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Q&A With Zach Lofton: Minnesota Native Hopes to Fulfill Dream of Playing for Gophers
Q&A With Zach Lofton: Minnesota Native Hopes to Fulfill Dream of Playing for Gophers
By Chris Monter
http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/378799?referrer_id=388419
Zach Lofton, a 6-foot-4 sophomore guard, averaged 11.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game at Illinois State this past season. He helped lead the Redbirds to an 18-16 mark, losing to Siena 61-49 in the CBI Semifinal.
However, Lofton was suspended for the final three games of the year and announced after the season that he would transfer.
Lofton visited Minnesota this past weekend.
As a senior in high school, Lofton led Columbia Heights to their first state tournament appearance since 1930 and a spot in the Class AAA state championship game. He averaged a metro area-best 29.6 points per game and was a first team Fox Sports North.com All-Metro selection.
Lofton had seven games in which he scored 40 or more points, including a season-best 53 versus Minneapolis Washburn, as he paced the Hylanders to a 25-7 mark.
Lofton helped lead the Hylanders to a 22-7 record as a junior, losing to Minneapolis DeLaSalle in the Class AAA, Section 3 finals. He averaged 18.8 points per game and scored in double figures in every game but one. Lofton had 10 games of 20 or more points, including a season-best 29 points versus Park Center. His numbers are even more impressive when you consider that Jacob Thomas, who had signed with Long Beach State, averaged 26.7 points per game as a senior.
He played at Quakerdale Prep after high school and spent the 2012-13 season at Texas JC power San Jacinto, where he averaged 16.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.
Gopher Hole caught up with Lofton Tuesday evening to learn the latest on his transfer.
Gopher Hole: What is the latest? Have you decided where you are going to be playing next year yet?
Zach Lofton: Not yet, 100%, but I know where I am most interested.
Gopher Hole: Where is that?
Zach Lofton: The Gophers.
Gopher Hole: Have you been accepted yet to the school?
Zach Lofton: They are preparing the paperwork.
Gopher Hole: Have they offered you a scholarship?
Zach Lofton: Yes.
Gopher Hole: It has been stated by your high school coach, Willie Braziel, that Minnesota is where you want to be. Is that right?
Zach Lofton: Yes, it is.
Gopher Hole: I know talking to you back in high school, you were always a Minnesota fan. What would it mean to you to maybe play for the home state school, if that works out?
Zach Lofton: It would mean the world to me. That has been my dream since Columbia Heights. I used to tell Willie Braziel and (assistant) Diedrick (Powell) and Brian Hanson that all the time. It would mean a lot for me to play in front of my family, also.
Gopher Hole: Obviously, it has been a different route to get there. You went to a prep school and then you were at San Jac and Illinois State. Would that make it even more meaningful to have gone through some obstacles to get where you wanted to be all along?
Zach Lofton: You could say that.
Gopher Hole: Do you wish that you could have made a more direct route? Did they really recruit you very hard out of high school or as much as you wanted them to out of Columbia Heights?
Zach Lofton: I think that they just knew that with my situation, I had to go prep school and junior college, so I don't think that they recruited me too hard. I don't like wish that I could have taken a different path. I am just happy where I am now.
Gopher Hole: When are you hoping to have a decision made?
Zach Lofton: The next couple of days here.
Gopher Hole: Did you get a chance to watch Minnesota play much this year?
Zach Lofton: Yes. I got to see them play.
Gopher Hole: This was Coach Pitino's first year. How do you think you would fit with their style of play?
Zach Lofton: I love their style of play. Here at Illinois State, we play almost as similar style as they do. We press after every made basket. We push the ball. We run pick and roll.
Gopher Hole: How about your own play at Illinois State. You started out kind of slow, but you had some pretty big games down the stretch. How pleased were you with your first year at Illinois State?
Zach Lofton: It could have been better. It could have been better, but all you can do is get better.
Gopher Hole: I know that unfortunately, you were suspended the last three games. What happened there?
Zach Lofton: I'm not supposed to talk about it.
Gopher Hole: Do you think that is going to be a learning experience for you wherever you end up?
Zach Lofton: Yes, definitely.
Gopher Hole: You have always been known as a scorer. Is there anything about your game that people don't know about you?
Zach Lofton: My passing. Pick and roll passing. This year, I developed some skills that I didn't have early in my game, but now I am a pretty good passer. I played with (former Edina standout) Reggie Lynch and I found him a couple of times with nice passes, so I think that I added that to my game.
Gopher Hole: I know that fans who saw you play at the Howard Pulley Pro-Am Summer League this past summer watched you put up some monster numbers. Is that something you have always taken in pride, going back to your high school days that you have always been a scorer?
Zach Lofton: Yes, it is and moving forward, going to Minnesota, I want to work out even harder, so I can put up good numbers.
Gopher Hole: Coach Pitino's style really emphasizes guards. They had DeAndre Mathieu, Andre Hollins and Austin Hollins. Do you think that is a great system for you to showcase your abilities?
Zach Lofton: Yes. He is a great coach, so I think that he will put in a great position to succeed, so I am happy about that.
Gopher Hole: What is your schedule at school? Are you still taking classes or did you withdraw from school?
Zach Lofton: I am still taking classes. I'll be finishing out my year.
Gopher Hole: When will you be done?
Zach Lofton: About May 5th.
Gopher Hole: If you came to Minnesota, would you try to start in June for summer school?
Zach Lofton: Whatever they would want me to do, I would do.
Gopher Hole: I know that you are a very competitive kid. How hard will it be to have to sit out the year?
Zach Lofton: Sitting out wouldn't be too bad because I would get to develop my game and I would still be under the coaching staff at Minnesota with Ben Johnson and Kimani (Young). It wouldn't be too bad.
