Reporter/Times Herald Boys Lacrosse Player of Year: Journey just starting for La Salle’s Baskin
It all went by so fast for Brett Baskin.
And along the way, the La Salle senior superstar found both his share of success and disappointment.
First, the success.
Baskin was part of a graduating class that achieved the program’s 21st Philadelphia Catholic League championship in the past 25 years.
But, despite that success and despite being ranked one of the state’s top two program’s for the bulk of the season, the Explorers did not earn a state championship over Baskin’s four varsity seasons.
At the forefront of the disappointment was this year’s Explorers team that seemed certain to earn a state title, only to come up short against Central Bucks East in the PIAA state quarterfinals.
Disappointing? Yes.
But Baskin, the Reporter/Times Herald player of the year, is not about to let it ruin what was a magical four seasons.
“It was my senior year, so I don’t know if I’ll ever get over it,” Baskin said of the loss that shocked the entire state. “But I’m going to have to let it go.”
Besides, he added, he’s got a four-year lacrosse commitment to Johns Hopkins University to honor, and that’s what is occupying his summer.
“I’m going to be home all summer, getting bigger, faster and stronger,” he said. “I want to try and make an impact right away.”
Baskin certainly made an impact on the Explorers program beyond his point totals.
His play was a major factor in La Salle’s success over his four varsity seasons.
He’ll leave as one of the school’s all-time leading scorers, but his impact will be felt for years to come, as his influence on the team La Salle takes into the next four years and beyond.
And as most athletes discover, it went by in the blink of an eye.
“It was this year when I realized how quickly everything had gone by,” he said. “I was thinking of that the other day, ‘Holy Cow, it just flew by.’”
Baskin will take his considerable talents to Johns Hopkins, arguably the country’s best collegiate lacrosse program.
“I committed when I was a freshman,” Baskin said, “and I’ve been in contact with the coaching staff pretty regularly.”
Baskin will go to Hopkins with an uncommitted major, but said he’ll likely focus on economics as a concentration.
“That’s what I want to do with my life, get involved in business,” he said. “It’s going to be hard, juggling athletics with education, but it’s something I want to do.”
And when he faces the challenges ahead, he’ll have four magical years to recall to keep his spirits high.
“The best part of it was, I got to play lacrosse with my best friends,” Baskin said. “Those guys were a huge part of my life for four years – the Clibanoffs, and guys like (Chris) Hladczuk and (Ethan) LaMond.
“I’ll never forget them.”
Top Photo: La Salle forward Brett Baskin avoids Conestoga’s Peyton Jones (7) in the third quarter at Teamer Field on April 11, 2017. Baskin had five goals as LaSalle rolled to a 12-5 victory in the battle of top ranked teams. (Pete Bannan/Digital First Media)
