Athletics

Sasha Stefanovic continues to proudly wear number 33 for Crown Point High School as he celebrates his signing to play basketball with the Purdue University Boilermakers in the next school year, but he needs your help and your vote now as he competes in the “February Athlete of the month” in the Post-Tribune online poll.

Simply click the link below to place your vote online on the Post-Tribune website. Voting is open through February 9. You may vote once every 12 hours.

Click here to vote now online – http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/athletes/ct-post-tribune-february-aotm-20170201-story.html#pd_a_9654097

With your help last year he was named the April 2016 winner of the Post-Tribune’s Community Choice Athlete of the Month and was named the Post Tribune’s Community Choice Athlete of the Year 2016 – your vote can count!

Photo credit: Jim Karczewski of the Post-Tribune

Crown Point’s Sasha Stefanovic commits to Purdue for men’s basketball – From The Times

The 6-foot-5 scoring guard, who was averaging 19.7 points and 6.2 rebounds a game heading into the Portage game, had 24 offers on the table when he chose to become a Boilermaker.

• Click here to read more at The Times

Patience pays off as Crown Point’s Sasha Stefanovic commits to Purdue – From the Post-Tribune

Stefanovic becomes the third player from Crown Point to commit to a Big Ten school for Swan in the last five years. Grant Gelon (Indiana) and Spike Albrecht (Michigan Purdue) are the other two.

• Click here to read more at the Post-Tribune

Purdue adds Crown Point guard to 2017 class – From Lafayette Journal and Courier

“It’s been my favorite college since I was little,” Stefanovic said. “It’s where I always wanted to be. It was a no-brainer for me if I had the chance to go there.”

• Click here to read more at the Lafayette Journal and Courier

2017 Purdue Basketball Recruiting: Sasha Stefanovic Commits – From SB Nation

Stefanovic is a 6’5” 184 pound shooting guard from Crown Point Indiana. He is rated as a 3-star prospect on Rivals, but he is basically the sniper that Matt Painter has coveted for ever class these past few recruiting cycles.

• Click here to read more at SB Nation

(Photo caption: Hobart native Adam Tatalovich, a pro personnel scout for the Sacramento Kings, stands with Cavaliers star LeBron James.)

Adam Tatalovich, a 1996 Hobart High School grad with deep family roots in the Serbian community in Northwest Indiana, was recently featured in a Times newspaper article discussing his career path as he navigates life in the NBA working as a pro personnel scout for the Sacramento Kings.

While the news article focused on Tatalovich’s professional development, he is still managing to maintain connections with his faith and Serbian culture that grew from his earliest experiences with Serbian churches in Northwest Indiana. He continues in his faith and is building new connections in the Serbian community during his travels crisscrossing the country as he scouts NBA talent covering up to 20 professional basketball games per month.

Read the entire most recent article about Adam Tatalovich and his work currently with the Sacramento Kings by clicking the link below:

• AL HAMNIK: Tatalovich has feel-good story
  – http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/columnists/al-hamnik/al-hamnik-tatalovich-has-feel-good-story/article_c292adfc-e06c-583e-841f-055a17266e03.html

Q&A with Adam Tatalovich: Recalling his Serbian roots

Q: What are some of your connections with Serbian culture and Churches growing up in Northwest Indiana?
A: I was baptized at St. George Serbian Orthodox Church in East Chicago, Indiana and went frequently there with my Baba during my toddler days because my entire family was from “the Harbor” area. After I started grade school, my family moved to Hobart where we were members and attended St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church for the duration of my childhood growing up until college. We actually lived a half mile from the old church and hall when it was on 49th Avenue in Hobart.

Q: Describe some of your connection with St. Sava Church in Merrillville.
A: I had a great connection with St. Sava growing up, attending Sunday School every Sunday with Divine Liturgy. I was very passionate being an altar boy…I probably preferred serving in the altar over being in Sunday School…it was fun assisting Father John…I could cut a mean loaf of bread…and as all altar boys do…sneaking some handfuls of bread now and then. I was also a member of the Kolo dancing Folklore group for a large duration of my youth until my middle school years.

