"When people ask me, I tell them I didn't really like football that much and that I wanted to focus on my main love, basketball," LoStracco said. "I didn't feel like I had the mentality for football. Like I wasn't nasty enough. I'm sure I could have gotten it, but . . .
"Also, I was a lineman. I felt maybe I could have been a tight end, a position where you get more recognition and the chance to show that you're not just big, but also an athlete. In basketball, you can get recognized as a skilled player."
Matter of fact . . .
As the visiting Vikings bested La Salle, 66-54, in a Catholic League game, LoStracco grabbed 12 rebounds and shot 7-for-11 for and 2-for-2 for 16 points.
He scored the game's first four points, on dump-in passes from forward Mike Neher, and finished the 14-10 first quarter with eight. The tone was set - Wood had rolled to a 10-3 lead in the first 3:24 - and La Salle could never completely alter it.
LoStracco is quite the imposing sight. Now, he has a work ethic to match.
"Last year, I felt like I was under some pressure [as a freshman starter] and that I was still getting a feel for everything," he said. "All of a sudden, it began to click. I need to use my God-given size instead of trying to show finesse. Get the ball. Power it up.
"I've gotten better at positioning and shielding off the defenders."
Coach Jack Walsh used a six-man rotation, and it's only a rumor that the pregame meal featured formula. Football star Kyle Adkins, the point guard, is the only senior and Neher is the lone junior. LoStracco and guards Pat Smith and Tommy Rush are sophs, while guard Cody Fitzpatrick, whose lone shot, a true moonball, connected from maybe 30 feet, is a freshman.
