The Colonial Valley Conference’s surprise basketball team through the season’s first month was Hopewell Valley Central High. But a key player in the Bulldogs success was not at all surprised by the close-knit team’s 9-1 start.
“We have so much chemistry and it affects how we play together,” junior forward John Michael “JM” Vlasac said. “We’re a group of friends playing basketball and football. If you can play basketball with your friends, it’s the best thing. We hang out every Sunday and watch football. We play football in the backyard. We do everything together. We play basketball on weekends. That’s the biggest part of it. We know we always have each other’s backs and we always play for each other.”
That wasn’t just Vlasac paying lip service to his friends. Coach Matt Stein feels that bond is the biggest reason for a turnaround from consecutive 12-14 seasons.
“The number one thing is the chemistry amongst the team,” Stein said. “You go into huddles and guys would be talking to each other in a positive manner, asking how they can help each other, whatever they need to do. From the summertime to now, they’re all in for each other. That’s the biggest reason for the success we’ve had so far.”
Another reason has been the play of Vlasac, who has worn a chip on his shoulder since ninth grade. At 6-2, 200 pounds, the football tight end/linebacker has transferred his athleticism to the court and through Jan. 16 was leading Hopewell in scoring (16.5 points per game), rebounds (8.2), assists (4.5), steals (3.5) and free throws (35, out of 36 attempts).
Not bad for a guy who was left on the freshman team when all his buddies from Timberlane got moved up to JV.
“Looking back on it I think that truly helped him,” Stein said. “He couldn’t rely on those other guys he had played with. He took more of a leadership role. From his freshman year to sophomore year he was there to spark guys. Each year he took on more of a leadership role and this year he’s a senior who we lean on heavily.”
The experience taught Vlasac that when things don’t go according to plan, a guy can either mope about it, or take strides to improve the situation. He chose the latter.
“I was a starter on the middle school team and we won the championship,” Vlasac said. “Then came freshman year, I was excited to play basketball. We had tryouts for our freshman team, I noticed the former starters from the eighth-grade team got pulled up (to JV).
“I didn’t say anything, I didn’t complain. I knew I had to put my head down, keep working. I knew I was good enough, but I knew I needed to improve. That kind of fueled me going into sophomore year. I wasn’t put on varsity and I just worked my butt off on JV and at the end of the year I got a look on varsity and from there everything fell into place.”
Vlasac showed his all-around game as a junior, averaging 10 points and 8.2 rebounds while leading the team with 58 assists, 20 blocked shots and 69 steals. He has been just as well-rounded this season.
“He does anything and everything that you need,” Stein said. “He leads in every single category including the ones you do not see, which are the hustle plays. Anything you need he does it for us. He had a big three-pointer against Lawrence. Against Ewing he has 23 (points) and 14 (rebounds). But it’s not just (the stats). It’s also that intensity that he plays with. That’s something as a coach you can’t teach. We’re lucky to have him as a player, as a leader, as a captain.”
Vlasac began playing basketball in first grade but did so without any length. He remained short through middle school. Covid hit during his freshman year and so did a growth spurt.
“I was one of the shortest guys on the team in middle school,” he said. “Everyone jokes that I went into Covid quarantine at 5-6 and came out at 6-foot. I think I always had the skills, I just needed the height. When the height came I started to blossom.”
He emerged in two sports. Over two varsity football seasons he amassed 66 catches for 907 yards and 10 touchdowns, while defensively he had 123.5 tackles in three seasons. He also plays for the Bulldogs baseball team.
“He plays three different sports, which amazes me,” Stein said. “In the summer he would go to seven on sevens for football and drive to Charter Nations to play in our five on five games. We’d be asking the ref to delay the game to wait for him. He wanted to be there for anything and everything.”
JM wanted to make sure he didn’t short-change either team.
“I focused on football over the summer but I still always got in my basketball with the summer league,” he said. “I went to our team camp (at Albright) and made sure I got in with those guys.
“I’m having a good season and it’s showing with our wins and losses. But everyone around me is making me better. They’re hitting shots, getting rebounds, The camaraderie between the team is working right now.”
Contributions have come from all over. Senior Mac Torpey has been a defensive standout, sophomore Jude Berman has stepped in at point guard, sophomore Julian Van Hoeck is providing perimeter offense off the bench and seniors Jayden Shin and Jake O’Grady and junior Milan Desai have provided toughness.
“Besides JM, we don’t have another guy averaging over 10 points,” Stein said. “But those guys can all definitely score.”
And they all fall in line behind Vlasac.
“His work ethic and leadership have been great,” the coach said. “Every day in practice, any time we work out, the energy he brings, the expectation that he sets with his teammates is always there. Through games, through practices every single day he gives everything he has.”
He does the same in the classroom, having carved out a 3.8 grade point average. Vlasac has been accepted to Penn State, LSU, Michigan State and Alabama, and right now Penn State has the inside track.
“You can tell by where I applied that I want to go to a big football school,” he said with a laugh. “I love football. I just love sports. My whole high school career, it’s always been coming from one sport, getting a week off and then I’m right back into baseball, basketball or football, whatever it is. I just love it, that’s my life. I love playing sports, I love watching them, I love playing them. It’s my life. It’s what I want to do later in life; something around sports.”
If enthusiasm for competition counts for anything, he should have a pretty good career in whatever path he decides.
Hopewell Valley multisport star John Michael Vlasac. (Photo by Mike Schwartz/mikeschwartz.photo.),