Q: What are some of the other church connections and memories you had growing up?
A: I remember wanting to be a priest when I was around 5-6 years old. I would be at my Baba’s house in East Chicago and would use her living room as the church and the closet as the altar…I had the double doors, robe, candles (no flames of course), cross, and something resembling a censor. The priest at East Chicago at the time would give me tiny pierces of incense that I treasured.

Q: What are your connections with the church today?
A: With my career I have been moving around a lot, but when I am in the Northwest Indiana area I find myself returning to my earliest roots visiting St. George in East Chicago most often where I have found connection with Father Alex. I still try to get to St. Sava in Merrillville when I can and believe it’s the most beautiful church in North America. I definitely try to get back for a Serb Fest (www.serbfest.org) when I can each year in the summer.

Q: With your travels taking you around the country and around the world in your professional basketball career, do you find time with such a busy schedule to find connection in the Serbian communities and churches you visit?
A: On a recent work trip in early Jan. 2017 while I was scouting in New York I had the opportunity to connect with Bishop Irinej who I met while I was working with a professional basketball team in Australia a few years back. He invited me to a dinner with Princess Elizabeth and Prince Dimitri which was an absolute honor.

The prior week I was traveling in Boston and went to the Christmas service at the St. Sava Boston/Cambridge Parish, where Father Aleksandar invited me over to his family’s home for Christmas lunch.

I also attend the Serbian Church of the Assumption of The Blessed Virgin Mary in Fair Oaks when I am home in Sacramento, California. I have also visited the St. Sava Parish in Jackson, CA which is 45 minutes outside of Sacramento and it is the oldest Serbian Church in North America.

When I was living and working in Australia I also attended both Serbian Churches while I was based in Perth, Australia for 3 years.

More about Tatalovich’s career development in professional basketball

• AL HAMNIK: Tatalovich has feel-good story
  – http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/columnists/al-hamnik/al-hamnik-tatalovich-has-feel-good-story/article_c292adfc-e06c-583e-841f-055a17266e03.html
• Doyel: Former IU manager thankful for those who helped his career
  – http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/columnists/gregg-doyel/2014/12/23/ex-iu-team-manager-owes-career-to-bob-knight/20733053/
• Coach Adam Tatalovich joins NBA’s Sacramento Kings
  – http://www.wildcats.com.au/featured-news/coach-adam-tatalovich-joins-nbas-sacramento-kings/
• New Perth Wildcats assistant coach Adam Tatalovich arrives from US
  – http://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/basketball/new-perth-wildcats-assistant-coach-adam-tatalovich-arrives-from-us/news-story/1bfb39dd46763ac18d82d7126c53c3de
• New Orleans Hornets hire Carlos Daniel as strength coach and Adam Tatalovich as video coordinator
  – http://www.nola.com/hornets/index.ssf/2010/08/new_orleans_hornets_hire_carlo.html
• Tatalovich has reason to hoop it up
  – http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/columnists/al-hamnik/tatalovich-has-reason-to-hoop-it-up/article_ac42aaad-ae6c-5fb6-a521-67022bcb80e6.html
• Bulls name four to basketball operations staff
  – http://www.nba.com/bulls/news/basketballops_060823.html

 

NWI Obilic Legends Soccer of St. Sava will be playing a home game Sunday, June 12, 2016 that will take place at the Crown Point Sports Complex on turf fields beginning at 11:00 a.m.

Admission is free to the games and donations are welcome to help support the team. For more information about the team and upcoming home and away games, please contact Milan Marinkovich at milan146307@gmail.com.

Learn more about NWI Obilic Legends Soccer at www.saintsava.net/soccer.

With your help voting this past week in the Post-Tribune online poll Sasha Stefanovic has been named the Post-Tribune Community Choice Athlete of the Year for 2016. Sasha will be featured in Suburban Tribune printed editions next week.

