The role of big men has changed in modern basketball, and Lake Forest’s Grant Mordini is a beneficiary.
Had the 6-foot-10 senior forward played in a different era, he probably have been anchored down low. But Mordini has few boundaries.
“I’m pretty mobile and agile on my feet, so that helps me be able to play in different places on the floor,” he said. “You have to know how to use your height, but I can easily get into an athletic stance and get low.”
Mordini’s version of low is a little different, of course, but it underscores the versatility he brings to the table for the Scouts (14-7, 5-3), who dealt first-place Waukegan its only loss in the North Suburban Conference and have quality wins against Loyola, Glenbrook South, St. Patrick and Warren.
Mordini, who is averaging 7.0 points and 2.0 blocks, emphasized that he’s more than comfortable patrolling the perimeter, both as a facilitator and shot maker. He’s shooting 33% from 3-point range and 50% overall. The presence of 6-7 senior forward Hudson Scroggins also gives him the opportunity to do more.
“He and I both played together on the sophomore B and JV teams as freshmen, so we know each others’ games pretty well,” Mordini said. “We complement each other well, and a lot of things in our offense are shaped around us running high-low.”
The Scouts’ high-low tactic often has Mordini in the high post, straddling either the foul line or the elbow. That brings him away from the basket, but his height becomes an asset as he wheels around to find open teammates.
“He does a great job seeing the floor,” Lake Forest coach Phil LaScala said. “He’s one of our best passers from the high-low, and he has a really good understanding of what we’re trying to do on offense.”
Mordini’s vision on the court harks back to a time when he was a point guard. That’s the position he played throughout middle school, so handling the ball, passing and being away from the basket were once routine for him.
Mordini’s 9-inch growth spurt between seventh and eighth grades changed his profile and his perspective. His parents Bruce, who played at Bradley, and Holly are 6-8 and 5-10, respectively, so Mordini expected to get taller. But when he did, he had to adapt.
“Growing that much changed everything in my life,” he said. “That was during COVID, so when I came back to school, people were surprised. But basketball helped me a lot with the size. I just had to get used to it.”
With his height, Mordini relishes the impact he can make on defense. LaScala lauds his ability to alter opponents’ shots, something that comes fairly easily with a wingspan that Mordini said is wider than he is tall.
“When I’m playing my best, I think I’m a big threat to other teams on defense,” Mordini said.
Zion-Benton didn’t have many answers during Lake Forest’s 56-36 conference win on Tuesday.
“Their offense was mostly isolation, and their big man was down on the blocks most of the time,” Mordini said. “I had four or five blocks, and most of them came from the help side.”
Teammates know Mordini can have a significant effect at both ends of the court.
“On defense, he protects the rim very well for us, and we’re starting to rely on him more and more to turn the momentum in games,” Lake Forest senior guard Luke Sawant said. “When he has a big dunk, especially at our place, it gets everyone going and pushes us to play harder. I know when I’m driving, I’m always looking for him at the rim.”
Mordini is also looking for the right college. He’s receiving interest from NCAA Division II and Division III programs and thinks a strong showing down the stretch and on the spring AAU circuit will yield a good fit.
“When I see my first shot go in, that makes my confidence go way up,” he said. “When everything is clicking, I think I’m a very hard player to stop.”
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter.
