KANSAS CITY, Mo. — March Madness is defined by moments, and Missouri’s Mark Mitchell appears ready to seize them.
Mitchell, now a key force for the Tigers, has long been prepared for the national stage, according to his former high school coach, Rick Zych of Bishop Miege.
“When he was here, he was dominant,” Zych said.
At Bishop Miege, Mitchell’s impact went beyond statistics. Zych pointed to his relentless work ethic and ability to influence the game in multiple ways.
“He’s very versatile. He can play a big man or guard,” Zych said.
Mitchell helped lead the Stags to three state championship appearances, winning two titles, while developing a mindset centered on winning.
“At Miege, expectations are so high,” Zych said. “Hopefully, he learned that we expect to win. Mark left with that tone — that you need to win — and he loved to win. One thing about Mark is, if he lost, he was the first one in the gym.”
That same drive has carried over to Missouri, where Mitchell now leads the team in scoring, rebounding and assists. He is also the first Tiger since 1987 to score 32 or more points in back-to-back games.
“I think the greatest compliment for Mark is that he’s a winner and he’ll do anything for his team to win,” Zych said.
Zych added that while Mitchell often looks to involve teammates, he knows when to take control.
“He always wanted to get everybody involved — sometimes he was too nice,” Zych said. “But then he’d take over. There were times I’d say, ‘OK, it’s time — take over.’”
Mitchell will have another opportunity to do just that Friday night when No. 10 Missouri faces No. 7 Miami in the NCAA Tournament.
His former coach offered simple advice for the moment:
“Have fun,” Zych said. “Don’t worry about your free throws — and have fun.”
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