Staying together

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For the Tribune

Dylan Maschino expects big things out of the Trinity Lutheran boys basketball team the second half of the season with a group of seniors united.

“We have seven seniors, but over the four years we’ve never played together,” he said. “We’ve been separated. (Luke) Onken, (Jack) Harwager and me had always been freshmen and JV, and (Daniel) Horton and (Keegan) Rebber have always been varsity. (Jacob) Schult has been with both, and Bobby (Tabeling) didn’t play until this year.”

Maschino said the key to getting some momentum is defense.

“We have to lock down on defense a little bit more,” he said.

“We’ve played a couple teams that shouldn’t have scored as much as they did. I think at some point our team chemistry will click because we’re finally getting used to play with each other.”

Maschino, who attended White Creek Lutheran before coming to Trinity, said he split his playing time last year between varsity and junior varsity.

He earned a starting position this season and said where he plays depends what Cougars are on the floor.

“It kind of depends on who is in the game,” Maschino said. “I play on the wing, and sometimes I play in the post if it’s a smaller lineup.”

When on offense, Maschino attacks the basket from the outside.

“I like to drive more,” Maschino said. “I look to drive and create for other people. I’m probably a better passer than I am a scorer because all through White Creek I actually played point guard.”

His highest scoring output this season was 12 points at Henryville, and his career high is 13 points against South Decatur last winter.

Although Maschino is right-handed, he said he feels comfortable dribbling with either hand.

“Growing up my dad pretty much made me dribble with both hands,” he said. ‘I worked on shooting a lot between my freshman and sophomore year.

“I would rather face a zone. I feel it’s easier because when I’m on the court I see the open spaces easier against a zone than I do against man to where I need to flash to get the ball.”

In games, Maschino likes that the Cougars play a variety of defenses.

“It kind of depends on the team that we’re playing,” Maschino said. “We don’t have one set defense. Sometimes we’ll just go half-court man, sometimes we’ll go full-court, sometimes we’ll go full-court zone.”

Maschino said playing AAU ball with a team from Indianapolis was a valuable experience.

“We went to some bigger tournaments,” he said. “We went to nationals the last two years. My junior year, in my division, we placed 12th out of 350 teams. That really helped me with my outside shot because there are a lot of taller guys, and if I tried to drive it they would swat it back at me.

“That helped me a lot because a lot of teams we played up in Indianapolis were taller, more athletic teams, so when I came back here a lot of the teams weren’t quite at the same level.”

This spring, Maschino plans to join the track team and throw the shot put and discus.

“My grandpa threw when he was in high school, and he still has a shot put, and he has always wanted me to,” Maschino said. “I’ve never been able to because of AAU.”

For Maschino, athletics offer more than sport.

“I think sports also teaches you if you have a positive attitude,” Maschino said. “Even if the odds are attacked against you, you still have a shot no matter what obstacles you are facing. It teachers you that later in life too.”

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Parents: Mary and Randy Maschino

Sibling: Delaney

Sports: Basketball, four years; football, three years; track and field, one year

Athletics highlights: Basketball, 2014 sectional; football, most improved

Organizations: National Honor Society, student ambassador

Plans after high school: Attend University of Indianapolis

Favorite food: Pizza

Favorite musician: Drake

Favorite movie: “Coach Carter”

Favorite athlete: Indiana University

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Q: What are home basketball games like?

A: “I like them a lot. It depends on the team, but most of the time we can fill our bleachers pretty well. We’ve got a lot of fans that come out, a lot of people just like to watch Trinity and just watch basketball.”

Q: Who got you started playing basketball?

A: “My dad coached me all through eighth grade. He was always pretty hard on me, harder probably then everyone else, and that really helped me. If helped me to where I had a work ethic. Freshman year I came in here and I almost quit. My dad told me there was no point in quitting, just power through at least one more year. My sophomore year is when I really started to take off a little bit.”

Q: Why did you choose to attend Trinity Lutheran?

A: “Pretty much academic reasons for the most part. I thought it was the best fit. I enjoy the smaller class sizes. It’s a lot more personal because there’s not that many students that the teachers have to worry about. Pretty much everyone in the school is friends.”

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