Powers Catholic senior Andrew Caldwell has become adept at creating his own basketball opportunities through work ethic and consistency. In just two years, he went from not even being on a varsity team to being one of the best all-around players in the area and a co-MVP of the Mott Bruin Club Classic all-star game, which honors Genesee County’s best seniors.
“I’m proud of my perseverance,” Caldwell said. “I was on JV as a sophomore at Clarkston, so to be able to accomplish things like this after facing some adversity, it’s just definitely meaningful and it’s a tribute to my coaching staff at Powers who’s just been awesome.”
As a junior at Powers on a talented team that finished 20-3, Caldwell’s elite perimeter shooting stood out and was a weapon on a team with multiple scoring options. As a senior, after several key players graduated, Caldwell took on a bigger responsibility and unveiled his all-around game, leading the team to a 16-7 record and showing off his versatility.
Caldwell averaged 20.8 points, 4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.7 steals per game. Caldwell often drew the bulk of attention from opposing defenses because of his scoring abilities, but that extra attention didn’t hinder his efficiency. He finished with an elusive 50-40-90 season, making 53 percent of his shots overall, 44 percent of his three-pointers (with 63 made threes), and 90 percent from the free throw line.
“With his talent, he could have easily forced more shots and tried to average 30 points per game but he cared about winning way more than any stat,” said Powers coach Zach Collins.
Caldwell’s season earned him Associated Press All-State Second Team honors as well as All-Saginaw Valley League South Division First Team.
“Andrew is an extremely hard worker and great kid,” Collins said. “A lot of kids have the moniker of ‘gym rat,’ but Andrew truly earned that. His effort to improve his game was relentless. He’s also a very unselfish kid.”
That work has resulted in a chance to continue his college basketball career at Kalamazoo College. Kalamazoo is coming off of a season in which they struggled, but Caldwell is part of a group of talented incoming players that he thinks can help the program.
“I think we have a really good recruiting class there and I’m really looking forward to playing there,” Caldwell said. “The coaching staff just made it feel like home, just everything they did with me. They had me spend a lot of time with the players on the team and it made it feel like an easy choice.”
Caldwell’s lasting impression on Flint area hoops was a strong one. He scored 19 points in an exciting Bruin Club Classic overtime game earlier this month.
“I’m not originally from here, so to come here and get a recognition like this in a historical basketball city like this is definitely meaningful,” Caldwell said.
Collins believes the efficiency, willingness to work and expand his game, and especially his ability to shoot the ball from three-point range will quickly make him a valuable college player at Kalamazoo.
“He will come into Kalamazoo as one of the best shooters in the MIAA,” Collins said. “He finished top 10 in 3-point shooting in the state the past two seasons. He scores so effortlessly and can score in every different way off ball, on ball, driving, pull ups, in the lane and getting to the foul line.”
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