PREP ZONE: Extra-special present for Kaneland big man

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No matter how generous and creative Dave Dudzinski’s loved ones were, this was a tough birthday present to rival.

Dudzinski, the rising Kaneland senior, attracted his first Division I scholarship offer on
May 26, the day he turned 17. The 6-foot-8 center’s first formal D-I suitor? Cornell University, an Ivy League school in Ithaca, N.Y.

“That was a very good birthday present, that’s for sure,” Dudzinski said.

Dudzinski doesn’t think the Cornell staff was trying to ensure it was a joyous birthday.

The timing of the offer likely had much more to do with an excellent showing by Dudzinski at an AAU basketball tournament over Memorial Day weekend in Fort Wayne, Ind.

According to the Illinois Prep Bulls-Eye Web site, Dudzinski had 17 points, 19 rebounds and 11 blocked shots in a matchup against Ohio State recruit DeShaun Thomas.

“He had a real nice skills set but I guess I did really well against him,” Dudzinski said. “I kind of figured him out after a while.”

The Web site reported that Dudzinski averaged 18 points, 19 rebounds and seven blocks during the four games of the tournament.

In addition to Cornell, Dudzinski has received serious interest from Loyola and Western Michigan. He plans to attend camps at both of those schools in the coming weeks.

Dudzinski recently capped his spring AAU season playing for his travel team, Velocity Black. He considered it a highly successful couple months.

“Anything I can do good, just keep working on it to make it a great skill,” Dudzinski said of his approach to AAU ball. “I’ve been stepping out more, expanding my game, shooting more threes and stuff.

Definitely the spring season is a good transition because in high school ball you get all your fundamentals down, and you go there and really expand on it.”

The spring wasn’t without its hassles, though.

Dudzinski is also a first baseman on the Kaneland baseball team and had to contend with several scheduling conflicts to accommodate speed training, workouts and weekend tournaments with Velocity.

“It was pretty tough,” Dudzinski said. “I had to miss some baseball games.

“Coach (Brian) Aversa wasn’t the happiest about it. I understand where he would disagree with that because it is technically baseball season but [basketball] is really important to me.”

The basketball focus in June is usually on workouts with a player’s high school program. Kaneland, though, has pushed back the start of its camp as school administrators have sought to install a new head coach for the program.

Former coach Dennis Hansen’s resignation was officially accepted by Kaneland on Thursday after he was suspended from his teaching and coaching duties last month.

Dudzinski said he doesn’t know who his next coach will be  – “I wish I knew, but I have no idea,” he said – but is undaunted by having to adjust to a new leader for his senior season.

“I don’t think it’ll be that weird,” Dudzinski said. “We’re going to play so much basketball between now and the season that I don’t think it’ll be a big difference.

“It’ll be kind of weird but I think we’ll all be excited to maybe see something different. We’ll see how it goes.”

As well as the last few weeks have gone, more of the same would be fine with Dudzinski.

• Jay Schwab is sports editor of The Chronicle. He can be reached at 630-845-5382 or jschwab@kcchronicle.com.