For German Plotnikov, home is wherever Hofstra goes.
When he was growing up as an only child in Minsk, Belarus, Plotnikov had only his single mom, Olga. The pair was inseparable when his undeniable basketball talents were recognized stateside while he was a high schooler in 2018.
“When you get an opportunity like that, I couldn’t pass it up,” the March Madness-bound guard told The Post.
A chance at the American dream meant everything to Plotnikov ever since he shot hoops as a little boy. Still, he faced an impossible family decision: leaving behind his mother and best friend.
“My mom was hesitant to let me go. She was like, ‘You’re 17 years old. How am I going to let you go somewhere?’ ”
“Thank God she did.”
Plotnikov has become a secret weapon for the Pride since arriving in 2022.
His game drew high praise from head coach Speedy Claxton in the days leading up to Hofstra’s first NCAA Tournament game in 25 years, Friday against No. 4 Alabama as a No. 13 seed in Tampa, Fla.
“He’s been one of our unsung heroes throughout the whole year,” Claxton said.
“He’s that third scorer that we need,” Claxton added of the grad student, who is averaging 9.3 points and was “living in the gym” alone on campus all summer to reach that next level.
The road to Hempstead Turnpike — and hopefully Indianapolis — has been long and winding for the 6-foot-5 Plotnikov, who first played high school ball for Southwest Christian Academy in Arkansas and then Spring Creek Academy in Texas.
Plotnikov’s initial college tenure was purely a culture shock of “school, Walmart and cornfields” at Nebraska’s North Platte Community College. That’s where, despite getting straight A’s in English back in Belarus, he couldn’t understand a word of teammate slang.
“They’re like, ‘Yo, what’s good? What’s up?’ And I’m like, ‘What does that mean?’ I only learned, ‘hello’ and ‘hi,’ ” laughed Plotnikov, who caught up colloquially in less than half a year.
Justifying his mom’s fears — she couldn’t come stateside to visit until 2021 — Plotnikov’s culinary skills weren’t on par with his basketball ones.
“The biggest shock was that I didn’t get any home cooking. Even if I tried myself, I would never come anywhere close to her,” he admitted.
“So I was more living off doughnuts, chips, all that — Pop-Tarts.”
It was a far cry from Olga’s homemade potato pancakes and soups he’d come to love.
By the time Plotnikov transferred — he knew Hofstra was home away from home when assistant coach Tom Parrotta picked him up at the airport — his mom had since been able to see her boy much more often, which helped it all come together for him.
Olga has been staying with loved ones in Charlotte, N.C., and regularly travels to Hofstra’s away games in the South and to conference championships to see her son, of whom she’s so proud.
“She’ll always bring me something homemade,” he said. “Oh my God, that’s one of the best things I’m looking for.”
It’s no shock that Plotnikov put up a season-high 20 points on the road at the College of Charleston last February.
“Her presence kind of helped me,” he said.
Although Olga couldn’t be in Washington to watch as Plotnikov and the Pride were crowned Coastal Athletic Association champions this month, she FaceTimed her son on the court as he wore his victory hat.
It’s a good bet she’s headed to Tampa for her boy’s big moment — one that isn’t lost on the younger Plotnikov, who said the plan is for Olga to move closer to wherever he goes.
“When you’re a kid, you don’t understand it, but as you grow older, you see, ‘Oh God, my mom did all that. She raised me all by herself. It’s hard to do, man,’ ” he said.
“She’s a fighter, she’s a warrior, and now she’s harvesting all the good stuff for me. It’s awesome.”
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