Sasha Stefanovic proudly wears number 33 for Crown Point. He was the April winner of the Post-Tribune’s Community Choice Athlete of the Month and was among an elite group of region athletes that were in the running to be named the Post Tribune’s Community Choice Athlete of the Year with online voting by the community

 

From the Post-Tribune:

“Stefanovic hit a long 3-pointer as time expired in regulation for host Crown Point in the sectional championship game against Valparaiso. The shot sent the game into overtime. Stefanovic finished with 18 points as the Bulldogs won 59-54 in double overtime. At the time, Stefanovic was averaging 15.4 points and 7.0 rebounds. ‘That’s just Sasha being Sasha,’ Crown Point coach Clint Swan said of his performance.”

[youtube id=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59J_sqkwFvc&sns” width=”600″ height=”350″ autoplay=”no” api_params=”” class=””]

Sasha Stefanovic proudly wears number 33 for Crown Point. He was the April winner of the Post-Tribune’s Community Choice Athlete of the Month and is now among an elite group of region athletes that are in the running to be named the Post Tribune’s Community Choice Athlete of the Year – your vote can count!

Simply click the link below to place your vote online on the Post-Tribune website. Voting is open through noon on May 26. You may vote once every 12 hours.

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From the Post-Tribune:

“Stefanovic hit a long 3-pointer as time expired in regulation for host Crown Point in the sectional championship game against Valparaiso. The shot sent the game into overtime. Stefanovic finished with 18 points as the Bulldogs won 59-54 in double overtime. At the time, Stefanovic was averaging 15.4 points and 7.0 rebounds. ‘That’s just Sasha being Sasha,’ Crown Point coach Clint Swan said of his performance.”

[youtube id=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59J_sqkwFvc&sns” width=”600″ height=”350″ autoplay=”no” api_params=”” class=””]

The Obilic Legends Soccer Team at St. Sava Church in Merrillville, Indiana is proud to announce they will be playing the 2106 season as part of the Chicagoland Premier Soccer League.

Premier Soccer League Quick Overview

• Minimum 15 Game Season Followed by Tournament
• 3-man Professional Referee Crew
• Supplemental Medical Insurance
• Liability Insurance
• Hands-On Commissioners
• Elected Board of Directors
• USASA / USSF Affiliated Membership
• Support for State and National Competitions

Hobart High School junior boys basketball center Aleks Novakovich, son of Zeljko and Snezana Novakovich, was recently featured in a The Times newspaper sports section basketball profile story. Novoakovich has also played on teams in basketball tournaments, such as the 76th Annual SNF Basketball Tournament in 2015, representing St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church of Merrillville, Indiana.

Read the beginning of the story below or click here to read the entire article at The Times website.

From the Times Newspaper:

STEVE HANLON: This Brickie says ‘Srećna Nova godina’

While most of America woke up late Friday and said “Happy New Year,” there are others who said something else. Hobart junior boys basketball center Aleks Novakovich said that, along with “Srećna Nova godina,” which is the same greeting in his native Serbian tongue.

The Region has a long history of great Serbian high school basketball players hanging nets all over the 2-1-9. Novakovich is not at the top of the list right now. But don’t blink, because the 6-foot-8 center is moving up the name tree.

“Most Serbs are tall and good shooters,” Novakovich said Wednesday night after his Brickies lost to Griffith at the Highland Holiday Hoopfest. “There have been a lot of great Serbs who’ve played in the NBA, and I know who they are all.”

Vlade Divac, Predrag Stojaković and Vladimir Radmanović are some of the best of the best from the Eastern European hoops hotbed.

“Basketball is very big in our culture,” said Novakovich, who was born in the United States.

His parents — Zeljko and Snezana Novakovich — lived in Croatia. But the war-torn nation of the 1990s had them looking for freedom and peace.

So in 1996 the family moved here, like thousands before them. Region basketball’s history book would be missing a large chapter if not for this Nike migration.

“Aleks likes it here, we stay here,” said Zeljko, his father. “Aleks is a member of the Serbian National Federation, or what some call the ‘Serbian Olympics.’ He’s met a lot of former players and learned from them. It’s a language, a culture. It’s really good to meet other kids from around the country.”

Zeljko said Aleks has grown almost a foot in a year and a half. Hobart coach Mike Black has seen an even bigger growth on the court. All of Novakovich’s numbers are up. He’s averaging 9 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2 assists a game.

• Click here to continue reading the rest of the story at The Times website