Episcopal Academy’s Alex Capitano is Main Line Boys Athlete of the Week
The 6-foot-4 senior guard, a 1,000-point career scorer, has averaged 17 points per game in EA’s first three games while providing solid leadership for the squad. EA boys’ basketball head coach Brian Shanahan said of the Colgate University commit, “Alex is a highly motivated and talented young man who can make shots. He’s a bigger, bouncier wing that plays well in transition.”
Q: What area of your game do you feel you improved the most in the off-season?
A: I really focused on my strength this off-season. I knew coming into this season that every game would be a battle with the other team constantly trying to face guard me or throw their best defenders at me. Having put on weight and muscle in the off-season has helped me a lot so far because I can’t just be pushed around and taken out of the game anymore by the other team.
Q: Can you remember scoring your 1,000th career point – can you describe the events surrounding it?
A: I do remember scoring my 1,000th point. I remember needing 17 points coming into the game to reach the milestone and to be honest, I was a little nervous. At the beginning of the game, I remember missing easy shots that I usually always make because of my jitters. Finally, I got going and became dialed into the game and my 1,000th point just flowed. It was a 3 pointer from the corner, and I remember the very next play after the big recognition I had a dunk to cap it off. My whole family was there and it was a great feeling that I will remember forever.
Q: What do you think is the strongest aspect of your game? What part of your game are you working on the most currently?
A: The strongest aspect of my game is definitely my shooting ability. I am extremely confident in my shot and when I get into a rhythm I think it is hard to stop. The part of my game that I am working on currently is my rebounding. Coach Shanahan challenges me all the time to get rebounds and I feel like rebounding is a big part of the game that can help me be successful at the next level.
Q: Tell us a little about your start in competitive basketball. Who have been your most important basketball mentors; and what was the most important thing you learned from each of them?
A: I’ve been playing basketball basically my whole life but I really started taking it seriously in 4th grade when I joined my local travel team (GV Fire). The coaches of that team, Coach Walsh and Coach Taiariol, are probably my most important basketball mentors. They showed me the right way to play and introduced me to how great the sport is. I think playing for them at such a young age made me love the sport right away.
Q: Tell us a little about your pre-game preparation the day of a game.
A: I try my best to focus in school on the day of a game but it is pretty hard because I just want to play. But once I get through the school day I get dressed into my uniform right away and get my right ankle taped. From there I turn on some music in the team room and foam roll for a little and just try to get focused. After that, I take the walk to the gym and start to get some shots up before the real warm-up starts.
Q: Who is your favorite basketball player, and why?
A: My favorite basketball player is probably Luka Doncic. I love how smooth he is and he never forces anything, he just lets the game come to him. He’s very efficient and does a little bit of everything. He’s really fun to watch because he is always active in doing something to help his team.
Q: You wear uniform jersey No. 22 for EA basketball. Why did you pick this number – does it have any special significance to you?
A: I picked that number my freshman year at Great Valley High School, and when I transferred to EA I decided to stick with it. It doesn’t have any deep meaning to me other than I like consistency and feel like the number has served me well through my high school career.
Q: What do you think you’d like to major in at Colgate? Is there a career path that particularly interests you at the present time?
A: I haven’t narrowed much down at this point. I am leaning towards their Film and Digital Media major, however. Colgate offers a lot of great majors and I want to experience the first year before I begin to lock-in on an area of study.
Fun facts – Alex Capitano
Favorite TV show: All American.
Favorite movie: Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith.
Favorite athlete: Bryce Harper.
Favorite pre-game pump-up song: Rebels Kick It – NBA Youngboy.
Favorite place to visit: “The beach.”
Favorite pre-game meal: peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Person I most admire, and why: “My parents – I look up to them in everything they do. They’ve taught me so much throughout my life.”
Family members: parents Dante and Johnna, sisters Samantha and Victoria.
(To be selected as Main Line Boys Athlete of the Week, a student-athlete must first be nominated by his coach.)
To view a gallery of the Main Line Boys Athletes of the Week from 2013 to present click here
