Last Sunday Florida State earned an at-large bid to this week’s NCAA tournament. The Seminoles lost to Georgia Tech in the ACC tourney title game but still kept their streak alive of making the NCAA tourney ever year since 2017. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with Anthony Polite about being a great 3-PT shooter and making the NCAA tourney.
You were born/raised in Switzerland: what are the biggest sports in that country, and how did you 1st get into basketball? The biggest sports are soccer/hockey, but basketball is growing more and more. My father/grandfather both played basketball and I watched a lot of basketball growing up.
Your father Michael scored more than 1000 PTS for the Seminole basketball team: how much of an impact was he on your own decision to attend Florida State, and who is the best athlete in the family? He never put any pressure on me to come here: it was my decision and after my visit I decided that it was the best fit for me. We have a lot of contenders in our family but I would definitely say that I am the best athlete!
You play for Coach Leonard Hamilton: what makes him such a great coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from him so far? He cares about us both on and off the court. He wants us to be great on the court and in the classroom and wants us to be okay in life once the ball stops bouncing. He is like a father-figure to all of us.
In the 2019 NCAA tourney you beat Vermont/Murray State before losing to Gonzaga in the Sweet 16: what did you learn from that tourney run that you think will help you this time around? You have to focus on 1 game at a time and each possession counts. If you lose then you go home so every detail is important.
What is it like to be a college basketball player during a pandemic? It is definitely different: there are a lot more sacrifices that we have had to make, such as where we go and what we do. You have to keep up with it if you want to stay in line with your goals.
You were an AAU teammate of Raiquan Gray: how close are you 2, and what makes him such a good player? He is a great guy: we always joked about going to college together. We are extremely close and he is 1 of my best friends. He is good at everything and does not have a weakness.
You are shooting 43.9 3P% and your team is #9 in the nation with 39 3P%: what is the key to making shots from behind the arc? Being consistent and getting into the gym as much as possible. You have to be disciplined and just keep to your routine.
Your team won 9 of 10 games after New Year’s Eve but lost 3 of your past 5 games since late-February: what is the mood of the team heading into March Madness? We are extremely excited and ready to give our all and play our best basketball of the year.
You played 1 game as a true freshman before having to redshirt due to knee injuries, and you missed 4 games last January due to a left shoulder injury: how is your health at the moment? I feel good right now and nothing is bothering me: I cannot wait to get onto the court!
What do you think about being a #4-seed, and what do you know about UNC-Greensboro? We are blessed to be in this position. We know that UNCG has some really good players so we will just go out and play our game.