Athlete of the Week: 10 questions with Scotty Dean, Loyola Academy basketball

Scotty Dean is a senior wing on the Loyola Academy basketball team who scored 12 points in a big win over DePaul Prep Monday, March 1, and 19 in a road win at Leo on Friday, Feb. 26.

1. Do you have any pregame rituals or superstitions?

I just love to stretch a lot. I listen to music that gets me fired up, some dubstep or rap music. I distance myself from the team and just get locked in.

2. Who is the funniest guy on the team?

Roman Sudimac. He’s a funny guy. He’s always got something to say. We do a team joke whenever we win. Roman’s had a couple good ones. But I think I’m close up there for funniest. Some people would say it’s me.

3. What is your favorite thing to do off the court?

I love hanging with friends and watching movies, having a good time.

4. Who is your favorite basketball player, NBA or otherwise?

I would go with Jason Richardson (Retired — Golden State Warriors). I just loved watching him. He’s very athletic, a very exciting guy on the floor, always making a play.

5. What are your plans for next year?

I’m looking at a couple Division III schools. I’m gonna play basketball. Either DePauw, St. Norbert or Augustana. They were schools that reached out to me and I went to visit all three and loved all three. I’m not in any rush. They are all small schools … that can set me up well.

6. What is your dream job?

Right now, I sell knives for CutCo. I may be a salesman. Honestly, my dream job would be to own a restaurant or bar in Chicago. I definitely like downtown. In the summer, I work as a busboy downtown at Chicago Brewhouse and I love working there.

7. If you’re in Walgreens with a couple bucks, what are you buying?

Nutella breadsticks; those are very good, a good option. And then maybe some Reese’s. They’re very good too.

8. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?

I would go far. Not anywhere close. Going to India would be pretty cool actually — see what’s going on over there. Maybe I’ll see some tigers or something. That would be interesting.

9. What is something no one knows about you?

I love driving downtown and going on rides. When I’ve got nothing to do, I love driving with my buddies.

10. What makes this team special? 

You know the Loyola system: Everyone is a grinder. Defense, defense, defense. Everyone can play. We could lose to any team in Illinois and we can beat any team in Illinois. Our top eight are solid and bring different aspects to the game. … We have great balance. We don’t really have a big (man), but we use that to our advantage. We can play fast but also slow. We can play at whatever pace we want to.