Morgan Township sophomore Noah Ladra has grown in various senses of the word in the past year.
The 6-foot-1 guard was listed on the roster as 5-8 as a freshman and has gained 20 pounds since then to get up to 165.
Ladra has also developed into a significantly more prominent player for the Cherokees after spending much of his time on the junior varsity team last season.
“Noah’s young,” Morgan Township junior guard Cal Lemmons said. “He’s trying to figure his role out a lot. But you can see throughout the season he’s progressed well.
“He’s stepping into his role, which is big for us. He’s young, but he has a lot of talent. By his senior year, he’ll be that guy.”
Ladra is already averaging 9.9 points for the Cherokees (7-11), second on the team behind Lemmons’ 14.6, to go along with 2.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists.
Ladra averaged 4.0 points in four varsity games last season.
“I’m definitely bigger and stronger this year,” he said. “Just playing varsity games has helped me to know how to play against faster-paced teams.
“I’ve been shooting really well this year. Thanks to my teammates, I want to shout out my teammates for getting me open. They’ve been doing a good job getting me open for shots. It’s definitely a step up from JV last year. The first game we played, I was nervous because I hadn’t really played varsity.”
Ladra’s performance has instilled confidence in teammates such as junior guard Clint Lemmons.
“Noah’s a knockdown shooter,” Clint Lemmons said. “I have no doubt when I pass him the ball, and that’s a beautiful thing to have a shooter like that. If someone drives, and the ball ends up in his hands, you know it’s going to go through the hoop. It’s always nice to have someone reliable like that.”
Ladra was also a reliable contributor for Morgan Township’s baseball team as a freshman. A left-handed pitcher and first baseman, he posted a 2.62 ERA in nine appearances covering 21 ⅓ innings, and he hit .275.
“It was a good experience,” Ladra said. “Baseball’s my No. 1.”
But he has made an impact in basketball.
“He’s an unbelievable kid and a big-time shooter,” Morgan Township coach Derrick Milenkoff said.
Milenkoff is in his first season leading the Cherokees. He has also coached at Whiting and at River Forest and most recently was at Attica.
“It’s been a blessing,” Milenkoff said. “We came in here, and as soon as we got in the door, it was with open arms — I’m talking everyone from the players to the coaches to the administration, teachers. As soon as you walked in, you knew it was something special. It’s a very special place.
“There is a rich tradition here, and Morgan’s been great to us. We’re extremely blessed and thankful that we’re here. We’re super young, but we couldn’t ask for a better group of players.”
Indeed, the roster includes only two seniors, neither of whom start. By beating Calumet Christian on Tuesday, the Cherokees eclipsed their win total from last season following a run of three straight seasons with at least 16 victories.
Morgan Township will compete in the loaded Class 1A Kouts Sectional that begins March 3.
“There’s been some ups and downs this year,” Ladra said. “But the win (Tuesday) night was a big confidence-booster going into these last three games, and hopefully we can win all three of them, and then we’ll see what happens in sectionals.
“It’s been a lot of intensity this year, a lot of conditioning, a lot of fundamentals, a lot of teamwork and team-building. It’s been a good year for us, just going in a good direction.”
