderson decided to play football for the first time this fall. It led to an unexpectedly bright future in that sport, with four Division I offers since that season ended.

It has also made the junior forward a different player on the basketball court.

“The brotherhood aspect of football is so much different because it’s so much physical,” Anderson said. “It’s like you and the other 10 guys are going to war, fighting for your life out there.

“I think that leadership aspect is a big thing I’ve brought here to the basketball team.”

Anderson adds an important element of toughness to the Marist lineup. He did that Thursday night, scoring eight points and pulling down eight rebounds as the visiting RedHawks rolled to a 62-43 East Suburban Catholic Conference win over Joliet Catholic.

Darshan Thomas led Marist (24-4, 12-2) with 18 points. Stephen Brown finished with 11 points and five rebounds, while Ryan Lawlor scored nine points and Adoni Vassilakis added seven.

Drew Wills scored 16 points and James Pilapil picked up eight for Joliet Catholic (8-17,1-13).

Surrounded by skilled players who are all capable of scoring in bunches, Anderson is looked upon to rebound and play tough defense inside for the RedHawks.

“With football, he’s been lifting a lot and he’s much stronger,” Marist coach Brian Hynes said. “He does all the dirty work for us. His hands are enormous. I wish he’d finish his layups.

“But he’s just a great kid, and his teammates love him.”

Doing the dirty work is right up Anderson’s alley.

“Someone’s got to do it, and I don’t have a problem with it being me,” he said. “I like it.”

Anderson, a defensive end, has picked up football offers from Northern Illinois, Akron, Ball State and Yale. But even though his football future is booming, he hasn’t lost his passion for basketball.

“After I got my first scholarship offer, my dad was like, ‘Now that you’ve got this, you can chill in basketball. That’s a lot of pressure off,’” Anderson said. “Initially, I thought it would take pressure off, but being here for my seniors and all my teammates, I know I can’t slack off.

“I don’t have a problem putting in that extra work, not only for myself but for the team.”

Thomas certainly appreciates that.

“Achilles is amazing, man,” Thomas said. “He’s gotten so many football offers, but I still see him staying after school and coming in early to get shots up. He’s always doing the dirty work for us, and we really love and appreciate that.

“We wouldn’t be here without him.”

The RedHawks started slowly Thursday night as Joliet Catholic led 14-13 after the first quarter. Behind four 3-pointers from Wills, the Hilltoppers were down just 33-30 early in the third.

But Marist closed the quarter on a 9-0 run to pull away.

The RedHawks, who earlier Thursday learned they were awarded the second seed in the Class 4A Rich Township Sectional, remained tied with Benet atop the conference standings. Both teams have two games left.

“We have a chance to win conference,” Thomas said. “Only three teams have done that in 40 years for Marist. Every team we play the rest of the way is trying to strip that from us.

“We don’t like that, so we have to lock in.”

Anderson scored six points in the second half, however, to help the RedHawks take control. Hynes has seen a different Anderson emerge after his first football season.

“We saw a very confident kid,” Hynes said. “He got a lot bigger. I think the offers in football made him walk a bit taller. We all couldn’t be happier for him.”