Lake Zurich senior Molly Friesen is a self-proclaimed perfectionist.
As a result, the 6-foot guard can be the toughest opponent she faces.
“I think my main lesson for myself that I learned from last season was definitely not to beat myself up over a bad game or bad shooting,” Friesen said. “I would get very down on myself if felt I underperformed, and I would dwell on it and put unnecessary pressure on myself.”
Friesen, who averaged 8.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.4 steals last season, recalls the Bears’ 27-point road loss to Batavia on Jan. 15 was particularly difficult and forced her to reassess.
“I learned the importance of trusting the process,” she said. “There are lots of ups and downs. Last year was hard. Being an only child contributed a lot to developing that perfectionist, hyperfocused-on-mistakes sort of mindset. I have to be in control of everything all the time. It’s helped me in the classroom and on the court.
“I’ve been learning to tone down that mentality and when to let it shine through.”
Lake Zurich coach Chris Bennett won’t be surprised to see Friesen shine in her third season as a starter. Bennett highlighted Friesen’s attention to detail, which sets her apart. The Washington University commit has a 5.2 weighted GPA.
“She always has questions and leaves no stone unturned,” Bennett said. “She wants to understand why we do everything in basketball, from the angles, to the ball screens, and why we did this cut. She loves learning how things work.”
Senior guard Ramona Foreman said Friesen makes things work for the Bears and is a good leader for a team with significant experience and high aspirations. Lake Zurich (19-14, 10-4), which begin the season this week, has nine players back and should contend for the North Suburban Conference title and more.
“Molly is so essential to our team because she reflects her determination and drive in her playing and she sets the pace for all of our teammates,” Foreman said. “She holds everyone accountable in all situations — practices, classroom sessions and games. I respect her motivation and believe everyone looks up to her and strives to carry the confidence she has.”
Friesen tried to improve different facets of her game during the offseason, although she missed her entire summer AAU season with a severe ankle injury.
“I worked a lot on shooting on the move, having a quicker release, especially with 3-point shooting,” she said. “Being a taller guard, I worked on my handles and also to see the floor better and make better passes.”
Friesen and Lake Zurich senior forward Avery Cooper are longtime friends and teammates. The 6-2 Cooper, who signed with Creighton last week, said she anticipates Friesen will be a two-way force for the Bears this season.
“Molly has developed a great shot and has increased her range by a good amount during offseason training,” Cooper said. “She also does a good job passing inside to get our offense moving.
“Defensively, she gets matched up against the top guards on other teams. She’s great at pressuring the ball and making it difficult for them to make a move.”
Defense has long been Friesen’s strong suit.
“I love defense,” she said. “It gives me such satisfaction to guard a really good player and know that I’m making them work. It fits my perfectionist (personality), just with the ability to be in total control 100% of the time. When you are guarding someone, you are in control and can limit their game. It’s also a game for me — how much you can limit her and frustrate her.”
Cooper said she never doubts Friesen’s effort.
“Because she’s a perfectionist, she holds herself to really high standards on the court,” Cooper said. “She’s competitive and always gives 100%. It can cause her to be really tough on herself. But she works hard at turning that into motivation for her.”
Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter.
