The Pacific-10 Conference is loaded with top-notch frontcourt talent this season, and it helps to have some big bodies ready to come in and help shoulder the load down in the paint.
The first big body off the bench for the Ducks this season is usually senior Mitch Platt, who at 6-foot-10, 265 pounds can certainly do that – but it’s the other little things he does that have Ernie Kent stepping up his playing time.
Things like playing solid team defense, setting good screens and making smart plays with the ball are the little things Platt is more than happy to do to help his team win; these are things that might not necessarily pop out on a box score but are crucial to team success.
“I’m not too worried about going out there and scoring and doing too many things that fill up the stat sheet, just because we have so many guys that can,” said Platt. “I think there are a lot of things I can do that maybe won’t show up on the stat sheet, but people that know the game and watch the game can see that I’m being pretty productive out there.”
And while men of Platt’s stature aren’t always gifted distributors of the ball, Platt has good vision and a knack for delivering the ball on time. The Ducks have been running a play where they get him the ball near the top of the key and then he feeds the ball to someone, usually senior forward Malik Hairston, coming off a screen in the corner and cutting to the hoop. Platt says humbly that his passes are only good thanks to the finish.
“If I make a pass to Malik down in the post, and he can finish the way he does, he makes it look a lot better,” Platt said. “If it was someone else who can’t finish, then you know it’s not as good a pass because it didn’t convert to anything.”
His screens to get open looks for sophomore guard Tajuan Porter in Saturday’s win at California have also drawn some praise, but Platt keeps up his theme of deferring any and all compliments to his teammates.
“My teammates definitely make me look good. I’m setting what they call great screens I guess for TP but he’s making the shots that make the screens look good,” says Platt. Then, with a smile, “If he misses those shots then it’s not a good screen.”
Kent has been pleased with the quality minutes he’s getting from Platt recently. In the Ducks’ last home game, a 79-63 victory over the Beavers, Platt had four points, four rebounds and two assists in eight minutes. Kent said that production like that will come in handy for the Ducks as the season culminates and the grueling schedule begins to take its toll.
“I thought he helped us in the ballgame. He made some great plays, some great decisions,” said Kent after the win. “If he plays solid, he can help us down the stretch.”

The road ahead

Like several of his fellow seniors, Platt had his degree requirements locked up before this season began. He finished the requirements for his bachelor’s degree in political science during summer term, and while he said it feels good to have the degree, he doesn’t plan on using it anytime soon.
The NBA isn’t exactly pounding down Platt’s door, but a man his size with his abilities will likely land somewhere playing professionally if the desire is there to keep playing. Many athletes who couldn’t get a shot in the NBA have gone overseas to play professionally, something Platt is considering.
This past summer Platt traveled to Germany with the faith-based travel team Athletes In Action. They played against professional teams across the country and he said he has been invited to contact a few of them should he decide he wants to go that route. Platt hasn’t decided where yet, but he knows that he wants to keep playing.
“I don’t want to look back when I’m 30, when my body’s hurting and I can’t do it anymore, and wish I had,” he said. “So I might as well have some fun and hopefully make some money playing the game that I love.”
So Platt’s path will be leading him out of Eugene at season’s end to seek his basketball fortunes, but the Las Vegas native said that he may have found a new hometown during his time here.
“I’ve loved it. I would someday love to be back,” he said. “I’m definitely still excited to be here for these last couple of months.”
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