Christina Batastini: St. Andrew’s Coach on D1 Guard Musts

Stanford Final Four guard, pro vet, and USA Basketball 3x3 U23 coach Christina Batastini joins Cory to deliver clear, no-nonsense guidance for families navigating prep school basketball. Now the head coach at St. Andrew’s School (NEPSAC AAA), Christina breaks down what truly translates to college—defending your position, decision-making, and making teammates better—and why the Ivy League is real Division I basketball. She explains the prep vs AAU recruiting dynamic, the difference between offers and interest, and how the transfer portal has shifted commitment timelines (and why late spring/summer decisions are increasingly normal). You’ll also hear how reclassing or a post-grad year can be used strategically—without forcing a path that doesn’t fit the student-athlete. If you want practical answers on exposure, academic fit, and the right level (AAA/AA vs A), this conversation keeps the hype out and the player development in. 💡 Key Topics  📌 Ivy League basketball level & academic balance (Ivy League recruiting, high-academic D1)  📌 Reclass vs Post-Grad strategy (reclassing timing, post-grad year structure)  📌 Offers vs Interest & portal era timing (scholarship strategy, commitment windows)  📌 NEPSAC AAA exposure and scheduling (college visibility, national showcases)  📌 D1 guard essentials (defense, decision-making, basketball IQ, shooting)  📌 Prep vs AAU roles in recruiting (placement strategy, coach communication) 🏀 About Christina Batastini:  A Parade/Nike All-American and Stanford guard who reached the Final Four, Christina played professionally across Europe before coaching at Brown and leading USA Basketball 3x3 U23 Women. She is the Head Girls’ Coach at St. Andrew’s School (NEPSAC AAA), where her teams compete nationally and place student-athletes at collegiate programs. 🔗 Connect with Christina Batastini: Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/sasrigirlsprephoops/ Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/sasriathletics Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/christinabatastini Twitter | https://x.com/SASRIAthletics Twitter | https://x.com/SASRIGirlsHoops Email | CBatastini@standrews-ri.org Website | https://www.standrews-ri.org/ 🔗 Connect with Cory: Website | https://www.prepathletics.com Twitter | https://twitter.com/PREP_Athletics Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/prep.athletics/ Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/PrepAthletics Email | coryheitz@gmail.com Phone | 859-317-1166 🔖 Subscribe to the PREP Athletics Podcast: iTunes | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prep-athletics-podcast/id1546265809?uo=4 Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/6CAKbXFiIOhoHinzsReYbJ Amazon | https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3c37179d-3371-47f9-9d97-fd569e8802a7/prep-athletics-basketball-podcast #AmazonMusic