Jacobs’ stopper adds new threat

Jacobs' Matt Ehrhardt drives to the basket during a summer league game June 22 at Crystal Lake Central. Ehrhardt has been working on his shooting this offseason. (Travis Haughton – thaughton@nwherald.com)

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ALGONQUIN – Many basketball players think about offense first and learn how to be better defenders along the way.

Jacobs’ Matt Ehrhardt has had the opposite challenge.

A defender by nature, Ehrhardt has had to improve his offensive game in order to fit into the high-octane offense Golden Eagles coach Jim Hinkle prefers.

Hinkle has relished the opportunity to use Ehrhardt’s speed and tenacity to lock down some of the area’s best basketball players, but with a better shooting touch,
Ehrhardt should contribute in more ways next season as a senior.

“He has been most effective as a disrupter of whatever the opposing team is trying to do,” Hinkle said during a summer camp session last week at Jacobs.

“We could stick him on any of the guards or dump him into the post. He’s very fast and he’s strong – stronger than he looks.”

Ehrhardt’s defensive approach took shape as a soccer player – a sport in which he always has marked the best opposing talent.

Rare is the athlete who doesn’t seek high scoring averages, but Ehrhardt’s adrenaline rushes stem from shutting down opponents, not scoring baskets or goals.

“Defense sets up the whole team. When I play good defense, it motivates the rest of the team and makes everyone want to be better defensively,” Ehrhardt said. “In basketball, I’m always trying to get to loose balls and create turnovers. That’s what’s been exciting for me.”

It’s the role Hinkle thought fit Ehrhardt best last season.

Jacobs’ basketball team struggled last season with a young roster full of players who either had no or little varsity experience.

Without the stars of years past, such as John Moran or Conrad Krutwig, leading the way, the Eagles all settled into specific roles, and Ehrhardt’s wasn’t to score.

It was to create opportunities for other players. If Ehrhardt scored, Hinkle said, it generally was off a layup on a fastbreak.

“We would tell him not to shoot last year,” Hinkle said with a laugh. “Most teams never picked up on it, but when they did we had to pull him or teams could play us five on four. He might be one of the worst shooters I’ve ever seen.”

Ehrhardt admitted as much.

“I’ve practiced shooting a lot,” he said. “I’ve been trying to get better follow-through and get some spin on the ball. I’ve gotten to be a much better shooter, and I know because of that I’ll have more opportunities this year.”

“We’re reminding him now during practices that he can shoot if he has the look,” Hinkle said. “He’s so used to not shooting that sometimes he forgets he can.”

Ehrhardt’s form looked solid last week as he warmed up with other guards in Jacobs’ gym. Honing that part of his game should make him a legitimate threat for the Eagles this season.

“He’s really worked hard,” Hinkle said. “His shooting has come along well. He has a slow release, but a high percentage (of accuracy). The other day he was timid to take a 12-footer. I told him, ‘That was then. This is now.’”