Whether he was grabbing defensive rebounds — 10 in all — or posting up his defender for 13 points, Mitch Platt was a big piece of Oregon’s puzzle on Saturday in the team’s 83-80 loss to Stanford.
The freshman from Henderson, Nev., collected key rebounds and showed a flair for hard work in the paint. It was his first career double-double and shouldn’t be the last.
With his efforts, Platt became that ever-important facet of an offense that holds a variety of special roles. Luke Jackson is the all-around shooter, James Davis is the perimeter threat and Ian Crosswhite is the dangerous forward.
What does that make Platt?
The filler. The dyed-in-the-wool filler who acts as the team’s fourth option but can play down low like its second. Platt is a grinder and needs to be. When Robert Johnson left after last season, the grinding, scraping aspect of the Ducks left with him.
Jackson can have that mentality, but he needs to be finessed through the season. He is too valuable to be banging play after play, tempting injury and probably a subsequent end to Oregon’s season.
That’s Platt’s role, to bang, grab those rebounds and run the floor. With his ankle almost completely healthy, he is beginning to strive in that role, and he’s becoming one of the Pacific-10 Conference’s big-time freshmen.
He has proved that, so far. In the 12 games he’s played — four were missed due to an ankle injury suffered during the Papé Jam — he is averaging 5.7 points and 4.5 rebounds.
Those statistics aren’t gratuitous but reflect his steadying presence first off the bench and now as a starter.
The Sporting News described Platt as a “skilled big man who can pass, run (the) floor,” in its 2003-04 season preview.
If only the magazine knew then what the rest of the Pac-10 should know now.
“I think he’s made a stride in just the last month in general,” Oregon head coach Ernie Kent said after the team’s loss Saturday. “Since he’s gotten that brace off his ankle, each day he gets a little bit better.
“For him to play like that in this environment is huge. This is very similar to how he played down at Arizona State. He is starting to come; he is starting to feel very confident with what he does.”
Platt had 13 points and eight
rebounds against the Sun Devils. That was with Ike Diogu on the floor, who is one of the toughest big men in the Pac-10, if not the nation.
Platt’s effort against Stanford came against Rob Little, Matt Haryasz and Co., a group of big men who were as much a reason for the Cardinal’s perfect start than any other players on Stanford’s roster.
Kent pointed out that Platt and Crosswhite have created a duo that, with a little more toughness and full health, could have potential to be very good. That’s no doubt, especially considering the duo has dominated different aspects of the game.
Crosswhite has earned a reputation as a dangerous outside shooter despite his 6-foot-11 frame. Platt has problems shooting free throws — he was 1 of 4 from the line Saturday — but has become a big body down low.
“We’ve just got to get them a little further ahead in terms of conditioning, toughness, little mental things like that,” Kent said. “That’s just time. (Stanford’s Nick) Robinson and Little were not like that their first year in the Pac-10. They’ve developed into that and that’s where Mitch needs to go. He will develop into one heck of a basketball player.”
For the time being, the Ducks will need Platt to be a solid freshman, helping hold down the fort until Aaron Brooks can get back, pushing Oregon’s depth even further.