Suburban Life Male Most Valuable Athlete: DaRon Hall, Glenbard East, basketball, senior

WHY HE WAS SELECTED:

Hall scored a career-high 41 points and hit the game-winning shot in overtime in the Rams' regional final win over Batavia. Hall also scored 31 points in Glenbard East's regional semifinal win over Willowbrook. Shaw Media sports reporter Jacob Bartelson caught up with Hall to discuss his postseason and more.

Bartelson: What was the feeling like having survived overtime in the regional final and winning it?

Hall: It was a wonderful feeling, something I never felt before. Just hearing everybody screaming and seeing them jumping with excitement was an amazing moment. For me, it was a dream come true.

Bartelson: You had a big 3 late in that contest. What was your mindset as the game was coming to a close?

Hall: My mindset was to stay focused, calm and not get too excited because anything can happen. During the timeout, we discussed that we need to make smart decisions and lock up on defense.

Bartelson: What has this season taught you as a basketball player?

Hall: This season taught me to be more of a leader on and off the court, and be more vocal. This is my senior year, and I want to cherish every moment on the court with my teammates.

Bartelson: For fun, if you had the first overall pick in a fantasy draft (like in NBA 2K) what NBA player would you choose and why?

Hall: I would choose LeBron James because he is unstoppable and gets his teammates involved he’s a leader has a very high IQ. He can just do it all and he’s considered one of the best to every play.

Bartelson: Let's imagine you get to play 2x2 against anyone you want of current NBA players. Who would be your teammate and who would you like to face and why?

Hall: I would like to have Kyrie Irving on my team because that's my favorite player. And, I would like to go against Kawhi Leonard and Giannis [Antetokounmpo] because they say Kawhi is the best defensive player in the NBA.