Center to come to Boilers’ aid

From Staff Reports

With the departure of sophomore Adam Wetzel, the Purdue men's basketball team has a scholarship to offer. Apparently, that scholarship is now going to be taken by a 6-foot-11, 247-pound transfer from Notre Dame.

Ivan Kartelo, a center who appeared in 16 of Notre Dame's 30 games last season, told The Associated Press that he has decided to transfer to Purdue.

Kartelo, a Split, Croatia, native, was in West Lafayette on an official visit last weekend and he played pick-up games with some of the Purdue players in Mackey Arena. He also visited Northwestern and considered transferring to North Carolina where Matt Doherty, who coached Kartelo during the 1999-2000 season, is coach.

In his freshman year, under Doherty, Kartelo played in all 37 games and started once. He averaged 13.2 minutes, 2.3 rebounds and 2.5 points per game and blocked 18 shots.

Last season under new coach Mike Brey, however, his playing time dropped off. He averaged 5.6 minutes, 1.4 rebounds and 0.8 points per game. He also blocked only six shots.

"I just had a feeling that Carolina was not going to be the place for me," Kartelo said. "I think Purdue is the best place."

A native of the same city as Atlanta Hawks forward Toni Kukoc, Kartelo, 21, didn't start playing organized basketball until two years before coming to Notre Dame.

Kartelo, who said he thinks he can help Purdue by blocking shots, will have to sit out a year because of NCAA transfer rules. He will have two years of eligibility remaining and begin play in the fall of 2002.

Purdue's starting center, 6-11 John Allison, will be a senior next season. The only other center on the roster, 6-11 Kevin Garrity, will be a sophomore next season.

Purdue players and officials are not allowed to comment on the matter until the proper transfer papers have been completed.

Wetzel, a 6-9, 245-pound Keokuk, Iowa, native, announced his plans to depart Purdue last week so that he could be closer to home. The week before, junior guard Travis Best announced that he was leaving Purdue so that he could play more at a smaller school — Marian College in Indianapolis.

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