Time flies

Over the past four years at Batavia, Nick Fruendt saw all kinds of defenders coming at him -- usually two or three at a time -- and when he did, he found his open teammate for an easy basket for the Bulldogs and an assist for himself.

How about one more?

Fruendt gets the assist for this headline, which were the words he used early this season to describe his four years at Batavia.

Fruendt gave the question about being a senior some thought, as he always does, and paused before answering with a big smile:

"Time flies when you are having fun."

Freundt's career highlights Links Fireworks in home finale Fruendt records triple double Bulldogs celebrate 100-year milestone Batavia wins at Quincy Albrecht's 3 beats West Aurora Northwestern 'good fit' for Fruendt Simeon edges Batavia in 2 OTs Fruendt hits 36 at Night of Hoops Batavia has smarts to match talent Waubonsie thriller starts Batavia on improbable run Slamming on Senior Night Frundt, Bulldogs burst onto scene at Elgin Holiday tourney

Fruendt said that a couple days before his senior year took an undeniably non-fun turn. He came down with mono and missed eight games, including some of his favorites -- Geneva, Quincy and the Elgin Holiday Tournament.

But the mono could only keep him down for awhile. As his strength started to come back, he showed what kind of team-first player he is while cheering on his teammates at the Elgin Holiday Tournament. And not just the occasional high-five while wearing a glum face at the end of the bench.

Fruendt was the first to encourage teammates at timeouts, he jumped out of his seat on bad calls, he waved his arms to try to get the Batavia crowd in the game, and he launched himself into the pile with his teammates after they won the tourney -- generally acting like one of the craziest members of the Wild Bunch student section.

When he was up to returning to the court in January, he finished as the area's leading scorer, which included a 29-point night against two-time defending state champion Simeon while leading the Bulldogs to another Western Sun Conference championship.

He's also the captain of the Daily Herald Tri-Cities All-Area team. His four years at Batavia ended with an 88-23 record, three conference titles, two regional championships and 1,849 points, thought to be second most in school history behind Corey Williams.

His next game will come in the fall at Northwestern for Wildcats coach Bill Carmody.

Carmody first saw Fruendt play during AAU games in Florida after Nick's sophomore season when an ankle injury kept Fruendt from playing at 100 percent.

"He wasn't moving that well," Carmody said. "It was a little too early to evaluate him. We kept following him and saw him a number of times in the fall (of his junior year)."

When Fruendt got back to 100 percent, what most impressed Carmody and what made him to decide to offer Fruendt a scholarship was the number of different ways Fruendt can score.

"He sort of has an all-around game," Carmody said. "He can clearly put the ball in the basket but does it in a variety of ways. He's got a very good in-between game. From 16 feet to 8 feet he's real effective, and he can knock down the 3. Guys that can score are important. They just have a knack of it."

Carmody said the next seven months, from April to September, will have a major impact on how much Fruendt plays as a freshman. Fruendt will take a six-week summer course at Northwestern and have a chance to work out with and play against his new Northwestern teammates.

"Like most kids, he's got to get in weight room, get stronger, make a real concerted effort to that," Carmody said of the 6-foot-6, 188-pound Fruendt, who was 6-4, 160 as a freshman.

"We think he has a lot of potential. He's got good fundamentals and just has to continue to improve dribbling, passing, shooting, finishing at the basket. A lot of it is up to him. He's got seven months before our first practice. Guys at that age can improve so rapidly. And there's also still a natural maturation."

Fruendt, who is No. 1 in Batavia's senior class, also will fit in the classroom at the prestigious Big Ten school.

"He's a great kid, terrific student, real nice family," Carmody said. "He's well grounded. He's a good guy on the court, a good player, and a good guy off the court. He had a great year after coming back from the mono."

Here's one last look back at Fruendt's four years at Batavia -- in his words -- and a look ahead to a bright future.

Q:Has it settled in that when you talk about being a Batavia Bulldog, it's in the past tense?

A: No. I always thought there would be a ton of time, but now that it's over it went by so fast. I'm proud of a lot of the things we've accomplished. It's been a tremendous opportunity for me to be part of.

It's a very unique situation in high school basketball because of the community support and the team and how it is not just me and right now, it is bigger than that. All I wanted to do this year was make sure our team won. Some places kids just think about themselves and recruiting and rankings and that stuff. Especially with the group of guys we had, it was fun for me to be part of.

Q:When you say you love being part of this the last four years, why is that?

