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Luke Haupt turned in his best performance of the season in Point Loma Nazarene’s 92-88 win at No. 12 St. Martin’s last Saturday.
While watching the 6-foot-7, 195-pound senior swingman score a season-high 18 points on 8 of 12 shooting with five rebounds, six assists and three steals, you’d never know that he missed all of last season while recovering from a torn ACL in his knee.
The injury happened during the 2023 PacWest tournament and led to an arduous 18-month rehabilitation process.
This week, as the No. 13 Sea Lions (6-1) host the PLNU Thanksgiving Classic starting at 2 p.m. Friday against Seattle Pacific, Haupt was thankful to be back on the court.
“It’s a blessing to be back out here,” said Haupt, who is averaging 12.9 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. “Last year was such a learning experience. I had to sit on the sideline the whole time. Luckily I’m at a place I want to be at (with) players I want to play with and coaches I want to be around. But I was just itching to be out there.”
Haupt, who played for his father, Mike, at St. Augustine High School, had initially hoped to return last season. When he suffered a setback, Haupt opted to redshirt.
This season, Haupt and the Sea Lions are off to a hot start. The Sea Lions have beaten three ranked teams, and Haupt’s skill set has been a perfect addition to a team that returns just about every key player from last season’s 21-9 squad.
Well, minus one. In a situation Haupt can relate to, junior guard Jake Lifgren is out for the remainder of this season after reinjuring a knee he originally hurt midway through last season.
Haupt’s game is best described as versatile.
The left-hander can shoot the 3-ball — he’s made 6 of 13 attempts this season — and is effective taking opponents off the dribble and working from the paint. Down low, his size, scoring and passing skills make him a difficult man to cover.
PLNU coach Justin Downer says Haupt’s best skill is his passing.
“That kind of sets the table for the rest of his game,” Downer said. “Everyone is so worried about him as a passer (that) it helps him as a scorer. He can pass with both hands. He can finish with both hands, so you can’t shade him to one side. And then his size, he has the ability to pass over defenses. We’re letting him bring the ball up the court. He’s 6-6 and can pass with either hand to the corners, so that puts a lot of pressure on defenses.”
The Sea Lions are at their best when the ball is moving crisply, with dribble penetration leading to kick-out passes to open shooters.
PLNU has four players averaging 10 or more points per game. Senior guard Zach Paulsen leads the way with 13.7 points per game; he’s shooting 42.4% from 3-point range.
The box score from Saturday’s big win at St. Martin’s is illustrative of how the Sea Lions play. They made 10 three-pointers; the team’s 33 field goals came off 18 assists.
“I think that’s where it starts,” said Haupt, who graduated last spring and is in a graduate program for sports management. “I love passing the ball, especially when you’ve got guys like we have on this team, guys who can shoot it and score it. So I would say I’m a pass-first guy and then I like to get to the rim too. Get to the rim and make plays for myself and my teammates. It’s a fun way to play.”
PLNU Thanksgiving Classic
Who: Seattle Pacific (2-4) at No. 13 Point Loma Nazarene (6-1)
When: 2 p.m. Friday
Where: Golden Gymnasium
Originally Published:
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