GROTON – He may not be the team leader in most categories, but Jacob Zak can literally do it all.

The Groton senior is the team’s top defender, can fill up a stat sheet with points, rebounds, assists and steals, and does a little bit of everything for the Tigers, including jumping on tip-offs.

“He could score more if we asked him to, he could rebound more if we asked him to, he could do a lot of things more if we asked him to,” said Groton coach Brian Dolan. “He just does everything so gosh darn well. He’s a Swiss Army Knife.”

While you can measure some of what Zak does on offense, it’s what he prevents that might be his biggest asset. Zak is a lock-down defender, something he has worked on his whole life, but especially since joining the varsity as a freshman starter.

“It was a lot more of getting to know coach (Dolan), knowing what his philosophy is, and it’s defense,” Zak said. “So, I just became the guy who was like, I’ll guard the other team’s best player and do my best on offense.”

Despite being outsized on many occasions, Zak is always up for the challenge of shutting down the opposition’s top scorer. He said his goal is always to keep that individual under his points per game average.

“You just got to make them score over the top of you, and take away their game,” Zak said. “You can tell if one’s better at driving or one’s a really good shooter. You’ve just got to take away one and hope they score over the top of you.”

Zak said being a good defender takes a lot of work and also a lot of preparation.

“I’ve watched quite a bit of film,” he said.

That study has helped him gain an advantage on how to slow down the game’s top scorers.

“Taking away their angles, that’s the major part of defense,” Zak said. “If you beat them off of angles, there’s not much they can do. It takes a lot of work to do it. You got to be able to move quick, read their hips. If you beat them to that angle, it forces them somewhere else. It usually leads to a pass out.”

Zak, who also competes in track and field, said his days of playing soccer has paid major dividends when it comes to things like footwork, which is crucial to defense.

“I think it really helps. It’s a good sport that combines with basketball, I’d say, especially defensively,” Zak said. “I think soccer is one the hardest sports to have that foot control.”

To show you Zak’s mentality when it comes to defending, he was asked if he would rather be up by a point and have to defend a last-second shot, or be down by one and have to make a game-winning shot?

After a second of reflection he responded, “We’re up one and I’m denying the person from getting the game-winning shot.”

The reason?

“I think it would just be easier for me to get a defensive stop,” Zak said. “I think it’s easier to get one stop than it is one bucket.”

Especially, he noted, if it includes a total team effort on the defensive end.

While Zak has the ability to produce big offensive numbers, he isn’t worried about individual statistics. He only cares about one thing.

“I do what it takes to win,” Zak said. “Winning is the most important thing to me.”

Dolan could not agree more.

“His feel and command for the game is second to none,” Dolan said. “He always has a smile on his face, but trust me, he wants to win.”

Zak is part of potent backcourt duo along with classmate and longtime friend Lane Tietz. Through the years the two have formed a special chemistry and pushed each other to get better.

“It’s been unbelievably great. He pushes me to be better every day, and I do it to him, too,” Zak said. “He’s really got it in him. He cares. I know what he wants and he knows what I want, so it’s just a good connection we got.”

It’s where Zak learned many years ago that if he does his job on one of the end the floor, it usually leads to positive things on the other end.

“It really came along at a young age,” Zak said. “When Lane and I and our team were in first grade, it was if I play defense against the other team’s best player, and I shut him down, we’re going to score and we’re going to beat them.”

Now as the two seniors prepare for their final high school games in this year’s Class A State Tournament in Rapid City, that philosophy has proven to still be a recipe for success.

The Tigers were highly motivated to get back to the state tournament after making it two seasons ago, but missing out on a return trip last year.

Zak said the players need to focus on the task at hand in order to make a big impact at the upcoming tourney.

“It’s going to take a lot of mental toughness and staying dialed in for four days that we’re down there,” Zak said. “We just got to stay focused and keep our eyes on the prize.”

And you can bet that the Swiss Army Knife will find a way to leave his mark on the tournament just like he has on the Groton program for the past four seasons.

“He’s grown into a leader on this team and a role model for the younger kids,” Dolan said. “He’s leaving a legacy for kids behind him to strive for. We’re going to miss that kid.”