NCC Spotlight: Basketball's Derek Raridon

alumnus Derek Raridon is 's third-leading scorer (12.2 points per game) and second-leading rebounder (5.4) this season.

That production's on hold for now as the Cardinals wait to improve on their 3-2 start Dec. 10. Raridon took a few minutes recently to talk about the team's positive start, his role on the team and his future in basketball.

Congratulations on winning both games of the Courtyard Chicago Naperville Tip-Off Tournament and garnering most valuable player honors. Why do you think you received the award and what does it mean to you? It was nice to win the MVP award and to win our home tournament for the first time in my career here at North Central. I think I ended up winning the award thanks to having the chance to shoot so many free throws. Those are easy points to score and I find a way there so often that it kind of helps your stat line stick out.

How important was winning the first couple of games? And put the Game 3 loss to Aurora University in perspective. It was big to get the first two wins at home, but the loss at Aurora really showed us as a team that we have to bring it every night out. We can't go into other teams' gyms and expect to win, and Aurora was a loss that definitely taught us that lesson.

You're the next Raridon to continue the basketball tradition at North Central College, following your brother Mitch and your dad — current head coach Todd Raridon. Tired of following in footsteps or proud to extend the legacy? It's always a good feeling to know that you're having the chance to do something that your big brother did. I use it as motivation cause I want to be able to brag to my brother that I was on better teams in my time spent here at North Central than he was.

If you could leave your Raridon roots for a day and be a part of someone else's family on the North Central basketball team, whose would you choose and why? I'd probably have to choose one of the point guards on the team. Either Kevin (Gillespie) or Mike (Boyd) because I think those are the only two guys on the team that have my dad in their ear more than me. It would be kinda funny.

Have you received much fan support or otherwise from Neuqua Valley since leaving the Wildcats' program and taking the next step in your basketball career? I still follow Neuqua basketball and I know my old coaches still keep up with me. I receive frequent emails or even talk in person with all my old high school coaches. It's fun for me to see how those guys can compete and with a little brother there, I still spend time in that gym.

How do you see your involvement in the game of basketball beyond college? I'd like to have the chance to continue with basketball after college but who knows. I still have two seasons left to play so there is still plenty of time to think about what I can potentially do.