LAS VEGAS (AP) — Arizona freshman Koa Peat had a chip on his shoulder before making his college debut on Monday.
Feeling a bit neglected in Switzerland while playing for the USA 19-and-under team, the three-time
Arizona Gatorade Player of the Year said he was going to remind people he was one of the best incoming freshmen, despite not playing in the McDonald’s All-American Game or at the Nike Hoop Summit.
“I feel like I’ve been kind of forgotten,” Peat said during an earlier interview with Hoops HQ. “I’m just trying to remind people and show them what I’m about.”
And that's exactly what he did Monday, announcing his presence in college basketball with authority during No. 13 Arizona’s 93-87 win over third-ranked and defending champion Florida in the Hall of Fame Series inside the jam-packed T-Mobile Arena.
“It was a coming out party for him, so to speak,” Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said. “Everyone’s known about him, but no one’s really, really studied him and watched him, and he’s a special player.”
The 18-year-old defied his freshman status in his nationally televised collegiate debut, leading all scorers with 30 points and adding seven rebounds and five assists.
He is a part of a family that has produced seven Division I athletes. He's the son of Todd Peat, a guard in the NFL for nine seasons, and his brother, Andrus, is a three-time Pro Bowl selection who spent much of his time in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints and is now with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Peat's athleticism was on full display late in the second half with the game tied at 70-all when he delivered back-to-back thunderous dunks, sending the crowd of 16,704 into a frenzy and giving Arizona a 74-70 lead. He gave the Wildcats momentum momentum for a game-ending 23-17 run to provide the difference.
Peat said spending his summer playing for Lloyd while representing Team USA with the 19-and-under World Cup team that won gold in Switzerland helped prepare him for his first season at the collegiate level.
“He ran some of the same sets at USA, so coming to U of A in the fall, it was pretty easy to adapt to those,” said Peat, who was the national team’s third-leading scorer and leading rebounder. “I think what really helped me (tonight) was just the practices. We practiced really hard throughout the week leading up to this game. And I’m just grateful to have coaches and teammates that put me in positions to be good, and especially (Jaden Bradley). He just makes my game so easy ... he’s one of the best point guards in the country, if not the best point guard in the country.”
After Monday, Peat reminded the world of one of the best freshmen in the country.
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