Early on, twin brothers Nojus and Nedas Venckus learned how to amplify their prodigious talents.

It translates to the sophomore shooting guards playing off their own abilities with a dual harmony for Lockport, bringing out the best in each player.

“We’re trying to be a 3-point shooting program, so that’s the first option for my brother and I every time we get a chance to shoot,” Nojus Venckus said. “Being twins, we have that great chemistry.

“Every time he has the ball, I know where to be on the court and what to look out for.”

They had that look Monday night as the Venckus twins combined for six 3-pointers and 24 points for the Porters in a 69-42 SouthWest Suburban Conference win at Sandburg in Orland Park.

Senior forward Collin Miller hit six 3-pointers in scoring 30 points for Lockport (6-3, 3-1), which had nine different players scoring. Miller put up 18 points during a blitz in the second quarter.

Senior guard Connor Gleason scored 11 points for Sandburg (4-4, 1-3). Junior guard Malachi Perkins and sophomore forward Kendall McDowell added nine points apiece.

Meanwhile, Nojus Venckus contributed 13 points, five rebounds and three assists for the Porters. Nedas Venckus finished with 11 points, six rebounds and two assists.

The fraternal twins are 6-foot-2, with Nedas a minute older than his brother.

“I feel like every time my brother gets the ball, I just feel like I can read his mind,” Nedas said. “Our games are pretty similar, but I’d say he’s better at the midrange game and finishing at the basket.”

They combined for four 3-pointers in the first quarter, assisting each other on separate occasions.

“Oddly enough, that was the first game where they were operating on all cylinders together,” Lockport coach David Wilson said. “Typically one brother will get in foul trouble, or one will start hot and the other brother will be a little more passive on the floor.”The twins developed their love and style from their father, who grew up in basketball haven Lithuania, where he was a defensive-oriented guard.

The brothers not only gravitate to each other on the floor, they gain confidence off their combined success.

“If he is playing well, I just want to do the same thing and play just like him,” Nedas said. “If he is struggling or playing poorly, I just try to pick him up.”

If their overlapping skills feature similar strong points, their personalities naturally take over.

“When we played these one-on-one games growing up, we wouldn’t start off being that competitive,” Nedas said. “By the time we got to the end, they’d get serious and we’d start fouling each other.”

Nojus had the same memory.

“We’re competitive in everything,” he said.

As Nojus showed with his torrid start, outside shooting prowess optimizes every part of his game.

The threat of that shot is the linchpin of everything that follows.

“I’m a playmaker,” Nojus said. “Once I knock down a couple of threes, they’re going to fall for the pump fakes and I can rip and go.

“I like to score. I like to play defense, get steals or whatever I have to do to make the team better. I like to do it all.”

Making a difference as first-time starters, the Venckus twins have brought versatility, ballhandling and premium outside shooting.

“Their natural instincts for the game are fascinating,” Wilson said. “They are always around the ball. They have quick hands. They have a high IQ and a high motor.

“The thing that really stuck out is how they both are unfazed by the moment. I noticed that right away. They are able to handle everything we put on their plate. They were born to play this game.”

Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.