A: I came to the games when I was young. Ever since I remember. Phil (Albrecht) and I went to the St. Joe game at St. Joe when we were in very early elementary school. I remember looking up to Jay Kramer and Ben Zagorski so much. They came into a first grade practice and that's how I wanted to be. Looking back now I was able to go into that role and accept that role and try to be a role model for the younger kids coming up.

Q:How disappointing was the mono, and how hard was it to come back from?

A: It was miserable being sick. I was gulping down water in one of our games and I was just thinking, "I'm just glad I can drink this water" because a month ago I was not able to swallow anything.

Obviously it was kind of a setback. I tried to deal with it the best I could and get back as fast as I could. It was one of those things that took time. Once I got better I felt my legs and stamina coming back gradually, but it kind of took a long time if I had to tell the truth.

When I was little I always envisioned how things would go. I really didn't expect to be able to play on the varsity my freshman and sophomore year. But I always wanted to be on varsity my junior and senior years when you expect senior year everything will just be great. It was just an adversity our team had to overcome. And just an example of how great it was to be on this team, we had that close loss to Geneva but bounced back and won Elgin (tournament). I had a great time going to those games.

I felt like I did everything I could to prepare myself for the season and stay healthy. It was just one of those freak things. I started dropping back in conditioning. Preseason I was always in front. It seemed after Ken Peddy I started dropping back. You never think it is the worst case thing though. Once my throat started hurting I thought it was strep throat. It turned out to be mono which is worse because it can't be treated. Things happen and I tried to adjust as well as I could. I am very thankful I am healthy now.

Q: Do you have a favorite game at Batavia?

A: Simeon game. (Batavia lost 68-65 in two overtimes.) Because the crowd, how we played. It was hard for me to swallow after we lost, but I thought both teams fought real hard, it came down to the wire a couple times, and you are just fighting for your life out there. That was everything I dreamed about when I was little. Just an awesome high school basketball atmosphere. We gave it everything we had.

It's so hard to pick. Pretty much every single Geneva game is so fun to be in because you know each team is going to give everything it has. The crowd is going to be fired up and into it. It's the best rivalry I've ever been part of. It's something that should be grasped and is special because sometimes people take it too far and do stupid things and I don't think that's what competition is all about. I just think it's a special thing to be part of. I was part of both sides. We lost twice my freshman year and we lost this year, and winning the game is really sweet, but losing the game made me want to work even harder. Helps me become a better person.

Both of the West Aurora games were incredible. (Batavia won in 2007 at the Sears Centre and West Aurora won in the 2006 sectionals.) The one we won was great because a buzzer-beater and kind of revenge from the sectional game, but that sectional crowd was unbelievable. That was one of the best matchups ever, too.

Q: Least favorite game?

A: I really don't have one because I pretty much like every game I play in because it's basketball.

Q: Who was the best player you played against?

A: Derrick Rose (in a summer game). Incredible athleticism, skills and basketball intelligence.

Q: You basically had two different teams you played for at Batavia. The first two years, you were the young guy with Steve Ideran, Rashad Mitchell Jeff Roeske and Jack Scalcucci. Then the past two years you were playing with a lot of your friends you've had since grade school like Phil Albrecht and Jordan Smith. How do you contrast those two teams?

A: I loved them both. The big thing for me was meshing with the guys that were older than me. I don't think you could find a better example of how to gel with your teammates. I proved to them I could play with them. Some people would be threatened or jealous, and those guys accepted me like it was nothing. I was thankful there wasn't any resentment or anything like that. They played with me like I was their brother, looked out for me, made me a better player. I really looked up to those guys, and for the second two years, it was continuing on everything we've done in grade school and middle school.

Q: Out of all those teammates, do you have a favorite?

A: Steve Ideran. I looked up to him so much because he worked on his game so much, he had an awesome work ethic, was a great leader. The point guard, he kept our team together, pushed us in practice. I still look up to him right now.

Q: Every game you play, you can look in the stands and see your parents, your grandparents, your aunt. What is it like to have a support system like that?

A: I wouldn't be where I am without them because they help me through the good times and the bad times, supporting me and giving me advice and just being a family to me through the rough times and congratulating me on the good times.

Q: You've said you grew up as a kid going to Batavia games and listed some of your favorite former Bulldog players. What does it feel like knowing there's kids who have followed you the last four years and now have those same kind of memories you had as a kid?

