North Xtra: Pine-Richland senior rises in a section of distinction
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Not unlike his team, it is easy for Pine-Richland's Andy Andrle to get lost among the Section 3-AAAA boys basketball crowd.
WPIAL Class AAAA's No. 1-ranked team -- Shaler Area -- plays in that section. . The Titans have a Penn State basketball recruit -- Geno Thorpe -- and a Pitt football recruit -- J.P. Holtz -- in their starting lineup.
Central Catholic has another Division I-caliber player in Lincoln Davis, and Butler point guard Nate Snodgrass is averaging almost 20 points per game.
North Allegheny's J.C. Howard is another player who has made quite the name for himself this season. The list goes on and on -- big, high-profile schools with some big-name players.
But Pine-Richland coach Brian Gaetano will tell you he has a guy who is worthy of some notice of his own in Andrle.
"He's just one of those guys who kind of flies under the radar," Gaetano said. "When you look at our [section], we've got some really good, top-flight, top-tier players. Thorpe and Davis are outstanding athletes. But Andy might be the most solid, complete player in our [section]. I honestly feel that way."
Andrle certainly can make a case that he is the section's most versatile player. A 6-foot-3 senior, Andrle has played some at point guard this season. That after beginning his high school career as a forward -- both at power and small -- before moving to his most natural position, shooting guard.
A four-year letter-winner and three-year starter, Andrle is averaging 18.3 points and eight rebounds per game. His scoring average is fourth-best in the section, and he has the most assists of any player on the Rams.
"Overall, he's had a great year for us," Gaetano said. "Andy is a complete player."
"I just do whatever I can to help us win," Andrle said. "I just play my game and try to do the best I can."
This season, that has meant running the team from the point guard position much more than he -- or his coaches -- ever imagined. A spate of injuries had the Rams playing without three of their top six players for a stretch early this season.
"It's definitely been a challenge," Andrle said. "Handling the ball so much has helped me become a better player and will help playing college basketball next year, but it's definitely been a challenge getting used to."
Division III schools have been recruiting Andrle, a good student (3.8 grade-point average) who plans on studying to be a physician's assistant. Marywood University in Scranton, Pa., Juniata College and Washington & Jefferson are schools he has shown an interest in.
"In my opinion and the opinion of other coaches in the [section] whom I've talked to, I think Andy could play at a D-II school, but he hasn't gotten the type of interest that we would have thought," Gaetano said. "But that doesn't bother him. He wants to go to the place where, academically, it can happen and also be able to play.
"In my mind, he will be quite the steal for whatever college he goes to. Andy's basketball IQ is outstanding, and when he gets himself in the college game, he can be more effective as a player. He's doing what he's doing this year with two or three guys guarding him all the time."
Andrle means that much to the Rams -- and not just in his scoring. Or his rebounding or assists. He's the unquestioned leader of a team that has struggled to a 6-14 overall record and is 2-9 in section play following a 59-42 loss at North Hills Tuesday.
Gaetano pointed out that this is the first season that Andrle has been thrust into such a leadership role. Coming up through the Pine-Richland system, Andrle typically was talented enough that he was playing a year ahead of the rest of his classmates. Then last year, even as one of the Rams' most talented players, he was a junior on a senior-dominated team.
"I learned a lot from the people in front of me the last couple years, and I've definitely had to be more of a leader," Andrle said. "Last year's seniors, watching them has helped -- especially in a season like this. It'd have been easy to give up sometimes and feel down, so the team needs a good leader to keep everyone positive."
Andrle can score by way of the 3-pointer, the mid-range jumper, driving to the basket or even by muscling his way into putbacks underneath.
Andrle's game has grown, even if he hasn't been able to enjoy it to its fullest extent because he will graduate having not made the playoffs as a senior.
"It's been tough, especially the injuries and it being my senior season and everything," Andrle said, "but everyone's handled it pretty well. We've remained pretty positive about it all still."
First Published February 9, 2012 12:00 am
