Piktuizis CMA Athlete of the Month

Courtesy of culverathletics.com
CULVER — As a two-year starter for the Culver Military Academy (CMA) varsity basketball team, Matas Piktuizis played a significant role in the team’s success.
“Matas had a productive season as illustrated by his statistics for February,” coach Mark Galloway said.
Piktuizis averaged 10.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game.
In the same month, Piktuizis received an IHSAA Exemplary Behavior Report for his outstanding display of sportsmanship—an embodiment of the core values of IHSAA basketball.
A referee said, “Matas Piktuizis stood out for his outstanding sportsmanship. His positive approach was evident not only in his interactions with teammates and opponents but also with the officiating crew.”
In March, Piktuizis helped lead his team to the IHSAA sectional championship finals.
The Eagles played a hard-fought game but came up short, falling to South Bend St. Joseph High School, 45-47, who then went on to win the 3A state championship.
Earlier in the season, CMA had also narrowly lost to the eventual champions by just one point in overtime.
Instead of focusing on his individual performance, Galloway said Piktuizis would rather point to the team’s accomplishments, as he is ‘the consummate team player.’
“He exudes our program’s guiding principle: ‘Great teams have great teammates,'” Galloway said. “For two years, Matas served his teammates without reservation. The coaching staff would like to celebrate his development as a player and teammate but also thank him for his commitment to others.”