Lake Zurich senior ahead Connor Strauss reintroduced himself final week.
Identified for his protection prior to now, the 6-foot-4 Strauss took a cross on a backdoor minimize and threw down a dunk throughout a recreation in opposition to Loyola.
“He bounces slightly in another way than most guys, and you may’t educate that,” Lake Zurich coach Terry Coughlin mentioned.
Strauss’ dunk got here in the future after he scored a career-high 17 factors in the course of the Bears’ season-opening win in opposition to 2024 Class 4A state semifinalist New Trier.
“We’ve talked with him about having to hunt in your shot slightly bit and be assured in your self,” Coughlin mentioned. “He made a few strikes in that recreation the place you can see how excessive his ceiling is offensively.”
Strauss’ 12-foot fadeaway jumper late within the recreation significantly impressed Coughlin.
“There’s not a egocentric bone in his physique, however performs like that present that he’s going to be one of many guys we will rely upon to attain,” Coughlin mentioned.
Strauss, who was averaging 9.0 factors and 5.0 rebounds by 4 video games for the Bears (2-2), isn’t shocked to be doing extra offensively. He had been occupied with it for the reason that finish of final season.
“I used to be speaking with a few of the different guys after the season, and one of many issues mentioned is how individuals must step up,” Strauss mentioned. “Final yr, I used to be extra of a defender. This yr, I’ll be doing that and all the little issues and much more on offense, which could be very thrilling.”
Strauss’ offensive contributions turned much more vital to Lake Zurich after standout 6-8 senior heart Anton Strelnikov introduced in September that he was leaving the varsity to attend La Lumiere in Indiana.
Strauss was entrance and heart in how the Bears moved ahead.
“Through the summer season, we had an expectation of what issues would appear like, so when all the pieces occurred, it was very laborious, and we needed to modify,” he mentioned. “However we discovered that we needed to lean on one another and solely fear about who’s within the health club and who’s sporting the Lake Zurich brand.”
Strauss’ teammates, who picked him as a workforce captain, are leaning on him.
“He’s what makes us go as a result of he brings it on offense and protection each journey,” Lake Zurich junior guard Kain Kretschmar mentioned. “He’s at all times ensuring we’re working laborious and we’re on it, and he’s an enormous dude who can drive on anybody. When he has an iso, we’re going to him.”
Strauss, who positioned eleventh within the triple bounce on the Class 3A state meet within the spring, has the athletic potential to hunt out matchups that give him a bonus. He handles the ball properly sufficient to be comfy on the perimeter, and he can even again defenders into the lane, the place he can end on the rim or kick the ball exterior for an open jumper.
“We take pleasure on this program in our protection, and I’ve at all times been keen to do the soiled work,” he mentioned. “Doing extra on offense, I don’t suppose there’s a single participant on the planet who can be bummed about that.
“However there’s assuming the position, after which there’s the affirmation of doing it.”
Steve Reaven is a contract reporter.
