Jonas Emilsson
www.KramMag.com

In last week’s Kram Game of the Week the Notre Dame Pride senior boys basketball teams improved their record to 3-0 thanks to a convincing 87-49 victory over the St. Francis Browns.

The win was a fantastic way wrap up 2009 and to get ready for the 2010 playoff push.

The key to the Pride’s victory was their relentless full-court press that the Browns struggled mightily to break.

Spearheading the press was David Lodovica, an extremely athletic guard/forward.

The way he was chasing down the ball it almost seemed as if he though Santa was hiding a new pair of sneakers inside it.

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“I just try to engage first and put pressure on the ball handler, just basic things like that,” said Lodovica after the game.

But to be able to do those things, a player requires an immense amount of quickness and athleticism, which according to head coach Mike McFarland, Lodovica has plenty of.

“He’s exceptionally quick and we’re going to utilize that athleticism,” he said.  “The kid can jump beyond belief, it’s neat to see.  The referees were out here today so he couldn’t do what he wanted to do.”

Lodovica also finished the game with a game-high 18 points, none of which came courtesy of a dunk.

“I’ve been looking for it but the opportunity hasn’t come yet,” said Lodovica with a smile.  “But the easy two is where it’s at.”

Along with his natural athletic abilities, Lodovica also leads by example on the court when it comes to effort.

Sometimes, that effort comes across as trying too hard, leading to the ball being turned over.

But ask any coach, and they’d tell you they’d take the player that wants to win at all cost over a player just going through the motions.

“He has great athleticism, he can shoot the ball, he can jump and he’s quick,” added McFarland.  “He committed a lot of turnovers tonight, and he’s going to cut back on those, but they happen because the kid works so hard.”

The all-around game and the ability to play all over the court should put Lodovica in the conversation when discussing the top gamers in the league.

“There’s a lot of great ball players out there, but he can hold his own out there against anybody,” said McFarland.  “We use him everywhere.  He’s unique in that we’ll use him as a forward and we’ll use him as a guard, we’ll play him all over the court.”

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KRAM 5 with David Lodovica
What are your sneakers of choice? Nike
What is your favourite pre-game meal? McDonalds
Who is your favourite NBA player? Dwayne Wade
Who is your favourite NBA team? Los Angeles Lakers
What is your favourite movie? Coach Carter