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Libertyville's Peterson hungry for calories, basketball - and politics

Lunch period is a very important time of day for Drew Peterson.

When you're serious about sports, stand 6-foot-5, but weigh just 160 pounds, fueling up as often as possible is a priority.

"I have to get bigger and stronger," said Peterson, a sophomore guard who is starting for the Libertyville boys basketball team. "Remembering to eat … eating a lot, it's harder than people think it is.

"But I'm trying to eat more, I'm drinking a lot of protein shakes. I spend a lot of time eating."

Not all of his time is spent eating, though. Even during lunch period.

Peterson makes sure to save a few minutes each day at lunch to meet up with his favorite political conversationalists. Some are teachers, some are fellow students.

Just as basketball is a passion for Peterson, so is politics. Even at age 16, Peterson has become very interested and outspoken about politics and government.

In fact, Peterson has watched all but one of the seven Republican presidential debates. Wire to wire.

"I've always seen my parents being really interested in politics and what's going on with our country," Peterson said. "Over the last year or so, I started to get really into it, too. I think it's so important. Our country is really based off politics.

"I watch Fox News Channel a lot. I read articles on the Internet. I follow the debates. I'm just really interested in what people who might run our country have to say."

Peterson is interested in what others around him have to say about politics, too, which is why he might sacrifice scarfing down that extra sandwich at lunch to save some time for debate.

"I think it's really fun," Peterson said. "I love talking politics, especially with coaches or teachers. Most adults like to talk about politics so that's a connection you can have with them."

Most times the talking is a conversation. But sometimes…

"It's more of an argument," Peterson laughed. "But it never gets out of control. It's all just for fun. But it depends who I'm talking to and what side they're on as to how the conversation goes. A lot of my teachers are Democrats, so that's fun."

Peterson says he's a conservative and is pulling for any Republican to win the presidency in November. But he says his favorite candidate is Donald Trump.

"I like it that he's a new face in politics," Peterson said. "He's not really a politician. I like it that he's confident and is a good businessman and is a good negotiator. I think he would be good with foreign affairs.

"I hope he can win it."

Of course, Peterson is bummed that he will be too young to cast a vote for Trump or any other Republican in the upcoming election.

He's just glad that the Libertyville coaches didn't see him as being too young (or too thin) to start on the varsity as a sophomore.

"It's an unreal experience for me," said Peterson, whose older brother Conor, a 6-foot-6 guard, was a starter on the Libertyville basketball team last year as a senior. "I was just trying so hard to make the varsity at first. And to be able to get a starting spot has been really great. It's given me a lot of confidence."

Peterson, a versatile scorer who can shoot 3-pointers as easily as he can get to the basket, has had some big games this season. He scored a career-high 27 points against Hersey and had 24 points in a big North Suburban Conference Lake Division game against Lake Forest.

On the season, Peterson is shooting better than 50 percent from the field.

"Drew has a great mid-range game, and has become a much better defender and rebounder over the last month," Libertyville coach Brent Mork said. "Over the course of the season, he has gotten better and better and started to fully understand all of the little things that need to be done to play varsity basketball at a high level.

"His name is getting out there as a highly-ranked sophomore in the state."

A name getting out there? Almost sounds a little bit like politics.

But as much as Peterson likes politics, he has no aspirations of being in politics himself. And least not at the moment.

"I'm hoping to go into business, maybe be a consultant or something," Peterson said. "Probably not politics for me. But I always want to be aware of politics and know what's going on."

pbabcock@dailyherald.com

Follow Patricia on Twitter: @babcockmcgraw

  Libertyville sophomore Drew Peterson is excelling on the basketball court this season. Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com
  Libertyville sophomore Drew Peterson starts on the boys varsity basketball team. Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com
  Libertyville High School sophomore Drew Peterson starts on the boys varsity basketball team. Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com
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