Cal Poly Welcomes Guard and Slovenian International Peter Bandelj
5/22/2024 2:56:00 PM | Men's Basketball
SAN LUIS OBISPO – First-year Cal Poly men’s basketball head coach Mike DeGeorge and his staff welcomed the first roster addition ahead of the 2024-25 season Wednesday with the announcement that 6-4 guard and Slovenian international Peter Bandelj has signed a National Letter of Intent to join the Mustangs.
Bandelj arrives to Mott Athletics Center after playing the 2023-24 season at Royal Crown School, a preparatory academy in Toronto. Helping Royal Crown to the Ontario Scholastic Basketball Association title last year, Bandelj averaged 12.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.0 assists per 17 appearances. He finished in double-digit scoring figures 11 times, including a 25-point performance in just his third appearance and a 16-point effort in the OSBA provincial championship game.
“We have a long history of versatile guards who were high-level processors that have had great success in our system. Peter fits this profile,” said DeGeorge, named Cal Poly’s head coach on March 26. “He’s long, versatile and makes great decisions on the floor. He’s played against high level international competition, which will help with his transition to the Big West. Most importantly, he’s an intense competitor who puts winning as a priority. We’re very excited to have him as a part of the program.”
At international level, Bandelj most recently averaged 11.6 points per seven games to help the Slovenia U18 Men’s National Team to an eighth-place finish at 2023’s FIBA U18 EuroBasket in Serbia. He scored 25 points in a classification-round loss to Turkey and 19 during a victory against Italy in the round of 16.
With the Slovenia U16s, Bandelj averaged 16.4 points per five games at the 2021 FIBA U16 European Challengers competition in Serbia. He finished the competition with a 29-point effort in a victory against the Czech Republic to help Slovenia clinch qualification to the 2022 FIBA U17 World Cup.
#RideHigh pic.twitter.com/dEIsgx98CU
— Cal Poly Men’s Basketball (@calpolymbb) May 22, 2024
#ZGPC ??: We spoke with ‘24 Peter Bandelj last weekend and talked about his background, being part of the ???? national team, how it felt making his debut on a U.S. ?? court, the latest with his recruitment, who he’s studying on film, and more (sound ?? on). pic.twitter.com/evjWyyavcV
— Pro Insight (@_proinsight) December 5, 2023
