Kartelo plans to transfer at end of semester
Kathleen O'Brien
Senior Sports Writer
Sophomore center Ivan Kartelo told The Observer Tuesday he plans to transfer from Notre Dame at the end of the school year.
"I didn't feel happy playing basketball," Kartelo said confirming rumors that had been swirling since late this season.
Kartelo, a 6-foot-11 reserve, saw his minutes dwindle this year. The Croatian native played more than 13 minutes per game as a freshman beneath former head coach Matt Doherty, but that number dropped to just 5 1/2 minutes this season playing for coach Mike Brey.
"I started thinking about it back during Christmas break," Kartelo said. "I thought it was going to get better."
Things didn't improve for Kartelo, however. He missed a month of play due to a sprained ankle and never made it into Brey's basic six-man rotation. He played in just 16 games this season after seeing action in all 37 contests as a freshman.
In upcoming weeks, Kartelo plans to visit several Big 10 schools, and will likely transfer to Northwestern, Purdue, Wisconsin or Illinois.
"Wherever I go, I think I'm going to play," Kartelo said. "They're not going to bring me to sit on the bench."
In addition to playing time, location will factor into Kartelo's school choice. He hopes to remain near South Bend so he can make return visits to see friends at Notre Dame.
Talk has also arisen that fellow Croatian basketball player Jere Macura may transfer at the year's end, but Macura has not announced any such decision.
Brey could find his frontcourt lacking next season. If Macura, a 6-9 forward, follows Kartelo's decision to transfer, and 6-11 junior All-American Troy Murphy makes himself eligible for the NBA Draft, the only returning post players with significant college experience will be juniors Ryan Humphrey and Harold Swanagan.
In the past, Brey has indicated that he is open to the possibility of accepting a transfer; however, a transfer student would have to sit out a year before becoming eligible to play.
Kartelo played at Winchendon School in Massachusetts prior to coming to Notre Dame, averaging 13 points and 11 rebounds as his team went 30-6 in 1998-99. He also participated in Croatia's junior national program for two years.
All Sports Stories for Wednesday, April 4, 2001
