If a big can protect the rim, catch and finish in the paint and set hard screens, he’ll have a chance to impact winning. Lovinsky does all three of those things and knows exactly what he is on the basketball court. I love players who don’t try and do too much and stick to what’s effective in their game. Those players are the easiest to coach and usually help impact winning. With Lovinsky and Khaz Simon back as seniors, Licking Heights could be a sneaky Division II team this season.

Licking Heights impressed me on Monday as they had some impressive wins against solid competition. Licking Heights has a swarm of bodies they can throw at you with size and athleticism that can turn you over and quickly score on the other end. Lovinsky did a nice job of setting screens, rolling, finishing above the rim, rebounding and protecting the rim. When Lovinsky keeps his game simple and does those things, he impacts winning at a pretty high level.

Lovinsky is a player you want because he is a competitor. He seems easy to coach because he is very fundamentally sound. He is engaged on the court on both ends. He is best with his back to the basket on the block. He did not get the ball much in that position tonight due to Big Walnut’s game plan but his effort did not waver. He impacted the game in different ways.  He was a good rim protector. He is a strong and big-bodied kid. He was attacking the glass hard. He showed leadership tonight as well. He talked a lot to his teammates throughout the game.