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Apr. 4—ROCHESTER — In the minutes after the John Marshall boys basketball team clinched its first state tournament appearance in 22 years, senior guard Eli Ladu hugged principal Matt Ruzek.
The moment perfectly captured how much Ladu means to the JM community, as both a player and a student.
"He is a lovable kid," Ruzek said. "He has kind of an energy about him that does draw you. And I think it's a characteristic that clearly suits for leading a group, in particular with athletics."
Ladu led the Rockets in the Class 4A state tournament — as he did all season — putting up 15 points, three assists and two steals in a quarterfinal loss to No. 1-seeded Cretin-Derham Hall. In a way, his performance against Cretin embodied everything he worked so hard for as a basketball player.
It wasn't his showing at state alone that makes him our Post Bulletin All-Area Boys Basketball Player of the Year, but instead, everything that led up to it.
"It's an award I didn't know I would get," Ladu said of POY. "Knowing it's the way I'm going out playing high school basketball, (that) it's one of the awards that I finished with, it's a true blessing to me."
Ladu ended the season with All-Big Nine Conference honors after averaging 17.5 points, 4.5 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 2.7 steals per game.
"For 32 games, I never had to question Eli's heart," JM basketball coach Jim Daly said. "He was one of our leaders. ... He was very coachable. Had a great attitude and certainly made my job a lot easier. ... We're going to miss him a lot."
While Ladu is a star on the basketball court, he is also a playmaker on the gridiron. His talents at wide receiver will take him to Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The coaching staff was a major factor for Ladu in picking Iowa Western, one of the top D-I football JUCOs in the country.
"They kind of told me what they have planned out for me in the future, the path that they see me going through," Ladu said. "That kind of really struck me. ... I think they're a very good school, and knowing where I'm at right now, that would probably be the best decision for me to go there and bet on myself and go ball out and see where it takes me next."
As much as Ladu wants to push himself on the field, earning a college degree is just as important to him. He strives for greatness in every area of his life. Ruzek worked with Ladu this year to prepare him for the academic responsibilities of a college student athlete.
"I want to continue playing the sport I love," Ladu said. "It's always been a dream to go play at the next level. And now that I'm there, I'm always striving to be greater than where I am right now and getting better each day, and hopefully, it goes beyond college, but I'm mainly focused on getting my degree."
"It's just very easy to see the amount of work that he's put in, in particular, this year," Ruzek said. "He really dedicated himself to improving for his teammates and trying to better himself."
Coming from a family with 11 kids, Ladu has never lacked supporters. His family, teammates and close friends, whom he affectionately refers to as "sweet, sour and salty," have always cheered him on.
Two of his older brothers, Peter and Zach, graduated from JM in 2022 and 2024, and like Ladu, played football, basketball and track for the Rockets. Eli is a middle child and the sixth-oldest Ladu sibling.
"They're a big part of the reason why I'm here," Ladu said. "They supported me a lot, all my siblings. Even the ones that are already in college and (have) already done things that I've done, they've been there every step of the way. And they're mainly the reason why I'm this good at sports and where I'm at right now."
He grew up playing against his older brothers, especially Ben (a 2019 JM graduate who ran track and played football), Peter (University of Wisconsin-River Falls football) and Zach (former Concordia University-St. Paul football commit with 4 years of remaining eligibility).
He always looked up to his brothers, and now, he is setting an example for his younger siblings, including his sister, Michelle, a JM freshman who plays soccer, basketball and track.
"My siblings are everything to me," Ladu said. "And being there for me in a time like this where I just committed and (am) going on to play above high school sports is very — I don't know how to describe it — but very heart-touching for me."
Among his biggest sports influences are his older brothers, JM football head coach Kyle Riggott, Daly, the support staff at JM, and, of course, his teammates.
"(My coaches have) been the pinpoint of the reason why I kept getting better mentally and physically during my off season and during in season," Ladu said. "Even when (I) ... may not have the best game ... they're the reasons why I keep my head up and keep going."
Ladu helped the Rockets to their first boys basketball section title and state tournament appearance since 2003, before the players on the roster were even born. JM finished sixth at state and 26-6 overall (19-2 Big Nine), tying the program record for most wins in a single season. Although the season didn't end the way they had hoped, the six seniors on the Rockets will always remember the final year they spent together.
"It's a true blessing to call them my brothers," Ladu said of his teammates. "I grew up with most of the guys that are on the team right now and talking about it when we were younger, and now looking back at it makes us tear up, knowing it's all over."
As a three-sport athlete, Ladu has plenty of lessons to take with him to college. High school football with the Rockets — who improved from 0-9 in 2022 to 7-3 in 2024 — taught him that if you keep working hard, your situation can change quickly and drastically. Basketball taught him "lifelong lessons," including the importance of education. In his freshman year, Ladu struggled academically and Daly helped him pick up his grades.
Ladu and his fellow seniors no doubt left their mark on JM basketball, but most of all, they left the program better than they found it.
"Knowing we went to state and we did something really big for the school, and not only for the school, but the community, is really crazy," Ladu said. "(Football and basketball) taught me, on the court, to cherish every moment. ... My four-year career at John Marshall went by really fast. And just to know that time goes by fast — and everything in life — you just have to cherish every moment with the people that you love."