Q&A With Zach Lofton: Minnesota Native Hopes to Fulfill Dream of Playing for Gophers
By Chris Monter
http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/378799?referrer_id=388419
Zach Lofton, a 6-foot-4 sophomore guard, averaged 11.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game at Illinois State this past season. He helped lead the Redbirds to an 18-16 mark, losing to Siena 61-49 in the CBI Semifinal.
However, Lofton was suspended for the final three games of the year and announced after the season that he would transfer.
Lofton visited Minnesota this past weekend.
As a senior in high school, Lofton led Columbia Heights to their first state tournament appearance since 1930 and a spot in the Class AAA state championship game. He averaged a metro area-best 29.6 points per game and was a first team Fox Sports North.com All-Metro selection.
Lofton had seven games in which he scored 40 or more points, including a season-best 53 versus Minneapolis Washburn, as he paced the Hylanders to a 25-7 mark.
Lofton helped lead the Hylanders to a 22-7 record as a junior, losing to Minneapolis DeLaSalle in the Class AAA, Section 3 finals. He averaged 18.8 points per game and scored in double figures in every game but one. Lofton had 10 games of 20 or more points, including a season-best 29 points versus Park Center. His numbers are even more impressive when you consider that Jacob Thomas, who had signed with Long Beach State, averaged 26.7 points per game as a senior.
He played at Quakerdale Prep after high school and spent the 2012-13 season at Texas JC power San Jacinto, where he averaged 16.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.
Gopher Hole caught up with Lofton Tuesday evening to learn the latest on his transfer.
Gopher Hole: What is the latest? Have you decided where you are going to be playing next year yet?
Zach Lofton: Not yet, 100%, but I know where I am most interested.
Gopher Hole: Where is that?
Zach Lofton: The Gophers.
Gopher Hole: Have you been accepted yet to the school?
Zach Lofton: They are preparing the paperwork.
Gopher Hole: Have they offered you a scholarship?
Zach Lofton: Yes.
Gopher Hole: It has been stated by your high school coach, Willie Braziel, that Minnesota is where you want to be. Is that right?
Zach Lofton: Yes, it is.
Gopher Hole: I know talking to you back in high school, you were always a Minnesota fan. What would it mean to you to maybe play for the home state school, if that works out?
Zach Lofton: It would mean the world to me. That has been my dream since Columbia Heights. I used to tell Willie Braziel and (assistant) Diedrick (Powell) and Brian Hanson that all the time. It would mean a lot for me to play in front of my family, also.
Gopher Hole: Obviously, it has been a different route to get there. You went to a prep school and then you were at San Jac and Illinois State. Would that make it even more meaningful to have gone through some obstacles to get where you wanted to be all along?
Zach Lofton: You could say that.
Gopher Hole: Do you wish that you could have made a more direct route? Did they really recruit you very hard out of high school or as much as you wanted them to out of Columbia Heights?
Zach Lofton: I think that they just knew that with my situation, I had to go prep school and junior college, so I don't think that they recruited me too hard. I don't like wish that I could have taken a different path. I am just happy where I am now.
Gopher Hole: When are you hoping to have a decision made?
Zach Lofton: The next couple of days here.
Gopher Hole: Did you get a chance to watch Minnesota play much this year?
Zach Lofton: Yes. I got to see them play.
Gopher Hole: This was Coach Pitino's first year. How do you think you would fit with their style of play?
Zach Lofton: I love their style of play. Here at Illinois State, we play almost as similar style as they do. We press after every made basket. We push the ball. We run pick and roll.
Gopher Hole: How about your own play at Illinois State. You started out kind of slow, but you had some pretty big games down the stretch. How pleased were you with your first year at Illinois State?
Zach Lofton: It could have been better. It could have been better, but all you can do is get better.
Gopher Hole: I know that unfortunately, you were suspended the last three games. What happened there?
Zach Lofton: I'm not supposed to talk about it.
Gopher Hole: Do you think that is going to be a learning experience for you wherever you end up?
Zach Lofton: Yes, definitely.
Gopher Hole: You have always been known as a scorer. Is there anything about your game that people don't know about you?
Zach Lofton: My passing. Pick and roll passing. This year, I developed some skills that I didn't have early in my game, but now I am a pretty good passer. I played with (former Edina standout) Reggie Lynch and I found him a couple of times with nice passes, so I think that I added that to my game.
Gopher Hole: I know that fans who saw you play at the Howard Pulley Pro-Am Summer League this past summer watched you put up some monster numbers. Is that something you have always taken in pride, going back to your high school days that you have always been a scorer?
Zach Lofton: Yes, it is and moving forward, going to Minnesota, I want to work out even harder, so I can put up good numbers.
Gopher Hole: Coach Pitino's style really emphasizes guards. They had DeAndre Mathieu, Andre Hollins and Austin Hollins. Do you think that is a great system for you to showcase your abilities?
Zach Lofton: Yes. He is a great coach, so I think that he will put in a great position to succeed, so I am happy about that.
Gopher Hole: What is your schedule at school? Are you still taking classes or did you withdraw from school?
Zach Lofton: I am still taking classes. I'll be finishing out my year.
Gopher Hole: When will you be done?
Zach Lofton: About May 5th.
Gopher Hole: If you came to Minnesota, would you try to start in June for summer school?
Zach Lofton: Whatever they would want me to do, I would do.
Gopher Hole: I know that you are a very competitive kid. How hard will it be to have to sit out the year?
Zach Lofton: Sitting out wouldn't be too bad because I would get to develop my game and I would still be under the coaching staff at Minnesota with Ben Johnson and Kimani (Young). It wouldn't be too bad.
