For The Tribune
Tyler Luedeman wants to be treated the same as everybody else on the Crothersville boys basketball team despite playing for his stepfather, Greg Kilgore.
“There’s not really any advantage,” Luedeman said. “He treats me just about like everyone else. It’s been pretty good playing for him. When we get home, we break down the game — what we did wrong, what we could have improved on. We talk about that for a couple hours every night after a game.”
Luedeman, who began playing basketball in sixth grade, is in his second year as a starting guard for the Tigers.
This winter, he’s playing point guard.
“I like being the floor general and getting the team set up,” he said. “I know they count on me to get the ball down the floor and take care of it. Last year, they relied on me to shoot the ball more than this year. Eli (Mollett) is our main scorer this year, so we try to get it to him as much as possible. We have to get it to our big man in order to be successful.”
Luedeman said he likes to shoot the ball from a wing position instead of from the top of the key.
His career high has been 17 points against Cannelton.
Luedeman is right-handed, but he said he feels comfortable enough to dribble left-handed to break a press.
He said he prefers to face man-to-man defenses because he feels it is easier to score against that type of defense, and he would rather play man than zone when the Tigers are on defense.
“I’m more comfortable playing man because I know how to read a player,” Luedeman said. “We full-court press the whole game. We try to turn the other team over as much as we can. We need to play better on defense. We have had a lot of defensive lapses.”
Luedeman also plays golf for Crothersville. This past spring, he was the team’s No. 1 golfer and tied the nine-hole school record with a round of 37 at the Tigers’ home course, Westwood Golf Course, in Scottsburg.
“I grew up playing golf with my grandpa,” Luedeman said. “I started when I was about 4, and I’ve been playing my whole life. I just enjoy getting out and the challenge it gives you when you play golf to do your best, and whenever you don’t do your best, you have to pick yourself up and go to the next hole.”
He said his irons are the strongest part of his game, and his drives average 280 yards.
“I struggle with putting,” he said. “Some days, my putting is good. Some days, I’m pretty irritated with it, but it’s medium.”
Luedeman said it takes concentration to be able to make free throws on the basketball court and putts on the golf course.
“It’s about the same concept,” he said. “You’ve got to make putts to win a match and free throws to win basketball games. Having a strong mindset mentality is very important in sports in general because if you don’t think you can do something, you’re probably not going to do it.
“You have to believe in yourself that you can make a play, make a pass, make the right read and get the ball to the open man, so it is a big key in sports.”
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Parents: Greg and Kristina Kilgore
Siblings: Courtney, Kaylyn and Cierra
Sports: Basketball, four years; golf, four years
Athletics highlights: In golf, tied the school record for nine holes (37), all-county team
Organization: Academic team
Favorite TV show: “SportsCenter”
Favorite musician: Matchbox 20
Favorite movie: “Fury”
Favorite athlete: Derek Jeter
Plans after high school: Attend college for engineering
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Q: Favorite away gym?
A: “Probably Orleans. I love the sunken gyms. Normally, the gyms we play the sectional in are sunken gyms.”
Q: How is this year’s schedule shaping up?
A: “As far as the conference goes, it’s going to be pretty even. We haven’t played to our capability this year, but if we play to our potential, we can be right there in the conference. We haven’t played well against sectional teams so far, but if we came out and play as well as we can, the sectional is wide open.”
Q: Have you enjoyed your time at CHS?
A: “It has been interesting. I love the small school. Everyone knows everyone. You don’t have to go around trying to make new friends. Everyone is the same. There have been a lot of memories I’ve made here, mainly in basketball getting to become a family. I’ll never forget what the school has done for me. I’ve gotten close to all my coaches.”
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