BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Northwestern redshirt freshman forward Luke Hanger dreamed of a major Division I athletic career from an early age, but his journey to college basketball's highest stage began on the ice.
A native of Montreal, Canada, Hunger played youth hockey as a defenseman until he was 14 years old. He competed against several NHL draft picks and college prospects.
But as she moved on to high school, Hunger said she felt it was time for a change.
“It wasn't an easy decision because I was following the same path in hockey as I was in basketball,” Hanger said. “I was going to play Division 1 hockey, but I was starting to lose my love for the game. I didn’t like going to practice six times a week, I had bad coaches, so… I wanted a fresh start. , I decided I wanted to take a new journey.”
Looking to shift his focus from local rink to hardwood forests, Hunger turned to a mentor who had walked the same path decades earlier. Hanger's father, Rich, played center at Providence and averaged 6.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game during his four-year career from 1977 to 1981.
Hunger said his father was a big influence on his style of play as a modern big, with a silky smooth shooting touch that allows him to stretch the floor.
“He's also the one who told me just not to play inside,” Hanger said. “He said, ‘Just shoot, keep shooting.’” He would go to the park with me and just shoot jumpers. Because he knew how the game was going. He couldn't just walk in. ”
In his first season as a full-time basketball player, Hanger was selected to Team Canada's junior national team. He developed into a three-star player, earning him 23 scholarship offers, making him the fourth-best recruit from Canada according to 247Sports.
Hunger said the difficult decision became clearer after he received interest from the Wildcats. He considered NU to be on the cusp of a dream school and decided to join the Cats less than a month after his official visit on Nov. 2, 2021.
“It just kind of clicked right away,” Hanger said. “When I got back from my visit, I was falling apart at school. I thought, 'Oh, this is where I'm supposed to be.' This allows me to be the most successful on and off the court. ”
Now, Hanger is stepping into NU's starting frontcourt role heading into the postseason, with increased playing time due to senior center Matthew Nicholson's season-ending foot injury.
Still, his hockey roots shine every time he steps on the floor.
“I wear number 33 because of Zdeno Chara,” Hunger said. “When I was younger, I was always the biggest guy on the ice. I was always hitting on guys and they were falling off. So they always called me 'Baby Chara.' .”
***
During the sixth game of Hanger's true freshman year, he broke his leg and was sidelined until the end of the season. From Dec. 20, 2022, Hanger watched his team's magical March Madness run from the bench.
He said his time away from the game has improved his outlook.
“It was tough sitting on the sidelines last year, but honestly it gave us a chance to see things from a third-person perspective,” Hunger said. “I learned a lot defensively from guys like Matt and Tidus (Verhoeven). They taught me the game even when I wasn't on the court.”
Meanwhile, Hanger's freshman roommate, sophomore forward Nick Martinelli, played from the end of the bench to mid-rotation.
Martinelli said he and Hunger often talked about how fortunate they were to be in the position they were in.
“We've always talked about how it's a dream of ours to play at a prestigious high school and go to March Madness,” Martinelli said. “Just knowing that, given the opportunity, makes us hungrier for more.”
For Martinelli, the foundation for this season's NCAA Tournament appearance began when the pair returned to spring training.
He said everyone has accepted the hardships of the offseason and prepared for a new run in the postseason.
“We train every day and we take it very seriously,” Martinelli said. “We work hard every day, early in the morning, four days a week, trying to get better. We can't even smell the season, but we're working hard there, pushing each other to the limit. ”
However, this time, the former roommates took the lead.
Hunger said neither could have foreseen their current roles.
“If you had told me last year that we would both start in March Madness this year, I wouldn’t have believed you,” Hanger said. “It's a testament to the work of both of us…We're both really ready to play and we're both really excited.”
***
Even when senior guards Ty Berry and Nicholson suffered season-ending injuries, the team's mission remained the same. After making their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 2017, the Cats fell short of a March Madness comeback in 2017-2018. Regardless of personnel, Collins' team likely won't reach the same fate.
Collins first inserted Martinelli into the starting five, then Hanger, who had started a few early conference games, returned to Michigan State's starting rotation. “Next Talent” isn’t just a program slogan, it’s built into NU’s system, Hunger said.
“That has become the culture of our program,” Collins said. “I have faith that no matter who wears the jersey right now, we’re going to win.”
Collins said both players are doing well in their high roles. Martinelli went from playing 15 to 19 minutes per game to staying on the floor consistently.
For Hanger, Collins said the redshirt freshman faced some tough challenges for an experience-level player and was proud of his performance.
“Luke, he broke his foot last year and redshirted, so he’s really a freshman,” Collins said. “All of a sudden, you’re starting as a freshman at center and you’re playing on the biggest stage with the best players.”
Initially, Hanger was incorporated into the starting lineup in January to create a spark at the start of games, but was returned to a reserve role alongside Nicholson. Hunger said his time was ever-changing, but he knew he needed to be ready when he was called upon.
Keeping an even keel was paramount for the 6-foot-10 forward.
“There will be highs in the season, but there will also be lows,” Hunger said. “We lost to Chicago State, but we won against Purdue. The moment your emotions start getting too high or too low, you start playing badly, so you have to stay mentally calm. It won’t.”
Tasked with guarding Florida Atlantic's impressive center Vladislav Goldin in Friday's first-round game, Hunger had eight points and eight rebounds. Goldin scored 19 points and grabbed nine boards, but made just six shots from the field.
Junior guard Brooks Bernheiser said much of Hanger's impact goes beyond what's on the stat sheet.
“The only stats we look at are rebounds and turnovers,” Bernheiser said. “No one takes the statistics seriously. No one worries about it.”
Hanger will try to slow down the Huskies' dominant 7-foot-2 center, Donovan Clingan, when the Cats take on No. 1 UW at Barclays Center on Sunday. The sophomore superstar scored 22 points in the College Big East Championship win over Marquette, and Hanger will definitely have his hands full.
The former hockey player said the physicality of the old sport prepared him for the rigors of the league, and said he approaches the most important game of his young career like any other.
“We've played some really good teams, we've beaten some really good teams like Purdue,” Hanger said. “It's nothing new for us… At the end of the day, it's just basketball. We're in a tournament, and as soon as the ball gets thrown in the air, it's 5-on-5 and whoever wins… We're going to win…No matter what happens, we'll be ready for tomorrow.”
Email: [email protected]
twitter: @jakeepste1n
Related article:
— Men's basketball: Northwestern's Brooks Bernhizer emerges with great opportunity in 77-65 win over Florida Atlantic
— Men's Basketball: Northwestern beats Florida Atlantic 77-65 in overtime thanks to late Langborg downpour.
— Men's basketball: Northwestern walk-on Blake Smith brings unexpected defensive shine to March Madness team
