``Basketball is a game I have loved since I was a kid,'' Wilson said. ``It's what I dreamed of doing in college.''[/B]
``I just love the fast-paced nature of basketball,'' Petraitis said. ``Our baseball coach (at Miami) said it's OK for me to play intramural basketball. That's not a reason why I ended up choosing Miami, but I'm glad I get to keep playing.''
As the area boys 2004-05 season begins, their high school coaches certainly are happy to have Wilson and Petraitis for one more year. Each senior is pivotal to the success of his team. Each is one of the few returning starters.
Wilson was part of an Irish team that reached a Division II regional final last year before losing to eventual state champion Ottawa-Glandorf. The rugged 6-foot-5, 235-pound Wilson averaged 15 points and seven rebounds in his first season at St. V-M after transferring from Walsh Jesuit.
He said playing in a program that had won three state titles in the previous five years and was home to LeBron James taught him about playing up to expectations.
``Everyone wants to beat St. V-M,'' Wilson said. ``It forces you to step up and play your best. Teams are gunning for you every night.''
Wilson plays his best in the low post. He doesn't pretend to be a perimeter player. He knows the Irish need him to rebound and to be a presence in the paint.
Coach Dru Joyce II likes Wilson's intensity and needs him to bring it consistently.
``It's something that the other players can feed off,'' Joyce said. ``He is a big-time rebounder, and he's an explosive player, and that's what the football coaches love about him.''
Wilson, a Northeast Ohio all-district football all-star, might not just limit himself to football at Notre Dame. He said the Irish basketball coaches have encouraged him to try out if he desires. Wilson, who owns a 3.2 grade-point average, said he wants to give it a shot.
``I really didn't start playing football until ninth grade,'' said Wilson, who chose Notre Dame over Ohio State and Pittsburgh. ``Basketball was my first love.''
