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Flashback to February 2001: The Neumann basketball team is squaring off against Simon Gratz in a non-league game at Trenton’s Sovereign Bank Arena. The Pirates are down a couple players due to injuries, forcing coach Carl Arrigale to scan his roster for an emergency starter.
Untested sophomore Kevin Lauer gets the call.
"I had the biggest shocked look on my face," said Lauer, of the 100 block of Durfor Street. "I went out and played pretty good. It helped me build my confidence, too."
The Pirates ended up winning the game and Lauer, now a senior, got a jump-start on a solid high-school career. The 6-foot-5 forward played on two Catholic League championship teams during his three seasons at Neumann.
The 17-year-old’s contributions to the Pirates have earned him a Division II basketball scholarship to Holy Family University. The athlete signed on with the Northeast Philadelphia school — the only one to offer him a scholarship — last week. His teammate, Todd Johnson, announced he will play for Division II Shippensburg.
"It felt good," Lauer said of his accomplishment. "I proved to myself that I was capable of getting a scholarship. Not all kids get scholarships."
Holy Family coach Dan Williams had been scouting Lauer since the summer of 2001, and quickly took notice of the athlete’s solid work ethic.
"He plays to win within the team framework," Williams said. "He did all the little things."
Next season will be Holy Family’s first on the Division II level, after previously competing in Division III. As in high school, Lauer is ready to show he belongs.
"We are probably going to be real competitive trying to prove we deserve to be on the Division II level," he said.
Prior to arriving at Neumann, Lauer’s basketball experience consisted of playing a bit at EOM, Front and Moore streets, and pickup games at recreation centers.
Lauer’s parents chose to send him to Parkway his freshman year instead of Neumann, where all his friends were going. He said his folks wanted him to concentrate on academics and thought being around his friends would be too much of a distraction.
Lauer didn’t play basketball at Parkway, but he did convince his parents he was serious enough about his studies to transfer to Neumann as a sophomore.
Three years later, the athlete is preparing to graduate with 62 career wins, Philadelphia Daily News Honorable Mention All-Catholic honors and a B average.
The player also earned high marks with his teammates for his selfless acts on the court.
On senior night, Lauer volunteered to give up his starting role so friend and teammate Jack Hatty could get a rare start. The Neumann coach said his forward’s generosity enhanced the whole team.
"Kevin was a good, solid kid for our program," Arrigale said. "He was one of those guys who sacrificed themselves for the benefit of the team."
But Lauer said he enjoyed every minute of it, especially when the odds were stacked against the Pirates. He considers playing for Neumann’s 2002 title to be his greatest memory — the team included four new starters and was considered an underdog.
Lauer, whose favorite NBA player is Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett, is anxious to fight for success on the college level.
Arrigale believes his athlete can handle the rigors of Division II.
"The level of competition won’t be a shock to him," the coach said. "I think if Kevin continues to work on his game, [Holy Family] will be very happy with him in four years."
Lauer plans to pursue his interest in athletics by majoring in sports management. He has considered becoming a sports agent, so he can help other athletes.
But for now, he’s the one in the spotlight, and one of his biggest fans is his 2-year-old brother, Rion.
Whether Lauer becomes a starter in the fall, Williams believes "the sky is the limit for Kevin."
"He is a Holy Family type of player," the coach said. "He is unselfish, fundamentally sound and the team comes first."
Fellow Neumann senior Johnson also will play on the Division II level next winter on an athletic scholarship at Shippensburg University. The Darby resident, who came off the bench for the Pirates, made his official visit in October and said he liked the campus and the coaches. And when he heard the team would be losing five players this year, the forward liked his chances.
Prior to high school, Johnson, formerly of the 2800 block of South Marshall Street, didn’t have confidence in himself as a basketball player. He credits Amateur Athletic Union coach Chris Russell for changing that.
"At first, I wasn’t into basketball. I was just playing it," the 18-year-old said. "I kind of fell in love with it more as time went on."
Johnson, who transferred from Penn Wood his junior year, played on last year’s Neumann championship team and earned Philadelphia Daily News All-Catholic Honorable Mention this season.
Arrrigale said he will miss Johnson, just as he will Lauer.
"Todd gave us great energy off the bench," the coach said.
The athlete said he is keeping an open mind about what he might accomplish at Shippensburg.
"I don’t set goals because it puts you at a limit and you don’t get a chance to achieve more," Johnson said.
