British Import -- Robinson is a Crown Jewel for Rider Basketball
Last winter, the spotlight shone brightly on Rider University’s Alumni Gymnasium. The media, as well as dozens of professional scouts, descended upon Lawrenceville to chronicle the exploits of senior forward Jason Thompson, who would ultimately be selected 12th overall in the 2008 NBA Draft.
In the background, Thompson’s talented – if less heralded – teammates watched, learned and committed themselves to the idea that Rider men’s basketball did not end with their leader’s departure for the Sacramento Kings. Set to tip off the 2008-09 regular season against Saint Joseph’s University at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia on November 14, the Broncs will count on players like London native Justin Robinson, a contender for the 2012 British Olympic team, in their quest for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference title.
“Having Jason here did nothing but help us, and not just because of how good he was,” Robinson said. “He brought out the best in all of us on the court, in practice and in games, and he also created a lot of exposure for us. That’s going to be a help for us this season.”
Rider head coach Tommy Dempsey knew two years ago he’d need leaders on the court to fill the void left by Thompson, and he made his recruitment of Robinson, a standout at prep power Blair Academy in Blairstown, N.J., a priority. “We look for kids who come from great programs, and when you have a chance to recruit a kid from Blair, you know what you’re getting – a solid student and a player who knows the game,” Dempsey said of Robinson, who had come to the United States from England in the hopes of playing basketball in college. “We were in search of a point guard, and as we tracked kids that season, Justin rose to the top of our list.
“We knew Justin had already played against great competition, other Division I players, either in games or every day in practice,” said Dempsey about Blair, who routinely sends players to top basketball programs, and currently has three alumni in the NBA. “That helped him catch up to the speed of the college game a lot more quickly than a lot of kids would have.”
Robinson arrived at Rider in September 2007 and immediately made his mark on the Broncs program, starting 31 games as a freshman. In just his fourth collegiate game, he scored 13 points against North Carolina State in the Old Spice Classic in Orlando, Fla., a game televised nationally on ESPN. He also poured in 13 points in just 21 minutes of play in Rider’s quarterfinal round win in the MAAC Tournament before exiting the game with an injury. A true point guard, Robinson got his teammates involved in the scoring, finishing his rookie season with the second-most assists on the team.
Though the sophomore Communication major had spent the previous four years at American prep schools, Robinson was eager to see the United States last year beyond the East Coast. Though he has been impressed by Chicago and New York City, he said one place in particular wowed him. “Growing up in England, you see Las Vegas in the movies and on TV,” Robinson explained. “But when you actually see it in person – all the lights and the casinos everywhere you look – it’s really kind of amazing.”
Over the summer, Robinson returned home to England to earn a spot on the Great Britain National Basketball Team, or Team GB, for short. Though Team GB will be playing for the more immediate term in the Eurobasket 2009 Qualifiers, its ultimate goal is to field a team capable of earning a medal in the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
“It was good, and a lot of fun,” said Robinson, who had played previously for one of the top club programs in Europe, the Brixton Topcats. “There were 26 guys there, including two – Luol Deng and pops Mensah-Bonsu – who do or did play in the NBA, and five Division I players, in this training camp for a week.”
Though he wasn’t ultimately selected for Team GB for 2009, the book is not closed yet on the Olympics for Robinson, who also enjoyed the chance to reunite with his old friend, Deng, who preceded him at Blair Academy and who averaged 17 points per game last season for the Chicago Bulls.
“Luol is from the same part of London as I am,” Robinson said. “We’ve known each other since I was 9 years old.”
Robinson will watch from the sidelines for the first few weeks of the new season after arthroscopic surgery to repair a slight tear in the meniscus of his knee. Though doctors say he’ll be shooting again in just seven days, and back to full action in a matter of weeks, Robinson is eager to get on with the season. The 2007-08 Broncs earned a share of the regular season championship in the MAAC, and returns four starters this season from a team that won a program-best 23 games. Robinson says he is excited about the possibilities this year holds for him and his Rider teammates.
“This year, we’ll all be able to showcase what we can do,” he said. “It’s a great chance for us to all go out there and play confidently. Everyone just has to step up.”
