April 12, 2007 - Rider Signs Three
April 12, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Men’s College Basketball
Rider Signs Three
LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ—Mike Ringgold and Matt Griffin of Philadelphia and Justin Robinson of London, England, have signed national letters of intent to further their education and basketball careers at Rider University, Rider head coach Tommy Dempsey announced today. “In recruiting you are constantly in search of players with not only great potential on the basketball court, but also student-athletes of great character that fit the academic profile of Rider University,” Dempsey said. “We have accomplished that in this recruiting class.”
Robinson is a 6’2” point guard, Griffin is a 5’10” point guard and Ringgold is a 6’6” forward. “We are extremely excited to welcome Justin, Matt, and Mike into our Rider basketball family,” said Dempsey, who despite being the third youngest head basketball coach (32) in Division I collected his 100th career victory in November when Rider beat Drexel. “All three come from exceptional high school and prep school programs and have been extremely well coached.”
Robinson led Blair Academy to the MAPL Title as a junior and a runner-up finish this past season. Robinson led his team in assists for the second straight season with 6.0 per game and was second in scoring at 12.0 points per game. “Justin is a very athletic point guard with great size and quickness,” Dempsey said. “He plays extremely hard and has shown the ability to run a quality basketball program at Blair Academy. We targeted Justin all year long and we are really excited that he decided to join our program. He will be very well prepared having played for Joe Mantegna.” As a junior, Robinson was named First Team All-MAPL and Second Team All-State by the Star Ledger.
Griffin is a senior at St. Joseph’s Preparatory School in Philadelphia, PA, where he led his team to a 22-8 record in 2006-07. Griffin was named First Team All-Catholic and Third Team All-City this past season as his team’s MVP. “Matt plays for one of finest high school basketball coaches in the country in Speedy Morris at St. Joseph's Prep,” Dempsey said. “Matt is a gym rat with a tremendous basketball ‘IQ’. His father John was a great college basketball coach at Siena and St. Joe's so Matt has grown up around the game and that is obvious when you watch him play. I am very excited about coaching Matt for the next four years.” During his senior campaign, Griffin averaged 11.5 points and led his team with 6.0 assists per game.
Ringgold spent the past season at Winchendon Preparatory School in Winchendon, MA, where he was named Team MVP after averaging 15.0 points and 9.0 rebounds on a team that posted 22 wins. As a senior at Philadelphia’s Roman Catholic High School Ringgold averaged 18.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, earning First Team All-Catholic and First Team All City honors. “Two words come to mind when someone asks me about Mike Ringgold- hard work,” Dempsey said. “Mike plays as hard as any kid I have recruited and he will add an element of toughness and defense that I felt we lacked at times this season. Not many players can change the complexion of a game on the defensive end like Mike can. He played high school basketball at Roman Catholic in Philadelphia for Dennis Seddon and this past year he spent in prep school playing for Mike Byrnes at the Winchendon School. He is well prepared.”
The Broncs graduated one senior from the 2006-07 squad. “Two areas that needed to be focused on in this recruiting class were the point guard position with the graduation of Terrance Mouton and also the need for quality depth,” Dempsey said. “I feel both areas have been addressed with the additions of these three young men.”
The Broncs advanced to the quarter-finals of the 2007 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship, losing to the eventual champion, and will take part in the Old Spice Classic in Florida over the 2007 Thanksgiving Weekend.
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