‘THE ROCK’

Bryant point guard makes move to 7A

After a smooth transition on and off the court last year, Khalen Robinson is eager to make an even bigger impact this season. Robinson transferred to Bryant High School from Episcopal Collegiate School in Little Rock last fall. After leading the Class 3A private school to a state title as a freshman, Robinson grabbed the Bryant startingpoint-guard job and won his new teammates over with little hesitation. “[Robinson] shows up the first day of school, and I didn’t know what to expect,” Bryant coach Mike Abrahamson said. “I knew of him but didn’t know him. A lot of times, talented players are coddled or have an attitude. He has been a total joy to coach. He lives the game. Everything he does is centered on basketball, and he gets great grades.” Robinson averaged 15 points and 4 assists per game in his Bryant debut and is the 2018 Tri-Lakes Edition Boys Basketball Player to Watch. His GPA hovers around 4.0, and at the midpoint of the first quarter this year, he owned straight A’s. Abrahamson said Robinson gained his teammates’ trust with quiet confidence. He let his play do the talking and took the starting job with grace. “I got to know [my teammates] during the offseason,” Robinson said. “They already knew me. I didn’t really know them, but they let me be the leader. There was no trouble. It just happened, and the longer we played together, the more comfortable everybody got.” One of the reasons Robinson transferred to Bryant after instant success at Episcopal was to prove to himself and college scouts that he could play at the highest level of Arkansas high school hoops. That was an easy transition, too. “I love 7A,” Robinson said. “There is a lot more competition that you don’t always see in 3A. It was a big challenge for me, but I think I showed I could play at that level.” While he raised eyebrows with his transition last year, it was hardly satisfying. Bryant finished 16-12 with a 7-7 7A-Central Conference mark. The Hornets’ season ended with a loss to Springdale in the first round of the state tournament. “We want to try to win every game, and I am going to try to get the team to play the best we can so we can compete for a state championship,” Robinson said. “Right now, Bryant is a football school, and we are trying to turn things around and make it a basketball school. We have to get some wins under our belt, but with Coach Abrahamson, we are getting more talent and are working hard together.” Bryant has never won a boys-basketball state championship. In his eight seasons at the helm, Abrahamson has led the Hornets once to the state semifinals. Bryant fell 50-47 to eventual state champion Cabot in the 2015-16 season. A year later, Bryant advanced to the quarterfinals. “It would mean so much to this team [to play for a state title],” Robinson said. “I want my teammates to experience what I felt as a freshman. It was such a great feeling to hear them introduce us as state champions after that game. I want my teammates to feel that feeling.” Robinson knows leading the Hornets on a deep tournament run will only help his personal goals. He has aspirations of being Bryant’s first major Division I prospect in decades. After missing most of summer basketball with injuries, Robinson has offers from mid-major NCAA Division I programs