A: I just wanted to be a role model and be a leader. Set an example. I hope I gave them someone to look up to and some inspiration because I was just a skinny little kid growing up and just tried my best and I'd say pretty good things happened.

Q:Do you have any advice for those young players?

A: Always have fun because I find myself that the reason we play this is to have fun. If it seems like it's getting too serious or anything take a step back and relax.

Q: Are you going to miss wearing the Batavia Red and White pinstripe warmup pants?

A: Yeah, those are great. I like them because they are nice and warm so they help you get warmed up.

Q: How about the jerseys with sleeves?

A: The sleeves, I'm not the biggest fan of, but it's something unique and different and that's another reason why it's cool.

Q: This time last year, you had a list of colleges interested in you. You played in AAU tournaments throughout April and then picked Northwestern in May. Almost a year later, are you happy with how the whole recruiting process played out? Anything you would do different?

A: I am very happy because in the end I found the place that was perfect for me.

In high school I had seen a lot of guys announcing on TV or holding press conferences, but they (Northwestern) offered and I visited with my family and instead of the thinking being, 'Let's look through all our options and take our time,' it was like, 'As fast as we can, commit, commit, let's take this.' My mom and dad were trying to sell me on the way to the visit. They were telling me how it was too good to pass up and you don't want someone else to take it before you, and I was just like, 'Cool out.' And then the next morning I was like, 'Yeah, you are right.'

It was nice to get it over with too because there were a lot of things coming at me and I felt like a lot of people were telling me things I wanted to hear. But the coaches and the players were the most genuine with me. It kind of came up fast, how I went from being wide open to committed.

Q: What was it like playing for Batavia coach Jim Roberts? What are you going to remember most about him?

A: I'm going to remember his passion. He was like a father figure to me. He was willing to go through the journey and give it everything he had and help me.

Q: Now you'll have a new coach, Bill Carmody, who is under pressure to start winning more or his job could be on the line. Does that concern you at all?

A: Yeah. I really like him and I want him to be my coach but obviously they have been struggling this year. Like this year you see with Drake, they were picked ninth out of 10 in the Missouri Valley (Conference) and they have a 20-something win season and they are going to the tournament. Anything can happen. Just because one bad year happens (at Northwestern) doesn't mean they will be horrible all four years I'll be there.

Q: You go from a Batavia team that went 71-11 the last three years to a Northwestern program that has never made the NCAA tournament. I imagine you can't wait for the chance to make history in Evanston.

A: That's another reason I went there is they have never been to the tournament and I feel like it would be huge in the Chicago area. It would be a popular and crazy thing if we were able to do that but obviously we've got to work hard and get better.

Q: What are your goals for your freshman year at Northwestern? How quickly do you think you can make an impact?

A: My dad asked a lot of questions to coach Carmody when we were there, and he said every year is a competition and guys have to earn their spots. I want to keep improving and give everything I have and earn a spot and be able to be playing on the court.

Q: How do you see yourself making the transition to Big Ten basketball? What do you think your strengths will be at that level and what will you need to improve on?

A: I feel I'm the type of player that personifies coach Carmody's offense, the Princeton offense. I feel like I'm a player who can move well without the ball, catch the ball off of a screen and hit a jumper. Drive and finish, put the ball in the basket. Defensively I feel I'm long and can rebound. Coach Carmody comes up with some pretty unique defenses. The Big Ten is very athletic and strong so those are my main concerns right now, gaining weight and adding muscle and getting faster.

Q: What are you going to study in college?

A: There's a couple possibilities. Economics would be one. Possibly biology to become an orthodontist or dentist, or even pre-med, but I'm really not sure right now.

Q: Twenty years from now when you come back to your high school reunion and see all these friends again, what is Nick Fruendt going to be? Where do you see yourself in 20 years?

A: Twenty years from now I'd be 38. Well, I see myself having a steady job, a well-established profession, maybe married and having children by then, who knows. I'd imagine by 38 I should be married and I probably will have at least one child by then. I'll be a huge basketball fan just like my dad is. Just kind of following the lead of my parents.

Q: Last question. Again, 20 years from now, you have finished your days at Northwestern, you have your own family and your own career, how are you going to look back to playing high school basketball at Batavia? What do you think will be your lasting memory?

A: The thing I'll remember the most is being out on the court with my friends looking into the stands and seeing my family, looking into the student section and seeing all my friends. Standing there on the court and absorbing everything around.