Schools
Analysis: LaCosse Having A Blast On The Hardwood
Though the Naperville North senior is committed to play football at Illinois next year, Matt LaCosse is making the most of his final basketball games.
As high school sports and major college recruiting have evolved over the years, there is a perception that a high school athlete has to focus on only one sport to eventually land a scholarship.
Particularly at larger schools like Naperville North, the notion of the local kid playing three sports a year often goes by the wayside.
North senior Matt LaCosse is doing his best to change that trend.
Find out what's happening in Napervillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
All anybody needs to see was the emotion and joy LaCosse exhibited at the end of Wednesday’s 52-51 DuPage Valley Conference win over West Aurora to realize that the University of Illinois football recruit is having a blast on the hardwood and competing in games, as opposed to sweating in obscurity in the weight room
“I’m not all about the concentrating on one sport thing,” LaCosse said. “I think you’re only in high school once and you can only play so many sports so many times. I play as many as I can. I don’t believe that you can’t get s scholarship if you don’t concentrate on one sport. I’m trying to prove people wrong on that.”
Find out what's happening in Napervillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Since returning in early January from a knee injury suffered in the football playoffs, LaCosse finds himself now at 100 percent physically and the Huskies find themselves tied for second place in the DVC behind Glenbard East. The Huskies are 7-3 overall since LaCosse came back into the lineup.
“I’m having a great time,” he said.
LaCosse tied for the team lead with 15 points Wednesday, and he was a powerful force underneath for West Aurora to deal with. The Blackhawks tried to come up with a plan to guard him, but it was largely ineffective.
“Whatever it was, it didn’t work,” West coach Gordie Kerkman said. “We did a very poor job of defending him. You have to give them credit; too, they did a good job of getting the ball to him. I was very displeased with our defense, not only the guys that were guarding him, but any kind of help that was supposed to be given, too. It wasn’t there.”
When West turned the ball over with 7 seconds left and the score tied at 51-51, LaCosse let out the biggest scream in the gym. When Jovonn Griffin hit the game-winning free throw with 1.7 seconds left, LaCosse was first to congratulate him. And when the buzzer sounded, LaCosse was the happiest guy in the gym.
“It doesn’t matter what game it is,” North coach Jeff Powers said. “In team handball he goes out there in P.E. class and kills people. You don’t want to play Matt LaCosse in anything, I’m telling you, because you’re going to get his ‘A’ game every time.”
