Schulte’s tough leadership belies his sophomore age

Adam Candee

Tuesday, March 30, 2004 | 9:45 a.m.

Everyone knew that one guy in high school who never put down the ball, who went to class to kill time until the game, who got a car at 16 and used it to wear a path to the gym.

At Palo Verde, that is sophomore Nate Schulte and in that way, he is almost a caricature of himself. But to lump Schulte into the mold of single-minded jock is unfair to the kid whose focus on winning state championships and earning a college basketball scholarship burns through that cliche to reveal a young man bent on improving himself.

The kid who could not stomach a title-game loss as a freshman returned as a sophomore and pretty much required his teammates to join him in taking the one step they could to make this year more successful. Palo Verde did just that, navigating a treacherous Sunset Region and winning the 4A State Tournament against Foothill and giving coach Phil Clarke his first state title.

And although he might take as little time to celebrate the award as he did to bask in the state title victory, Schulte is the 2003-04 Sun All-State Boys' Player of the Year.

"He's just the driving force," Clarke said of Schulte. "When he steps on the floor, you'd better be ready to play."

Schulte came ready to play all year, averaging 17.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. He also led the Panthers in steals at 2.1 per game. Displaying a vastly refined post game from his freshman year, Schulte shot 54 percent from the floor, including 41 percent from 3-point range.

Yet it is not his statistics that Clarke feels reveal the true value of Schulte. That comes from everyone else's numbers.

"He sort of raises everyone's level, I think," Clarke said.

Schulte is determined to constantly raise his own level, saying after the title game victory against Jamaal Smith -- his closest competition for Player of the Year honors -- and Foothill that he would celebrate the win for a day or two before returning to the court.

"Now I've just got to move on and focus for the next two (championships)," Schulte said.

Clarke tried to convince Schulte to take some time away from the court to mentally recharge, but it did not work. Schulte is still spending plenty of time both at Palo Verde's gym and at a local workout center.

"He gets bored pretty quick," Clarke said. "He doesn't like sitting around."

Schulte will spend the summer learning to play the wing, in case he does not grow taller than his current height of 6-foot-4. The work is intended to make him a better college prospect.

"He's sort of excited about running the lane and attacking the basket," Clarke said.

Attacking is no problem for Schulte, who scored 20 points in the Sunset Region title game win against Durango and then notched 13 points and 10 rebounds in the win against Foothill.

None of that success brings complacency for Schulte.

"He's just so excited about playing," Clarke said. "It's a neat thing."