Pavin Parrish dribbles the ball in a game against Green Mountain College last season. Photo courtesy of Castletonsports.com

Pavin Parrish has his eyes set on a NAC championship this year. The 5’10 senior guard from Rochester, Vermont, is no stranger to winning big. He leads all scorers in Vermont state history with 2,479 points. This year, Parrish hopes to bring a NAC championship home to CU. The Spartan caught up with Parrish to learn a little more about him.   

Q: What is the feeling around this year’s basketball team? What should the fans expect to see?

A:“Energy and excitement, the way we play is just that. I think the fans are really going to enjoy watching us play. And, we are young. There are 7 or 8 news guys that Castleton hasn’t even seen play yet.”

Q: You are the leading scorer in Vermont High School Basketball history, how have you been able to translate that success to the college level.

A: “Just hard work. Day in and day out, being able to manage your time. It can’t all be just about basketball. Being able to manage your time outside of basketball gives you the freedom to put more time into what you really do enjoy. Both hard work and time management have been keys to me being successful.”

Q: What was the toughest moment of your College career so far?

A:” Dealing with the injury’s I’ve had. The physical demands from college are much different than high school.”

Q: Are you a lucky person?

A: “If luck is a young mother in Oklahoma having the awareness to put their own child up for adoption, because she knew she couldn’t provide the life he deserved. Then having the two most caring and genuine people I could have ever imagined pick me up all the way in Vermont, and give me a dream childhood, yeah. I would say I’m a very lucky person.”

Q: I know you are a big fisherman, what is your favorite type of fish to catch?

A: “Bass, by far, largemouth and smallmouth. For me it’s more the science of it, like where they are, when they are going to be there and what they want when they get there. And then the reward for the correct thinking, it’s a good feeling.”

Q: How about a favorite place to catch them…. or is that privileged information?

A: “I can’t tell you my favorite spot, I’d have to kill you. But, Lake Bomoseen which is so close, has been one of my favorite lakes to fish, and I’ve caught both my biggest largemouth and smallmouth there.”

Q: You have had a decorated career as a basketball player, winning Mr. Basketball, as well as many other honors throughout your college career. Which is most important to you?

A: “To date, it would be winning a state championship. It was a great team award. The personal awards, they’re nice tokens to your hard work, but they don’t feel as good as bringing a town and community together. I feel like a NAC championship could have that same affect, so hopefully we get to experience that.”

Q: What is your favorite throwback to jam out to?

A: “Ghetto Gospel by Tupac. My dad. He doesn’t listen to rap music much, but he loves Elton John’s part in that. And my siblings and I, we all love the Tupac part, so we always played that in the car.”

Q:  A quick google search will tell me all about Pavin the basketball player. What’s something that you want people to know about yourself that won’t pop up on google?

A: “I’m very well rounded, I think it’s short sighting people to label them as just a basketball player. Just this. Just that. Very few people are one dimensional. I fish, I hike and I golf, so I think I’m well rounded. Whenever people first meet me they want to talk basketball, and that’s boring to me, it’s what I do every day.”

Q: What are you planning to do after college?

A: “I’ll have double concentration in Marketing and Management. Ultimately I’d like to get my MBA and work on the operations side of things.”

Q: What has been the most important thing you have taken away from your time at CU?

A: The relationships with so many people, especially the professors, I was never the type to have a great relationship with my professors.  But after my freshman year, I felt comfortable approaching them about anything.