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The moment perfectly captured how much Ladu means to the JM community, as both a player and a student.
"He is a lovable kid," Ruzek said. "He has kind of an energy about him that does draw you. And I think it's a characteristic that clearly suits for leading a group, in particular with athletics."
Ladu led the Rockets in the Class 4A state tournament — as he did all season — putting up 15 points, three assists and two steals in a quarterfinal loss to No. 1-seeded Cretin-Derham Hall. In a way, his performance against Cretin embodied everything he worked so hard for as a basketball player.
It wasn't his showing at state alone that makes him our Post Bulletin All-Area Boys Basketball Player of the Year, but instead, everything that led up to it.
"It's an award I didn't know I would get," Ladu said of POY. "Knowing it's the way I'm going out playing high school basketball, (that) it's one of the awards that I finished with, it's a true blessing to me."
Ladu ended the season with All-Big Nine Conference honors after averaging 17.5 points, 4.5 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 2.7 steals per game.
"For 32 games, I never had to question Eli's heart," JM basketball coach Jim Daly said. "He was one of our leaders. ... He was very coachable. Had a great attitude and certainly made my job a lot easier. ... We're going to miss him a lot."
While Ladu is a star on the basketball court, he is also a playmaker on the gridiron. His talents at wide receiver will take him to Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The coaching staff was a major factor for Ladu in picking Iowa Western, one of the top D-I football JUCOs in the country.
"They kind of told me what they have planned out for me in the future, the path that they see me going through," Ladu said. "That kind of really struck me. ... I think they're a very good school, and knowing where I'm at right now, that would probably be the best decision for me to go there and bet on myself and go ball out and see where it takes me next."
As much as Ladu wants to push himself on the field, earning a college degree is just as important to him. He strives for greatness in every area of his life. Ruzek worked with Ladu this year to prepare him for the academic responsibilities of a college student athlete.
"I want to continue playing the sport I love," Ladu said. "It's always been a dream to go play at the next level. And now that I'm there, I'm always striving to be greater than where I am right now and getting better each day, and hopefully, it goes beyond college, but I'm mainly focused on getting my degree."
"It's just very easy to see the amount of work that he's put in, in particular, this year," Ruzek said. "He really dedicated himself to improving for his teammates and trying to better himself."
Coming from a family with 11 kids, Ladu has never lacked supporters. His family, teammates and close friends, whom he affectionately refers to as "sweet, sour and salty," have always cheered him on.
Two of his older brothers, Peter and Zach, graduated from JM in 2022 and 2024, and like Ladu, played football, basketball and track for the Rockets. Eli is a middle child and the sixth-oldest Ladu sibling.
"They're a big part of the reason why I'm here," Ladu said. "They supported me a lot, all my siblings. Even the ones that are already in college and (have) already done things that I've done, they've been there every step of the way. And they're mainly the reason why I'm this good at sports and where I'm at right now."
He grew up playing against his older brothers, especially Ben (a 2019 JM graduate who ran track and played football), Peter (University of Wisconsin-River Falls football) and Zach (former Concordia University-St. Paul football commit with 4 years of remaining eligibility).
He always looked up to his brothers, and now, he is setting an example for his younger siblings, including his sister, Michelle, a JM freshman who plays soccer, basketball and track.
"My siblings are everything to me," Ladu said. "And being there for me in a time like this where I just committed and (am) going on to play above high school sports is very — I don't know how to describe it — but very heart-touching for me."
Among his biggest sports influences are his older brothers, JM football head coach Kyle Riggott, Daly, the support staff at JM, and, of course, his teammates.
"(My coaches have) been the pinpoint of the reason why I kept getting better mentally and physically during my off season and during in season," Ladu said. "Even when (I) ... may not have the best game ... they're the reasons why I keep my head up and keep going."
Ladu helped the Rockets to their first boys basketball section title and state tournament appearance since 2003, before the players on the roster were even born. JM finished sixth at state and 26-6 overall (19-2 Big Nine), tying the program record for most wins in a single season. Although the season didn't end the way they had hoped, the six seniors on the Rockets will always remember the final year they spent together.
"It's a true blessing to call them my brothers," Ladu said of his teammates. "I grew up with most of the guys that are on the team right now and talking about it when we were younger, and now looking back at it makes us tear up, knowing it's all over."
As a three-sport athlete, Ladu has plenty of lessons to take with him to college. High school football with the Rockets — who improved from 0-9 in 2022 to 7-3 in 2024 — taught him that if you keep working hard, your situation can change quickly and drastically. Basketball taught him "lifelong lessons," including the importance of education. In his freshman year, Ladu struggled academically and Daly helped him pick up his grades.
Ladu and his fellow seniors no doubt left their mark on JM basketball, but most of all, they left the program better than they found it.
"Knowing we went to state and we did something really big for the school, and not only for the school, but the community, is really crazy," Ladu said. "(Football and basketball) taught me, on the court, to cherish every moment. ... My four-year career at John Marshall went by really fast. And just to know that time goes by fast — and everything in life — you just have to cherish every moment with the people that you love."
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