2024 Northwest Herald Boys Basketball Coach of the Year: Crystal Lake South’s Matt LePage

Crystal Lake South graduated four starters from the first team to win a regional title in 21 years last season, but Gators coach Matt LePage figured his team would be good this season.

South had all kinds of height with which to torment opponents in its 1-3-1 zone defense, and it had the right player to drive the engine in point guard AJ Demirov.

As it turned out, the Gators were better than good, they were terrific. They won the Fox Valley Conference at 18-0 and finished 31-4, tying for the most wins in FVC history with 2022 Burlington Central (31-4) and 2020 Cary-Grove (31-3).

South also won another Class 3A regional title, then won its first sectional since 1983. For their historical season, LePage is the Northwest Herald Boys Basketball Coach of the Year, selected by the sports staff with input from area coaches. He also won the honor in 2019.

New McHenry coach Corky Card, whose team set the school record at 26-9, and Johnsburg coach Mike Toussaint, who led the Skyhawks to the Kishwaukee River Conference championship, also were considered for the honor. But South was just too good.

The Gators survived a scare in their Cary-Grove Regional opener, holding off Prairie Ridge 59-57 in overtime. They rolled through their next three games, winning the Kaneland Sectional with two games in which they had a running clock with a 30-point, fourth-quarter lead.

LePage, who grew up in Michigan, played at NCAA Division II Northern Michigan, as did his wife Marissa. Their son Cooper plays there now. LePage answered a few questions from sports writer Joe Stevenson about the Gators’ dominant run.

What will you remember most about this season?

LePage: I’ll remember the community/school support and our student body really pulling for us during the playoffs. Our team fed off that energy from Gator Nation. Northwest Herald writer Alex Kantecki took an awesome photo at the supersectional at the NOW Arena right before the national anthem that showed our team and our community in full force behind us. That gives me goosebumps. From a team standpoint, I’ll remember their burning desire to compete and how each player embraced their role to maximize our team’s potential.

Who is the best speaker you have ever heard at a clinic?

LePage: Toss-up between (former NBA coach) Hubie Brown and Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors. Both of them are incredible storytellers and full of great information.

Your wife Marissa is a Northern Michigan University Hall of Famer in women’s basketball. Has she ever beaten you in H-O-R-S-E?

LePage: You need to flip that around, she used to crush me in any shooting game, but I get a lot more reps now so she doesn’t want that smoke now.

If the FVC coaches were playing 5-on-5 and you have first pick for teams, who are you taking?

LePage: That’s a tough one. Are we talking current form or glory days? The easy thought is (Jacobs’ Jimmy) Roberts (an old college teammate) because of his length and shooting, but (Burlington Central’s Brett) Porto playing PG could be nice. I’m going to think differently and go with (McHenry’s) Corky (Card) because he’s a great screener and I need some screens to score.

What is the last really good book you read?

LePage: “The Boys in the Boat.”

What is your routine like to wind down after games?

LePage: I usually don’t eat much during the day so after the game it’s oven pizza and watch a series/movie to unwind. No basketball talk once I get home, it’s over and my wife would say, “No one cares, stop going over it.”

Have you recovered yet from the NFC Championship Game and your beloved Detroit Lions being so close to their first Super Bowl?

LePage: That Lions loss was devastating. Some family members (not going to sell them out) started looking at flights at halftime … messed with the juju and are still getting blamed months later. So no, I’m not over it, but hopefully the Lions will be back next year.

Have you always been partial to the 1-3-1 zone?

LePage: I like all zone pressure, but I am partial to it mainly because The 1-3-1 fits our style and kids love to play in the defense and be aggressive. Not every team has the same length we had this season, but it’s a defense we like to use to dictate tempo.

Who is on your Michigan State all-time starting five?

LePage: Magic Johnson, Shawn Respert, Jason Richardson, Draymond Green, Zach Randolph. Bench: Steve Smith, Mateen Cleaves, Morris Peterson and Shannon Brown.

What are some of the TV shows you have recently watched?

LePage: “True Detective,” “Fargo” and “Tulsa King.” Anything Taylor Sheridan directs.