With North Carolina formally beginning practice on Oct. 14, THI is taking a deep look at the four main returning Tar Heels. We ran Garrison Brooks a few days ago and today look at senior guard Andrew Platek.
Aside from winning games, what Andrew Platek wanted more than anything was to get a chance to regularly break a sweat in games for North Carolina. Then, he said, people would see what kind of player he is.
After playing just 379 minutes over his first two years, Platek got that opportunity last season as a junior logging 562 minutes (18.1 per game) while starting nine times for the Tar Heels.
It didn’t go entirely as planned, though. Carolina turned in the second worst record in program history at 14-19 and Platek struggled, never scoring in double figures netting nine points twice, including a home overtime loss to Duke, and finishing with eight points in three other contests.
The senior from Guilderland, NY, isn’t deterred, though. He’s more determined than ever to make good on his mission. But before going there, a bit of a refresher is in order.
Last season, he averaged 3.9 points converting 36.6 percent of his field goal attempts, including just 13-for-57 (22.8 percent) from 3-point range to go with 1.4 assists and 2.1 rebounds per outing.
As for that desired playing time?
During one stretch from January 11 through February 8, Platek averaged 35 minutes per contest, but after playing just a total of 33 minutes in the next two games, he averaged only 7.6 minutes per outing over Carolina’s final eight games. A lack of production in conjunction with Christian Keeling’s late-season surge affected his playing time.
And as is often the case with Platek, he’s the first to admit things didn’t go as well as he wanted.
“Honestly, I didn’t feel like many parts of my game were particularly strong last year,” he recently said. “I had some flashes and some good moments, but becoming a better overall player was the most important thing. That meant getting in the gym every day, putting up thousands and thousands of shots and just always having a ball in my hands.
“I think being more a part of the offense last year helped me learn a lot and helped guide my off-season work in the gym.”
Before getting into what Platek can do offensively, to best understand one of his clear values to the Tar Heels is to recognize his genuine nature. Platek is a competitor, someone who cares deeply about winning and cherishes the opportunity to be a part of the program and help Carolina win games.
He doesn’t shy from criticism and is usually the first one to heap it on himself. Taking bullets for the team? No problem.
Consider some of these comments from last season to illustrate Platek’s value in that room:
*Following a tough loss at Florida State, in which freshman Cole Anthony struggled mightily, Platek took the heat off of his younger teammate.
“Obviously, there’s a lot of things we could have done to help us as a team to win that game and it’s not on any one person,” he said, sitting in the locker room in Tallahassee about 10 feet from Anthony. “He didn’t have the best game, obviously, and he knew he didn’t have the best game. We all didn’t have the best game.”
*Following a terrible loss at Wake Forest last February, Platek made no bones about it saying, “We sucked tonight.”
*After a win at NC State to improve to 10-10, Platek was asked if winning three in a row meant the Heels had turned the corner.
“(Whistling exhale sound), We’re .500, I wouldn’t say we’ve turned any corners, yet,” he said.
*And finally, after an overtime loss to Duke when the Tar Heels let a lead evaporate because they couldn’t hit free throws, including Platek, who was 1-for-4 over final 54 seconds of regulation, he took it on himself:
“I’m a veteran, I’m a leader, I’ve been in these situations before and I need to come through,” Platek said. “These guys have never been here, so I’ve just got to be better.”
Stuff like that doesn’t show up in a box score and is rarely highlighted, but it’s an important component, especially on this year’s team that has six scholarship freshmen and only three upper classmen expected to contribute.
With all of that said, Platek had some solid outings helping the Tar Heels win games and compete against heavily favored foes in a few others. But he’s moved on from those performances, the good and the bad.
As the Tar Heels near his final campaign, Platek’s mission hasn’t changed. He knows he can play and is determined to do big things helping the Tar Heels win evert time they step onto the court. But he really wants to play well.
“I hope with all the work I’ve put in over the summer I’ll finally be able to have that year I think people have been waiting for and I’ve been waiting for since I got here,” he said. “To me, that means being someone who has an impact. Someone who’s more consistently doing what it takes to win and putting points on the board, doing what I know how to do – which is score the basketball. I’m looking forward to getting the opportunity to try to do that.”
What’s interesting, however, is the veteran who welcomes all the arrows, has found inspiration from the newest Tar Heel as he embarks on his final year in Carolina blue.
“Caleb (Love)’s been saying something a lot in pickup, ‘Trust your work,’ if you’re about to take a shot or do something,” Platek said. “I’ve been trusting the work I’ve put in over the summer and I’ve been playing pretty well lately. I want to have a big senior year, maybe even some kind of a breakout season, and I want to be more consistent in my game because it’ll translate into more wins.
“That’s what I’m concerned about the most.”
That’s really all Platek has ever been concerned about. Winning and showing he can play, and he’s just around the corner from his last go-around.
