Sam Pitrof
Twitter: @sampitrof
6'4", 180 lbs, c/o 2026
Racine Lutheran High School, WI
Sam is a dynamic athlete who loves to play above the rim and dazzle the crowd with nasty throwdowns, whether getting tip dunks or dunks over people and getting out in transition for rim-rattling power dunks. Sam loves to explode into the seams to get the mid-range jumper. But Sam prides himself on being a sniper from behind the arc. Sam makes a nice impact on the boards and plays solid defense.
Playing AAU for the WI PGC, Sam averaged 15 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.0 steals per game while shooting 55% FG and 75% FT. Sam continues to work on strength and explosiveness to prepare for college ball while still developing his shot and all-around game. Sam's biggest improvement is his body. Sam got in the weight room and put on some muscle while going to his trainer, TK, to work on his speed and explosiveness. Sam's biggest basketball accomplishment was winning the All-Conference for basketball both years.
Sam's personal goals are to get his 1,000th career point and set the school record for most points in a season. Sam also wants to win the conference and not just go to state but win it. Sam's biggest challenge is himself—making sure he keeps working, plays his game, and doesn't lose confidence.
The game Sam looks forward to the most is St. Cats, the city rival. They split the series with them last season, and Sam wants to beat them both times this year. Then Dominican, who they haven’t beaten since he's been there. Sam is just really hungry this season. Sam is fully confident that his team will make a deep run in March. Sam feels they have everything they need to do it all; they have to play together, and they will be in Madison.
What fires Sam up the most on the court is just stepping on the court. Sam gets hyped to play, especially when people say something to him, whether it's a player, student, or parent. That just makes Sam even more motivated. But Sam doesn’t respond to them; he lets his game do all the talking. Sam doesn’t want to feed into their energy but silences it with action, knowing they want a response. Elevating his game is the only response they get.
Sam handles adversity by trying to take a breath and think about how much he prepared for the game. That gives Sam confidence. However, if there is adversity within the team, Sam will bring it up and come up with a solution.
The best advice Sam was ever given by his brother was, "Keep it simple." As stupid and dumb as it sounds, it is extremely accurate. Just keep it simple—understanding he is playing the game he loves. Don’t overthink it; just have fun with it.
When not on the court, Sam focused on playing football for the first time this year, and he made First Team All-Conference at TE. Sam also played defensive end. Playing was fun, trying something new. It is for sure going to help Sam with basketball this year. Sam is also interested in exercise science and learning how the body works.
Sam believes he belongs at the D1 level. Sam thinks he can play with the best because he can shoot, pass, and D-up. Sam knows he works harder than most and firmly believes that hard work beats talent. To achieve his goals, it will take a lot of that hard work, hours in the gym, hours watching film, and hours recovering—not hanging out with friends and going to work out. Pure and simple, it will take a lot of discipline with patience, and perseverance through dedication to get there.
Sam has interests from San Diego, UW-Milwaukee, Bowling Green, IU-Indy, NDSU, University of Indianapolis, Parkside, Dartmouth, and a few others.
Sam is certainly a high-level performer with the potential to develop into a special talent. There is a tremendous ceiling for him to have a monster season this year as his development continues. Sam's talent is undeniable, and he already can do some impressive work. He will thrive at the next level by continuing to push himself and staying hungry. Stay tuned for future updates throughout the season.
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