Gracen and Olivia Gehrke are part of a unique family dynasty at Lincoln-Way Central.

The basketball-playing cousins — Gracen is a senior, Olivia is a sophomore, and both are shooting guards — are the younger sisters of the Knights’ previous stars.

That would be Sydney, Gracen’s older sister, and Cienna, Olivia’s older sister.

Get all that? Now, consider Olivia’s older brother, Will, is a senior point guard for the boys basketball team. And Gracen’s younger brother, Nathan, is on the JV.

“We live within walking distance,” Gracen said of her siblings and cousins, who all hail from Mokena. “We were always outside playing together.”

In many ways, Gracen Gehrke is setting up a bright future for top-ranked Lincoln-Way Central, mentoring her cousin and making her transition to varsity much smoother.

Like her older cousin, Olivia played on the JV team as a freshman before being promoted to varsity this season. She’s learned a ton from Gracen, along with the Knights’ other senior standouts in forward Lina Panos and Gianna Amadio.

“Definitely seeing their work ethic,” Olivia said of the trio’s influence on her game. “Gianna is a good defender and Lina is a good around-the-hoop scorer.

“They are definitely good leaders. They push you a lot. They will never let you get down on yourself. They will pick you up when you’re down.”

Like any sophomore on varsity, the transition from JV has been a challenge for Olivia.

AAU did prepare her for varsity, but it’s never really real until it’s real. The game is faster, she said, and she has to work hard to get the playing time she wants “but I know I will get there.”

Lincoln-Way Central coach Dave Campanile said the cousins — who are both 5-foot-8 — have benefited from Gracen’s sense of humor during practice.

It’s a key part of her leadership approach.

“They joke around a lot,” Campanile said. “Gracen has a great personality and keeps us lighthearted with her sense of humor. You can play free and loose and it’s OK. It’s certainly a good relationship.”

It’s not just on the court and in practice where that guidance happens.

For example, Gracen said they drive to practice and home together every day and that gives them the opportunity to chat about the team, games and other basketball-related items that happen during the course of a season.

Plus, there’s a practical aspect of the pair being on the varsity together. Their parents, including Gracen’s dad, Jeff, and Olivia’s dad, Rob, don’t have to attend multiple games.

This season, Gracen is averaging 9.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists for the Knights (7-0). She’s also shooting 31% from 3-point range.

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Olivia, who comes off the bench, is making the most of her time by playing tough defense and showing off a steadily improving 3-point shot.

This will be the last go-round on the court for Gracen, however. She recently decided she’s going to focus on her studies at a preferably larger college, where she plans to major in health science.

She confirmed it was a tough decision.

“I’m still hoping I don’t regret it,” she said. “I never want to stop playing, but basketball won’t be my whole life.”

Olivia is soaking up as much as she can learn from her cousin, plus Panos and Amadio. And while it’s still early, her plan is to also go to a bigger school and study something in the medical field.

“If I do play in college, it would be nice,” Olivia said. “But I want to focus academics.”

Gregg Voss is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.