Andrew Platek: Must See SG
After averaging 15 ppg this past weekend with Albany City Rocks during the first session of the Nike EYBL it's no wonder why 6'4" guard Andrew Platek (Northfield Mount Hermon, MA '17) has become a must watch for college coaches.
Count experience as the biggest factor for City Rocks 3-0 start to the EYBL season in the eyes of Platek. He and teammate Anthony Gaines were both apart of the 17u EYBL team last year and are now back for their second go around, something that Platek believes helped him and the new guys on the team get off to a quick start.
"I don't know if we have the success that we did this weekend without our experience," Platek admitted. "We took our knowledge of the EYBL game and passed that down to the younger guys and it showed."
Going 3-0 and defeating California Supreme, CIA Bounce, and Southern Stampede though is something even Platek didn't know if they would do because he had really not played with the team at all until this past weekend, but even though it may have taken him by surprise he says he is happy and very excited about what's coming up the rest of the way now for his squad.
Another thing Platek is excited for is his college recruitment as it seems to be taking off once again. He just came back from an unofficial visit to Butler two weeks ago, and he came away impressed with everything he saw from the Big East School’s campus.
"The visit was great. I loved the coaches and the campus," Platek said. "Everything had such a historic feel to it which you really can't get anywhere else so I really enjoyed that."
He left there with the Butler coaching staff offering him, with Platek saying he now adds that off to a list that includes Miami, Rutgers, George Washington, and Davidson.
After a 20 point game against Southern Stampede on Sunday, Platek says that now North Carolina is starting to show interest which would be the biggest school to date on his list, but he is not focused on any one school at this point noting that he is still wide open and won't be taking any more visits until possibly just before Peach Jam in July.
The main points Platek says he is looking for in a school revolve around academics. His family has always pushed him to be a strong academic student on top of being an elite basketball player, and so when he looks at a school its academic reputation Platek says will play a major role.
"Academics are very important, they actually come first," Platek stated. "I cannot go to a school that has a poor academic reputation. I want to go to a school noted for strong academics, but a school that balances that with a strong basketball team too."
All things are truly looking up for the Guilderland native as he continues his quest to lead City Rocks to a Peach Jam title, along with building up his recruitment along the way. On Saturday he was poked in his left eye during a game which has caused redness to basically cover his eye, but he still went out there and shined displaying his toughness and his will to win because at the end of the day that's all he says that matters.
"As long as I come out with the win that's fine. I will do whatever it takes for the win, even get poked in my eye."
