Varsity basketball player, Matt Haefner was nominated for the Mcdonald’s All-American Games. Haefner is just one of 16 high school basketball players from Missouri to be nominated.
The game features 24 of the top high school basketball players and is considered by many as a major achievement in high school basketball. The game is also streamed on ESPN and watched by many scouts and coaches.
“There are so many talented players throughout the country. He’s one of 350 high school senior boys to get nominated. So it’s an awesome nomination, but the kid works really hard, does everything he needs to do to be successful, and I’m just glad that he got acknowledged for that,” Head Coach Bryan Kiem said.
Haefner was shocked to find out that he had been nominated and didn’t even know he was being considered for the award.
“I didn’t know until the day the list came out and I saw my name, which was pretty cool,” Haefner said.
So far, this year he leads the team in points scored, averaging 19.6 points per game. He also leads the team in rebounds, free throw percentage, and assists. On Jan. 20, he also set a new LHS single-game scoring record with 39 points against Liberty. He is happy that his hard work has been recognized.
“I was just super excited, honestly. Not something I was expecting to get, but something that feels super rewarding for all the work I put in,” Haefner said.
Kiem has said that Haefner is one the most hardworking and talented players he has ever coached. He believes Haefner is a self-made man and can fully deserve all the accolades he gets.
“I can’t take any credit for him because he’s self-made. He works really hard. He puts all the time in. I just get to use him as an asset in the program. He’s a fun kid to coach, which is awesome, but I can’t take any credit for the accolades that he gets, man. It’s all earned by him,” Kiem said.
Hafner’s talent on the court has also earned him a full-ride scholarship to Truman State University. Haenfer said he is excited about the opportunity and can’t wait to play for them.
