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Anthony Pate Finds Perfect Balance: Transfers To LUHI

Published by Gilbert Muako on October 22, 2011

Oakville native Anthony Pate (6-foot-3, 2014 SG) has transferred from St Patrick NJ to Long Island Lutheran in Long Island, NY and has officially enrolled at Lutheran.

Pate’s father Gabe Pate says the move was primarily for Academic reason with him being such a strong student there were few courses that triggered the final decision and Anthony will get a chance to compete right away compared to St. Patrick were he was scheduled to sit out till January before playing an official game.

“He wishes to take advantage of Lutheran’s pre collegiate Business programs due to increased interest from prestigious universities such as Yale, Notre Dam etc.” He said “In terms of basketball, he will be able to make an impact from day 1 and will be eligible to play from the start of the season. At St. Patricks he would not have been eligible until mid-January due to NJ transfer rules.”

“I think its the perfect balance for him, their three top players last year went on to Villanova, Hofstra and Emory all with good grades no qualification issues, thats important. [Plus] the head coach [John Buck] is a math teacher and math is anthony’s biggest challenge right now.” Gabe continued.

The LUHI Crusaders compete annually in several high level tournaments such as the Big Apple Classic, Prime Time Shootout, and also in games against power houses such as St Anthony’s, St Benedict’s, Upper Room, Rice, etc. A school that current NBA Tobias Harris (Milwaukee Bucks) once attended.

Canada’s own recent Hall of Fame inductee, first round NBA draft pick and three time NBA champion with the Chicago Bulls, Bill Wennington carved a similar path for himself. Transferring in his Junior year from his home high school in Montreal, Quebec, to Long Island Lutheran and earned his scholarship to St John’s there.

Pate leaves behind fellow Canadian and Grassroots Canada member Kamar McKnight (6-foot-3, 2015 CG) who both enrolled at St. Patrick together this fall. He is getting interest from the likes of Notre Dame, Yale, Virginia Tech, Marquette, Seton Hall and Rutgers.

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