Recruiting Report: Luke Schwartzhoff (2020)
La Crescent went from a team that struggled to win a game during a high school season three years ago, to a team that won 22 last year and has a chance to eclipse that number again this winter. One…
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Continue ReadingLa Crescent went from a team that struggled to win a game during a high school season three years ago, to a team that won 22 last year and has a chance to eclipse that number again this winter. One of the key cogs in that rise has been Luke Schwartzhoff.
Schwartzhoff, a 6-foot-7 forward, averaged better than 15 points, eight rebounds and two blocks for the Lancers. He’s looking forward to one more season. And he expects his team to be right there with the best teams in Southeast Minnesota.
“We return six guys from last year,” said Schwartzhoff. “We have three returning starters. The guys we lost were strong, tough nosed guys. We have some young guys coming up who can shoot a little more. We’ll be a little more perimeter-oriented from a guard perspective. We’re excited about what we could do.”
Schwartzhoff is one of the best big men in not just Southeast Minnesota, but also the 2020 class. He’s skilled with his back to the basket and possesses solid footwork on the block. He does a good job making first contact when establishing post position and seeks out bodies to put on his back. He doesn’t do it a ton, but he’s more than capable of knocking down perimeter jumpers either in pop situations or as a trail big. And on the defensive end, he rebounds his area well and uses his length to contest shots at the rim.
“I’d consider myself more of a four-man than a true five,” said Schwartzhoff. “I’m comfortable inside with my back to the basket. I can shoot the 3-ball as well. Shot a decent percentage on not a ton of attempts. I’m working on my isolation, creating my own shots rather than having to do most of my work off a cut or a rebound. I rebound well and I can block shots. I’m still working on my quickness.”
Schwartzhoff has drawn interest from a number of local colleges and said he’ll likely decide in the coming months.
“I’ve visited with La Crosse, UW River Falls and Eau Claire,” said Schwartzhoff. “I’ve had a chance to see them all practice and I loved the campuses of them all. I’d like to have a decision made maybe by like January or February. Before the season is over. I’m not necessarily looking for more offers, I’m pretty satisfied with where I’m at. There’s just a lot of other information and things to look at as factors. I’m planning on majoring in marketing so it’s just about finding which place fits best as a whole.”