Adrian Riep is physical presence for Lake Zurich

Adrian Riep has moved a lot. He lived in four federal states before his family moved to Lake Zurich when he was in eighth grade.

Still tall for his age, Riep spent time in Indiana and North Carolina, so basketball demanded his attention. The 6-foot-4 senior forward’s continued commitment to the sport is good not only for the Bears, but also for his chances of playing in college. Riep has deals from Elmhurst, Lawrence, North Central and Wisconsin-Platteville.

“It was great to get those first texts and calls,” he said of the recruiting process. “It was when I made my first visit and received my first offer that everything really happened for me. I’m happy to have the opportunity to play at another level and continue playing the game I love.”

Riep, who averages 13.0 points for Lake Zurich (6-9), has attracted academic interest because he can influence a game in a variety of ways. Given his size, he often found himself near the basket when he was younger, and he developed some skills that paid off in his first season as a varsity reserve on the team that won a Class 4A regional title in 2024.

Diving to recover loose balls, setting screens and hitting the boards, Riep was a valuable asset on a team with plenty of scoring options.

“When I was young, they would just throw the ball into the post and I used my height well,” he said. “But it’s getting to a point where if you’re not 6-8 years old, you can’t really be a big guy anymore.”

After his sophomore season, Riep looked to expand his offensive game to become a consistent outside shooter and ball handler.

“As a sophomore, we almost told him not to shoot threes,” Lake Zurich coach Terry Coughlin said. “His consistency in shooting from the outside has really improved. He had the will and desire to improve, and he did. Now he has to look openly from the outside.”

Repetition is one reason Riep’s shooting touch has improved. He also played a ton of pickup games during the summer of 2024 and did a number of workouts, like closeout drills and shots with one hand to the face, to simulate game conditions.

“I also knew that I had to handle the ball better, to be able to help pass it to my teammates and not be pressured if I was doubled,” Riep said. “I’m playing a lot more on the wing this year and I’m a much more refined version of myself.”

Riep demonstrated that when he made six 3-pointers, including five in the third quarter, in a recent loss at York.

“He’s become really versatile offensively, both inside and outside,” Coughlin said. “We ask a lot of him, not only from a goal standpoint, but also playing physically in defense for 32 minutes every game.”

Riep wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Coach always talks to us about having a strong physical presence, and Adrian embodies that every day,” Lake Zurich senior point guard Evan Peterson said. “He’s an animal, and the number of torn jerseys we have in training and suffer the consequences is proof of that.

“In games there is blood on his jersey, and I can’t imagine other teams trying to score against him.”

Riep’s physical presence down low is the result of extensive training, including individual drills with former Lake Zurich center Anton Strelnikov. They started working with the same coach two years ago and got together as recently as over the holidays when Strelnikov, 6-8, a freshman at Dartmouth, was home for a few days.

“Training against him makes matches go a lot easier,” Riep said.

This season, the dominant scenario for Lake Zurich has been one of tight margins. Five losses were due to two possessions or less. Riep has played a big role in keeping the Bears within striking distance and believes they will start winning more of these games.

“We accept tough games like the ones we’ve had, and I know we have the makeup and the players to bounce back and improve,” he said.

Steve Reaven is a freelance journalist.