(After IR-Reykjavik's final regular season game in Reykjavik, Iceland. From left to right: former MIT hooper Brandon Suarez '09, former player and current assistant coach Bill Johnson '10, former player Paul Burkard '10, former player and current pro Jimmy Bartolotta '09, former MIT Lacrosse player Brian Coffey '09, and former MIT football player and Academic All-American Tommy Franklin '09)
Former MIT standout Jimmy Bartolotta and his team, IR-Reykjavik, fell to Keflavik in overtime, 95-90, last night in the final game of the Icelandic Express League quarterfinal series. Bartolotta, playing through an injury he suffered in the last regular game of the season, scored 14 points on 4-of-7 shooting for IR.
Bartolotta, who holds a Management Science degree, a Physics degree, and an Economics minor from MIT, ends his season in Iceland as one of the top players in the league, averaging 21.6 points, 3.6 assists, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 54.4% from the field, a staggering 47.6% from three, and 87.9% from the free-throw line. Prior to Bartolotta's joining of the team, IR was sitting at the bottom of the standings with a 3-7 record. After coming off the bench in his first game, Bartolotta quickly established the team chemistry needed for IR to make the playoffs, leading IR to an 8-5 record during his time.
Tech Hoops caught up with Jimmy after his game: "My time [in Iceland] was an absolutely amazing experience. IR is a fantastic organization, from the coaching staff and management to the players who I became so close with. I had some great memories here, and believe IR will be a powerhouse in the Express League for years to come."
Jimmy then went on to talk about how is experience at MIT prepared him for professional basketball: "Much of my success so far is undoubtedly credited to the lessons learned while at MIT and with Coach Anderson. Coach A taught me to push myself to my mental and physical limit, and then push a little harder. The discipline and work ethic I developed is truly paying off now."
Bartolotta travels back to his hometown of Littleton, Colorado before he and his agent weigh the offers he has lined up for next season.
