In times of uncertainty in the sports world due to the current pandemic the world is facing, there is one thing for certain. Rising junior guard Andrew Funk for the Bucknell University basketball team is ready to take the reins of the Bison.
After controlling the Patriot League for the majority of the 2010’s, Bucknell had a down year this past season finishing with a record below .500. Funk feels this past season might have been a blessing in disguise and could ignite new life into the program.
“I think having a down year like the season we just had teaches myself and my teammates a lot, as well adds fuel to the fire for the offseason. We know that we have a lot to prove and did not perform the way we would have liked to, and so we are as motivated as ever to get back to winning and re-establish ourselves at the top of our league.” said Funk.
Turning the program back into the Patriot League powerhouse that they are accustomed to starts at the top with leadership from not only the coaches, but the players as well. As Funk enters his junior year, along with having two years of vast playing experience underneath his belt, he believes he is ready to become the leader of the team that head coach Nathan Davis needs on the floor.
“I’m really excited to be taking on a bigger role as a leader and being counted on even more as an upperclassmen. I think my biggest transition as a leader over the years has been vocally, being really loud and making sure my teammates know I’m there for them. Communication is so important in all sports, and I think growing in that facet as a team will really help us.” said Funk.
Funk is extremely confident in his head coach and believes the program will be back to its winning ways this upcoming season. Funk said coach Nathan Davis is “one of the basketball minds I have been around, as he really understands the little details that are so important to winning.” Having a coach like that at the helm for the Bison ensures they will always be a competitive bunch, and very active on the recruiting trail as Funk states “the program recruits really good players every year and is consistently reloading with high-level talent.”
As Funk’s role as a leader increases, his production will look to take another jump as well. In his freshman year, Andrew averaged 4.7 points per game, and those numbers took another leap to 10.8 points per game in his sophomore season. He expects those numbers to take another step this season, but the category where his numbers might need to increase more importantly is in the assist column. Funk is aware of that, and has been working this offseason to improve off of his 1.2 assists per game average from last season.
“One of the biggest things I have started to focus on so far this offseason has been my ball handling and my ability to make plays happen off the bounce. This is definitely one of the things that I have plenty of room to improve upon, and as I get better with it, many parts of my game will benefit from it, such as getting more people involved.” said Funk when asked about increasing his assists numbers.
With all the challenges when it comes to working out due to the COVID-19 restrictions, Funk has been able to stay busy and prepare for the big season coming up for the program. “There are still a lot of different things to do even with the pandemic, I think it is just about readjusting your workouts and routines to fit what you have around you. For me, that has been shifting more towards bodyweight workouts to stay in shape and get stronger, as well as trying my best to develop my game wherever I can, whether that be in my garage, driveway, etc.” added Funk.
After being a Philadelphia Catholic League champion, District 12 champion, and PIAA State champion, at Philadelphia area powerhouse Archbishop Wood, Funk is well aware of what it takes to be at the top of the mountain. When asked about taking what he learned from his high school success, and carrying it over to success at the collegiate level, Funk said “ I really started to learn and realize what it took to win and how hard it really was. I’m trying my best to carry that same competitiveness and winning attitude at Bucknell, and being able to look back and learn from my high school years is really special.”
In sports getting to the top of the mountain and becoming a champion is always a challenge. But, the ability to get to the top of the mountain and stay there is what makes programs special. Andrew Funk believes Bucknell is that type of program and he is going to do everything he can to ensure he leads the Bison back on top and makes sure they stay there.
“Bucknell basketball has a really rich history when it comes to winning, and all I want to do is continue its strong tradition. They have set a standard of reaching the NCAA tournament consistently and really competing with anyone they are set against, and I believe in myself, my teammates, and my coaches’ abilities to get back there again.” said Funk.
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