By Dominic Scianna

It was only a matter of time for Daniel Loza, senior guard for Lake View High School, to cement his place in Wildcats basketball lore as the third athlete to ever score 1,000 points.

The anticipation was palpable as his coach, teammates, family, friends, and fans awaited the historic moment, which came in the third quarter of Lake View’s 54-18 win over Elgin at the host school’s annual four-day Holiday Tournament to cap a 2-2 week for the Wildcats.

And, as only Loza can do, his 1,000th point came on a three pointer (his forte’) and after the ball swished through the net, Lake View head coach Todd Patterson called an immediate timeout to let his senior bask in the moment as fans from both sides gave him an ovation after his accomplishment was announced over the loudspeaker..

“It was exciting that my teammates were looking for me to get my 1,000th point,” said Loza. “It was amazing (to see the shot go in) but I wasn’t really thinking about it. We are conditioned to just play and I was more concerned about just trying to get the win.”

Patterson was brought in four years ago for the 2021-2022 varsity basketball season, to pair with Loza and backcourt mate Frankie Fregoso, who were freshmen that season. The trio have been together, through thick and thin, ever since. 

Last year Lake View set a personal best, winning 21 games (second-most in the school’s 150-year history) under Patterson’s guidance and finished third in the Chicago Public League’s White North Conference. This year the Wildcats currently sport a record of 6-6. Their goal is to take another step forward in the process.

“We’re taking the season four games at a time. We have a checklist of accomplishments that we need to achieve, and some of those things are within reach,” said Patterson. “We’re very confident that this year we can vie for the conference title and try to win our first regional championship plaque (in the Illinois High School state tournament) in the history of Lake View basketball.”

For Loza, it has been a character-building, four-year high school career, but under Coach Patterson he has drawn strength in keeping a laser focus on the job at hand, both on and off the court.

“It’s been tough love with Coach,” said Loza, nodding his appreciation to his mentor when talking about his four years at Lake View with Patterson. “I’ve been through a lot of things with all the ups and downs, but at the end of the day he just wants me to get better as a player.”

Another record-setter is Fregoso, who led the state in steals last season and has picked up right where he left off a year ago as an IHSA leader this season. His primary goal is to concentrate on his takeaways and assists as the floor general for the Wildcats.

“That’s my role (steals and assists) and what I do best for the team,” said Fregoso. “On defense, I’ve learned to value that role and be the hardest worker and lock down the best players that I go against.”

For the families of Loza and Fregoso, it has been a labor of love for a school, coach, and team. They see the results and improvement on a daily basis, but the team has yet to be recognized in the high-profile Chicago Public League – until now.

This story is worth noting because you can see it and feel it when you watch Lake View play, and as you listen to their coach and student-athletes talk. It’s an attitude and “condition” that the players quote, and even the parents refer to it as a difference maker.

“Daniel works very hard and to see him accomplish this (his 1,000th point) means a lot. He’s come a long way. His dad passed away when he was 10 years old and this night brought tears to my eyes because I know he (Daniel Sr.) is looking down from heaven and is very proud too,” said mother Marisol. “Plus, he’s got a great coach and mentor who sees his potential and pushes him to his limits, and he appreciates that.” 

For Fregoso, his dad Frank also sees the benefits of sticking it out for four years at Lake View in believing the turnaround in basketball was possible, along with receiving a great education academically that will pay dividends down the road.

“Frankie is coming up on 300 steals in his career and we’re proud of that. To see him be a part of this team and come up with D-Lo (Loza) who’s setting records too is something very special,” said dad, Frank Fregoso. “I’ve loved every moment of Frankie’s time at Lake View and can’t wait to see what’s ahead for him.”

Daniel (3.5 GPA) and Frankie (4.6 GPA) are stellar academic students and their grades have placed them in select company. Colleges and universities are already sending athletic and academic scholarship offers to them both. But the two have yet to commit with time still on their side to select the right college fit before graduation in the spring of 2025.

“Me, Daniel, and Frank – we all came in together. And I tell these guys that I don’t want to think about the end of this relationship – because it’ll make me teary-eyed,” Patterson said. “It’s been our journey together and this whole team has meant everything to me and to them, and they’ve been exemplary captains who have bought into everything we’ve done.”

The team is also rounded out nicely with the support from juniors Scott Hightower (11 pts), Dyami Rolon (10 pts), and sophomore Matthew Chico (5 pts), who keyed the Elgin win with a balanced starting five lineup that has paced the Wildcats thus far this year.

Lake View is clearly on the map and other CPL teams are taking notice as they set their sights on a title run in the CPL White North Conference,  which would put another exclamation point on a season full of record-breaking accomplishments.