Nobody puts Andrean sophomore Cole Gilvydis in the corner.
Well, except for maybe the 6-foot-3 guard himself, at least last season.
“I’ve been more confident this year, believing in myself,” Gilvydis said. “I’m kind of transitioning to a different role on the team. Last year, I was just a 3-point shooter. I wasn’t really confident. I would just sit in the corner.
“But this year, I can do it all. I really believe in what I can do. It’s all come together for me.”
Indeed, Gilvydis was averaging a team-high 19.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists for the 59ers (5-5) before their loss at Chesterton on Wednesday. He had 29 points and eight rebounds against Bishop Noll on Saturday.
First-year Andrean coach Jack Cundiff, a 2011 Munster graduate who spent 12 seasons as an assistant at his alma mater, believes Gilvydis’ ceiling is even higher.
“He’s had a great year,” Cundiff said. “He worked really hard this offseason. He’s put in a ton of work on his game, on his body, on his mental approach. We really love what he’s growing into. We like that he keeps continuing to improve. We’re really excited about that.
“We’re glad he’s only a sophomore. I love coaching him. It’s going to be cool coaching him for all of the rest of this year and two more. We don’t have to think about not coaching him anymore for a long time.”
Gilvydis made an impact as a freshman last season, posting 11.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists. That team was led by his older brother Paul, a post-graduate at Don Bosco whom Gilvydis described as a “role model.” Their father Paul played at Purdue from 1993 to 1997.
“It was amazing,” Gilvydis said. “It was a great experience to play with my brother and some really good seniors. We had a great group of guys. It definitely built me into where I am right now. I definitely got a ton of experience, so now I feel like I’m one of the leading guys because I’ve had that experience and I know what I’m doing. It’s definitely a good feeling to have.
“One of my biggest things in the offseason was just being a leader on this team, taking that bigger role from my brother and last year’s seniors. I feel like I definitely came into that role so far this year. I just try to bring everyone together, make sure everyone’s friends off the court. I try to make sure the spirits are up at practice all the time. That’s a really important thing, that everyone comes together and there’s positivity.”
Andrean senior forward Tiaan Coetzee indicated Gilvydis has been successful.
“He’s a funny guy, really nice,” Coetzee said. “He just brings everyone together. We’re all friends on the team, and he’s usually the one cracking jokes.”
Of course, Gilvydis also makes plays.
“He brings energy and rebounding, with him being a bigger guard,” Coetzee said. “His ability to drive brings in defenders, and obviously he’s great at finishing at the rim. When he drives, the defense has to come in on him, and he passes it out. He makes the right play, and that helps us a lot.”
Gilvydis has added more than 15 pounds, which has boosted his game.
“I was in the weight room a lot more,” he said. “It’s definitely been a big improvement, with rebounding, on defense, just being a bigger presence on the court. It also just helps getting to the rim — really just every single aspect.”
Since taking over the program, Cundiff has seen Gilvydis’ work ethic in action.
“He’s focused,” Cundiff said. “He’s a driven individual. But he also knows how to have fun. He enjoys being around his teammates. He has that mix of focus but he also knows how to be a good teammate and be a regular kid too.”
Gilvydis, who aspires to play in college, remains focused on the process as the 59ers look to challenge for Northwest Crossroads Conference and sectional titles.
“I just take it one step at a time and try to keep growing from day to day,” he said. “That’s all that matters. Just keep putting in the hard work. That’s the main goal, to attack each day and get better.”
