Lavar Batts Jr. (Photo: Jason Jordan)
RALEIGH, N.C. – Lavar Batts Jr. was downright dominant in Robinson’s (Concord, N.C.) 63-57 win against Trinity Christian School (Fayetteville, N.C.) on Tuesday at the High School OT Holiday Invitational, scoring 25 points, grabbing five rebounds, dishing out four assists, swiping two steals and blocking two shots.
Still, the first thing he’ll undoubtedly hear about first are the four free throws he missed.
Such is the life of the star player who doubles as the coach’s son.
“Oh, it’s coming. I already know that,” Lavar Jr. said with a laugh. “My dad definitely lets me know what I could’ve done better every game.”
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Lavar Sr. readily admits that he’s “probably toughest” on his son, but is quick to point out that the “tough love” approach has vastly improved from a couple of years ago.
“Oh man it used to be so bad he didn’t even want to ride home with me after games, he’d ride with his mom,” Lavar Sr. said. “Now I still talk to him about everything, but I don’t ride him as hard as I used to. It’s tough because I played ball and his sister plays ball and we’re always talking about ball anyway. I stay on him because I know what he can be.”
College coaches concur; Tennessee, Georgia, ECU, VCU, Charlotte, St. Louis and Yale, among others, are all in hot pursuit of the four-star point guard.
Lavar Jr. burst onto the scene this past summer leading Team CP3 to the Final Four of the uber-prestigious Nike Peach Jam.
“I was just doing the things that my dad always tells me to do all summer,” Lavar Jr. said. “I know that even when I don’t wanna hear it, I need to hear it to be better. At the end of the day sometimes your biggest fan can be your biggest critic too, and that’s my dad. I’m cool with the whole ‘father knows best’ thing.”
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