Robinson thriving as Rider enters stretch run

www.trentonian.com
By Ben Doody

Increasingly a source of near endless energy, Justin Robinson didn’t look exhausted Monday night.

The Rider guard had just tracked Marist guard David Devezin for the majority of the career-high 38 minutes he played in a 74-61 win, and held the touted playmaker to two points in the second half.

Soft-spoken and often reluctant to say much about his individual performances, the sophomore from London via Blair Academy downplayed his status as a player coach Tommy Dempsey has rarely taken off the court in recent games.

“I’m just trying to play hard,” he said, “and Coach is keeping me in the games.”

When the Broncs (14-9, 9-4 MAAC) host Saint Peter’s Friday at Sovereign Bank Arena, Robinson won’t necessarily match the minutes he played Monday, or the 35 he played Saturday in a riveting upset of Siena.

That, Dempsey said, will depend on matchups, and it may suit the Broncs best to have someone else take some of those minutes.

But as Robinson has grown into his role playing off the ball — and as he has gained strength after having preseason knee surgery — he has emerged as major component to Rider’s success.

That much was clear Saturday, when he scored a career-high 25 points on 5-of-6 3-point shooting. The MAAC recognized him Monday by naming him its player of the week.

Those weekly honors often go to players with exceptional offensive statistics, and this week was no different.

But Dempsey has been equally pleased with Robinson’s defense and that, the coach said, is why Robinson’s minutes have increased.

“(Robinson) was guarding Devezin and Mike (Ringgold) was guarding (Ryan) Schneider. That was the key,” Dempsey said. “It was hard to take them out of the game because we were so focused on trying to stop those two kids. ... I don’t go into it with a plan that he’s going to play 35 minutes or he’s going to play 28. I just like the way he’s playing right now, so he’s finding himself in there a little longer.

Dempsey cited the defense of Robinson and Ringgold — who held Schneider to 10 points on 3-for-15 shooting — as the major reasons the Broncs overcame a sloppy first half Monday and won for the fifth time in six games.

That was the case, Dempsey said, even though Ryan Thompson scored 27 points.

“It starts with defense for us,” Dempsey said. “We’ll score the ball. We’re one of the best scoring teams in the league over the last few years, so the guys who are helping me get the most stops are finding themselves out there the most.”

Robinson, who split time at point guard with Matt Griffin this year, has moved off the ball this year while Thompson has taken over point guard duties.

The result has been a more proactive role for Thompson and more open jump shots for Robinson, who’s shooting 51 percent from 3-point range and averaging 9.6 points.

“Justin’s really turned a corner,” Dempsey said. “He’s more comfortable playing off the ball. He and Ryan are really turning into a terrific backcourt playing together, and I think that’s why we’ve won five out of six.”

Rider’s season has been largely about ups and downs. There have been unexpected setbacks, such as an elbow injury that has limited the production of Harris Mansell.

But there have also been eye-opening successes that have helped the Broncs establish themselves as one of the few teams that could conceivably upset Siena next month in the conference tournament.

One has been the play of freshman Novar Gadson, who was named MAAC Rookie of the Week Monday for the third straight week and has emerged as the frontrunner for conference Rookie of the Year.

Another has been Robinson, upon whom Rider has grown increasingly reliant.

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