School: New Trier, 2000.
Postiton: Guard.
College: Stanford.
If you perused the Tribune’s high school sports pages during the 1999-2000 school year, there was no avoiding the name of Matt Lottich. He passed for 2,000 yards and 19 touchdowns in the fall, averaged 24 points in basketball and then hit .458 as a first baseman to lead New Trier to its first state baseball title. For his standout three-sport athletic achievements, Lottich was named the 2000 Tribune Athlete of the Year. He now focuses solely on basketball at Stanford. The 6-foot-4-inch guard has started all 18 games this season, leading the Cardinal in three-point shooting at 42 percent.
How does it feel to put on only one uniform at Stanford?
“I’m not accustomed to playing just one sport, but basketball takes up a lot of my time. I just have to watch the other stuff on TV.”
Which team do you follow?
“The Bears. I always talk up my Bears. Maybe not this year so much, but they had a lot of injuries. I started thinking I could maybe go out there and try out for quarterback.”
Why did you choose to play just basketball in college?
“Basketball is my true love. I couldn’t get a full ride anywhere for baseball, so it basically came down to basketball and football. With football I never liked the practice, but I always looked forward to basketball practice. I’m playing the sport I enjoy the most.”
Especially now since you’ve cracked the starting lineup?
“It’s always more fun to be playing. But I played behind Casey [Jacobsen, now of the Phoenix Suns] for two years and learned a lot while waiting my turn.”
