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McDonald freshman selected to play in Italy
McDonald
Zach Rasile never dreamed he’d be playing basketball more than 4,500 miles away from his home. But on April 8, the freshman will board a plane and make the trip across the Atlantic to play in the Junior International World Championships in Italy.
“When I first found out I didn’t believe it. I thought my Dad was just messing with me, but he wasn’t. He was serious,” Rasile said.
Team Ohio was looking for a sharpshooter to join their squad, so it’s no surprise Rasile was top of the list.
“The guy who runs it knew of Zach through other people and he’s seen video of him, so that’s how he got involved,” said Jeff Rasile, Zach’s father and high school coach.
Zach Rasile hit 140 3-pointers in his freshman season, passing the 20-year-old state record of 122.
“It’s pretty amazing. Zach’s put in a lot of work. He shot 60,000 3-pointers over the summer. People see that number, but they don’t understand. That is a yearly thing,” said Jeff Rasile. “He puts all of that hard work in year after year and it shows with all of his accomplishments.”
The team also includes seven other high-profile players from Ohio, Arizona and California.
Zach Rasile even met some of them this past weekend in Columbus. He is the lone freshman in a group that includes five sophomores and one eighth grader.
“They are some big guys,” said Jeff Rasile. “Zach’s probably going to be the smallest one out there.”
But ZAchRasile doesn’t think his height will be a factor.
“It doesn’t worry me. I might be the shortest guy out there, but I can still bring a lot to the team,” he said.
The tournament projects two to three players from each team to reach the NBA.
A few top names who played in the Junior International World Championships include LeBron James, Jared Sullinger and Aaron Craft.
While some players in the tournament may eventually reach the NBA, Jeff Rasile says they will all get a taste of what it’s like while in Italy.
“They treat you like NBA stars over there,” he said. “People will come up and ask you to sign autographs or give away some gear.”
Rasile will play in front of crowds as large as 4,000 people in the city of Varese, just outside of Milan and is looking forward to the unforgettable experience.
“It’s going to be a growing experience, that’s for sure, but it’s really cool to be able to say I played in Europe,” he said.
The tournament begins April 13 and will consist of four days of pool play leading up to the final games.
His family jumped at the opportunity to join him overseas.
“I didn’t see it coming,” said Jeff Rasile. “I was on my way home from scouting a game when I got the phone call and I was like, ‘I need to sit down and think about this.’ He definitely wasn’t going without us.”
However, his family won’t be with him very long.
Rasile will spend the first four days sightseeing with his father, mother Jackie, older sister Bethany and younger sister Maria.
“He’s very excited. He’s a low-key kid who doesn’t show very much emotion. I think once he gets there, he’s going to be pretty amazed,” said Jeff Rasile.
His son will then stay with a host family for the remainder of his trip. The host family will be the family of a player on the Italy roster. The freshman isn’t exactly worried about staying with people he doesn’t know.
“I think I will be fine. The only thing I’m thinking about is what I will eat. I’m a really picky eater,” he said.
Rasile is the only player from the area to play in the Junior International World Championships.
“It’s not only a great statement for the Valley, it’s a great statement for McDonald. We’re known as a football school, so this sheds some light on our basketball program,” Jeff Rasile said.