Anthony Maestranzi, a 5-foot-10 senior from Bartlett High School, committed to playing basketball for Northern Illinois University. Although NIU currently has no scholarships available, the coach promised Maestranzi a scholarship for his final three years if he pays for his first year himself. Maestranzi led Bartlett to new heights, setting several school records, and was a standout player despite doubts over his height. He worked tirelessly to improve his game and strengthen his skills, which helped lead Bartlett to unprecedented success and earned him the opportunity to play Division I basketball.

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Daily Herald Correspondent
While his height proved to be the only downside in the recruiting process, Bartlett
senior Anthony Maestranzi stood tall when it came to patience and it finally paid off.
On Sunday night, the honorable mention All-Stater committed to play for Northern
Illinois University under coach Rob Judson. With no scholarships to give at this current
time, the 5-foot-10 senior will most likely pay his own way the first year with a
promise from Judson that Maestranzi will receive a scholarship for the remaining
three years. "There is still a chance that one scholarship might open up for this year,"
Maestranzi said. "Coach (Judson) has talked to everybody about their playing time
next year and said someone might transfer. Either way the most important thing is
that he told me that I will still have a chance like everybody else to compete for
playing time next year." After being promoted to varsity halfway through his
sophomore season at Bartlett, Maestranzi put up impressive numbers in the Upstate
Eight Conference and led the Hawks to heights the program had never seen with 21
school record Wins. Maestranzi, who averaged 22 points per game this winter during
his senior campaign, connected on 109 of 231 attempts (47.2 %) from 3-point range.
Maestranzi Stands Tall: On to N.I.U.
by Theriault, John, Jr. (Arlington Heights, IL) May 1, 2002

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He was named the Upstate 8 Conference Player of the Year, as well as the Daily Herald
boys' basketball Fox Valley All-Area Captain.
Maestranzi never looked better than in two showings against St. Charles this year.
Twice, Maestranzi poured in a school - record 38 points; one of those games in an
unbelievable 15 minutes of play. That performance against St. Charles North put
Maestranzi into the IHSA record books:
*The six 3- pointers in a quarter put him: # 3 all - time IHSA
*The nine 3- pointers in a game (twice) put him: # 6 all - time IHSA
*Both take a back-seat to 9 consecutive 3-pointers made: # 1 all - time IHSA
Maestranzi played on nationally ranked AAU teams with the Illinois Wildcats, coached
by his father John Maestranzi. His teammates included Dee Brown (Illinois), James
Augusting (Illinois), Marcus White (Connecticut), Elliot Poole (UIC) and Michael
Thompson (Duke).
Several schools showed interest as Maestranzi’s senior season wound down, including
Northwestern University, the University of Houston and Wisconsin-Green Bay, but
none offered scholarships. I try not to let it bother me, but to be honest, I am a little
disappointed," Maestranzi says of the lack of interest. "I tried to get my exposure
during the summer and I sent out tapes (to all the Mid-American Conference and
Missouri Valley Conference schools), so there's not much more I feel I could have
done." Except grow, and that was an unlikely prospect given John stands 5 foot 10
and mother, Becky, is 5 foot 1. So instead of worrying about his height, Maestranzi
worked to make every part of his game perfect, from ball handling to shooting to
defense. With his father's help, Maestranzi worked on ball handling drills daily. He
shot for hours on the lighted, full court hoops John built in the family's backyard.
More recently Maestranzi held pick-up games at the Maryville Academy gym, which
John was able to borrow through family connections.

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"He doesn't come from a great gene pool, so he had to be quicker," says John, who
owns a family business that rents and supplies knives to Chicago area businesses. "He
knew what it would take to get to the next level." Says Maestranzi: "It was hard being
a little kid, but I did it and it paid off." Now that work ethic and skill development is
paying off huge for Bartlett. "You always hope your best player is your hardest worker
and with Anthony, there is no question he is our hardest worker," Szpejnowski says.
"He goes full speed every drill we do. The other kids see what he does. He brings
everyone else up a notch." In just two and a half years of varsity play, Maestranzi has
led the four-year-old program to unforeseen heights. But Maestranzi says he hopes to
raise the Hawks' varsity program to yet another level with a sectional championship
before he leaves. "We're just thankful," Szpejnowski says. "It's only every 10 or 15
years that you get a player like him and we're thankful for what he's done. He's a
great young man."
In the end, it was Judson and the NIU campus that made Maestranzi comfortable with
his decision. "It's Division 1, and it’s close to home so my family and friends came
come see me play," Maestranzi said. "I really like the coaches and the guys who are
currently on the team. I think I will be a great fit there." Maestranzi will join former
Elgin star Marcus Smallwood, who will be entering his junior season with the Huskies.
Staff Writer Travis Miller contributed to this report.

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