When did you first start playing basketball?
I started playing basketball in the second grade with a couple of my friends. We joined the Jodie Harrison League at The Community House. Third grade came around, and we tried out for the Hinsdale Inferno. My love of the game exploded from there.
What do you love most about the sport?
I would say I love the competitive nature of it. Every single possession there's something going on. It brings out the best in you.
Are you stronger on offense or defense?
I would say I like my play on defense. It's really something I've taken pride in over these last two years being on varsity - blocking shots and, in my opinion, the most valuable part of defense is getting rebounds and crashing the boards.
What is "Lombardi time"?
It's kind of something our team has adopted this year as our mantra. It means getting everywhere 15 minutes early, to a game, to a shoot-around, to practice. It's kind of become a superstition for me.
What is the team's goal for the season?
Our team goal this year is to compete for every tournament and every conference and every competition we're at. We feel we have the talent, we have the team to win any game this season.
Who do you admire on the team?
One guy I'd have to say who has been working very hard and been exceptional in his role is Cole Bero. He's a junior and he's really worked his tail off to be a part of our team, to really shine, and he's played a lot of crucial minutes in some really big games. I think down the stretch he is going to be an invaluable asset to us.
Why does Coach Nick Latorre like having Thick on the team?
Tyler has been a tremendous part of our basketball program. He is a three-year varsity player who embodies everything we try to stress in our program. He works exceptionally hard in and out of the classroom, he is extremely coachable, brings dedication, effort and consistency to everything associated with Hinsdale Central basketball and Hinsdale Central as a whole. He is humble, kind, and truly grown into a great leader and teammate for our basketball program over the past four years.
- profile by Pamela Lannom, photo by Jim Slonoff
