Mtn. View basketball: Brandon Luedtke profile

In early April, I interviewed Mountain View (Idaho) basketball player Brandon Luedtke. An all-state and all-SIC pick, he was the leader of this year's team. Here is the article that will appear in this year's Mountain View basketball yearbook.

Brandon

Luedtke

He was the biggest piece of the puzzle
that led to Mavericks’ recent success

By Bruce Smith

Matchup

            The player of the year in Idaho for the 2011-12 basketball season was Marcus Colbert of Post Falls. Borah’s Ben Tucakovic was tabbed the top player in the SIC.

            The local media called them “easy choices,” but the same argument could have been made for Brandon Luedtke.
            His dad called him “Bubba” when he was in elementary school, and it stuck. His nickname, however, was the only part of his game that attracted attention. Luedtke wasn’t much of a talker, letting his on-court success do that for him.
            “I just had a lot of fun playing basketball,” he said.
            Basketball was his only sport and Luedtke was the team’s fixture – on and off the court. In two seasons, he was an integral part in helping the Mavericks win 38 games.
            He helped Mountain View to the 5A state championship as a junior, and was part of the game’s biggest play at the end. Then, as a senior, nobody had a bigger role on his team. The Mavericks finished 17-9 and reached the semifinals of the state tournament.
            “Brandon was one of the few players that did everything well. He was probably the best player I coached,” said Mountain View coach Jon Nettleton. “I’ve never had a kid who led us in almost every category but he was able to put his stamp in every game.”
            If you look at the Mountain View record book, his name is everywhere, and likely won’t disappear for many years. When he graduated, he was No. 1 in rebounds (career), rebounds (season), highest field goal percentage (career) and most blocked shots in a game.
            And his status as the Mavericks’ top player never seemed to affect him. Even though opponents treated him with great respect, Luedtke said he always felt like the underdog. At 6-foot-4, he was Mountain View’s biggest player, but was almost always was facing someone bigger.
            “It seemed like it was that way every game,” he said. “I had to work just to get my shot off.”
            But there was no doubt of his work ethic. In his career, he got off 391 shots, and most went in the basket. A lefthander, Luedtke developed a post-up move where he propelled himself one or two steps to his right and then lofted a soft, arching shot at the basket.
            “Even if they knew it was coming, it was hard to stop,” he said. “I did it so quick.”
            As a junior, Luedtke was Mountain View’s second-leading scorer, averaging  9.8 points per game. He also topped the team in rebounds (8.6), steals and blocked shots.
            His senior year, he was at 11.7 ppg and 8.8 rebounds, leading the team in every category except (alas) free-throw shooting.
            Luedtke just shrugged his shoulders at his statistics.
            “He was the most low-key player I’ve ever coached,” Nettleton said. “He was able to do all that and not really show much emotion. I don’t think he ever changed at any point.”
            He came close a couple of times.
            The first was in Mountain View’s 47-44 championship game victory over Centennial at the
Idaho Center. Late in the game, the Patriots’ Aaron Maffey scored to cut the lead to one point. In the excitement, as Centennial tried to organize a full-court press, Luedtke sneaked down court. Teammate Zach Cooper saw him alone and lofted a long pass.
            With every fan screaming at him, Luedtke caught it, dribbled a few times and made the layup. The play clinched the victory – and Mountain View’s first basketball state title.
            “Winning that game was my (career) highlight,” Luedtke said. “I just saw an opening and made the play. My heart was pumping as I ran down court, but there was nobody around me and I made the shot.”
            This year, Luedtke’s most-memorable game was at Timberline. He scored 26 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and had 10 blocked shots in the 71-64 win. Nettleton said that was the best statistical line he had ever seen.
            “Timberline was pretty aggressive. They kept driving to the basket and I just got in front of them,” Luedtke recalled. “I didn’t change, and neither did they.”
            Luedtke’s phenomenal career attracted attention, even if his size and attitude didn’t. Late in the school year, he signed a scholarship offer from Willamette University (Salem, Ore.). Bearcats coach Kip Ioane called him “a key piece in the road back to the NWC championship.”