UNC Basketball: Andrew Platek has bounce-back performance in victory

After a rough shooting night in the team’s season opener, Andrew Platek put up an impressive performance for the UNC basketball team in their second victory of the season.

On opening night of the 2020-21 college basketball season, the UNC basketball program picked up their first victory, but saw some of their key returning players struggle offensively.

Senior Garrison Brooks and junior Leaky Black combined to make just five total shots, but no Tar Heel came under more scrutiny than senior Andrew Platek.

The Guilderland, New York native shot 2-for-9 from the floor, including 1-for-5 from behind the arc. Fans on social media were outraged by his offensive struggles, especially given the amount of shots that he took during the contest.

However, Platek bounced back in a big way on Monday evening.

With the Tar Heels down 13-0 early, Platek was inserted into the game and provided a huge spark for Roy Williams’ squad. The senior guard scored the first Tar Heel bucket of the evening, as he drained a three-pointer to get the team’s offense going. From that point on, the Tar Heels started putting the ball in the basket, and worked their way to a commanding lead and victory.

Overall, Platek scored 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting in 15 minutes of work. This game marks the first time that Platek has scored in double-figures since his freshman season.

What the box score doesn’t show is Platek’s high energy and defensive presence. The senior guard is constantly hustling, and looking to make the “hustle plays” that are key to a team’s overall success.

Yes, opening night wasn’t his best performance offensively, but there is a reason why Platek is a key member of Roy Williams’ rotation.

What Platek brings in regards to leadership, energy and intensity is very important, especially for a team like the Tar Heels, which features a lot of young talent. Platek leads by example, and will definitely play an important role on this team moving forward.

Without a doubt, the Tar Heels will be a much better team if guys like Platek can prove that they can consistently hit their shots. He will definitely get his fair share of looks, especially when opposing teams are trying to shut down some of the Tar Heels’ best scoring threats.

As we’re only two games into this season, we remind you to be patient with this team. Although some guys have been around for a long time, they are still trying to get back into the swing of things, and without a full regular preseason it is going to take some time to get the players into midseason form.

Platek took a lot of heat after the season opener, but fans need to appreciate the little things that he brings to the table for this program. He’s a guy who understands and embraces his role, and will do whatever it takes to help this team win games.

The quarterfinal round of the Maui Invitational was promising, especially in regards to Platek’s overall performance. Moving forward, if Platek can play with the same effectiveness off the bench, it would be a huge bonus for this UNC squad that has hopes of being one of the best teams in the country by season’s end.

Continue to follow the Keeping It Heel team for all the latest news and updates regarding Andrew Platek and the UNC basketball program.