TigerBait.com - Spoils of being a Tiger follow Ludwig

March 10, 2009

William Weathers
TigerBait.com Managing Editor

The moment seemed a little awkward at first to Country Day standout Eddie Ludwig. Just moments after the Cajuns' 98-56 Class 1A state quarterfinal victory at East Iberville in St. Gabriel and the teams exchanged handshakes Ludwig felt a nudge on the back before returning to his team's bench.

When Ludwig turned around the 6-foot-8, 195-pounder found a member of the East Iberville dance team trying to get the attention. What he finally realized is that the young girl wanted to take a picture with Ludwig -- a request he complied with -- following his 38-point outburst. Right after the first snap shot sent a burst of flash shooting from the camera an older woman - an East Iberville fan - stepped in and asked for the same treatment.

Not all road teams and visiting players receive such treatment after ending the home team's season by a whopping 42 points but then again it's not every day the opponent brings in a LSU signee - something that's taken a while for the unassuming Ludwig to adjust to.

"I don't mind it," said Ludwig, who signed with the Tigers in November along with Aaron Dotson of Seattle. "It's kind of weird that a person wants to take a picture with me but I guess it comes with me ever since I signed with LSU. Word's gotten around at several places. Last year I was going under the radar, kind of doing my thing but this year it's magnified."

More of the same was expected when Country Day (32-7) rolled into the Cajundome in Lafayette where the Cajuns continued to chase their state championship dreams Tuesday against their nemesis - three-time defending state title holder Christian Life Academy in semifinal action.

Country Day, which had lost in its last two state title appearances against Christian Life, gained a measure of revenge with a 58-49 victory - a game in which Ludwig scored 21 points to help the Cajuns reach Friday's state title game against Arcadia.

"He's so determined," Country Day basketball coach Mike McGuire said of Ludwig. "He's a great leader. None of that fanfare gets to him. He just wants to win. He wanted to get back to the Cajundome and more importantly he wants to win a state championship."

Regardless of the gaudy numbers this season - he's averaged 20.2 points - the entire off season and regular season for Ludwig was spent with this very moment in mind.

The burning desire to return to the Top 28 and win the Class 1A championship began in the days after Country Day's second straight title-game loss to Christian Life - the 48-39 setback that didn't any better with Ludwig than the lopsided 61-33 loss the Cajuns endured at the hands of the Crusaders the year before.

"When you lose in the championship you're going to be hungry to come out the next year and put yourself through the hard work to get better because you know you're not there and if you're not winning it," Ludwig said. "Pretty much all the guys worked hard, played AAU. The whole approach was to get to this point here. The hard work's paid off so far but we got two more games to go."

Statistically speaking Ludwig was going to have a difficult time surpassing all of his numbers -- 22.3 points and 13.5 rebounds -- and honors - the Class 1A Player of the Year - of last season and that's proven to be the case.

Not only have teams targeted Ludwig in an effort to slow him down but the scoring burden has also been eased somewhat by the arrival of the transfer of junior Matt Derenbecker, a 6-6 small forward who averaged 20.3 points during the regular season.

"If he gets 20 points or 10 points and we win he's happy and that's what I love about him," McGuire said. "He's not about stats, he's about team. He is giving it every day and every night. Every time we play he's going to give it that kind of an effort. He doesn't always go for 40 but he's going to go for the big night."

In his latest performance Ludwig took advantage of his height advantage against East Iberville and promptly scored 12 points in each of the first two quarters on an array of inside moves, hook shots and putbacks for a 47-32 halftime lead.

Ludwig went back to the work in the second half and combined with Derenbecker to help fuel Country Day's run toward the state semifinals.

Ludwig followed up Derenbecker's driving slam dunk with a dunk of his own off an alley-oop. With the Cajuns in the midst of a 21-0 run Ludwig capped his evening with a flying two-handed jam.

"From last year to this year the attention is greater which is a good thing and bad thing," Ludwig said. "You get a lot of focus from the defense but it opens things up for everyone else and helps the team out."

While his focus is squarely on the remainder of his senior season and winning a state title Ludwig can't help but beam with pride at the fortunes of his future school.

Ludwig has been able to attend a great majority of LSU's home games where he's experienced the program's renaissance - ranging from the Southeastern Conference regular-season crown, to a national ranking to a rebirth of the school's fan base that's made the Pete Maravich Assembly Center a feared venue once again.

"Basically everything that's happened coach (Trent) Johnson told me it was going to happen," Ludwig said. "I bought into the system before it ever happened and it looks like the investment's paying off. I think it's a sign of things to come at LSU."

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