KHS grad making impact at Monmouth
Kingston graduate Justin Robinson making major contribution at Monmouth
Justin Robinson and his high-flying Monmouth University men’s basketball team visited the Hudson Valley Tuesday night.
The Kingston High star and 2013 Freeman Player of the Year had 16 points, five assists and a pair of steals as the junior point guard was one of five double-figure scorers in the Hawks’ 87- 61 triumph at Marist College.
Monmouth, now 12-2 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), won its sixth in a row — the longest streak in 10 years. The Hawks are 20-5 overall, pulling them within a win of matching the program record of 21 wins by the 2003-04 squad.
Friends, family, former teammates and coaches of Robinson were part of the crowd of 1,648 that flocked to the McCann Arena.
“I love it. It just shows that all the people who watched me there are still there for me,” said Robinson, who also played before a large local contingent when Monmouth was at Army just before Christmas.
Coming off a career-high 36 points at Siena on Feb. 1, Robinson was just named the MAAC Player of the Week for the third time this season and the Lou Henson National Player of the Week for the second time.
The Henson honor goes to the top Division I Mid-Major player.
Robinson came into Tuesday’s game ranked among the top eight in seven MAAC cate-
gories — steals (first, 2.2 per game), scoring (third, 20.5), free throw percentage (second, .865), assists (seventh, 3.7), 3- point percentage (third, .420), 3-pointers made (eighth, 2.4 per game) and assistturnover ratio (sixth, 1.8).
“I keep t elling ever ybody Justin can still play better,” Monmouth coach King Rice said. “He’s just such a team guy. He comes out and gets everybody involved.”
Robinson’s recovery of a loose ball led to a reverse r i ght- handed layup. Sandwiched bet ween t hat were assists for Micah Seaborn 3-pointers that had Monmouth ahead to stay at 11- 5.
Another assist set up Chris Brady’s three-point play. Robinson l at er scored on a fastbreak layup, then got assist No. 4 on Je’lon Hornbeak’s t rey. Robinson’s steal later set up a Deon Jones basket.
In the final minute of the half, Robinson hit a l i ne- drive 3- pointer and made one of t wo foul shots af t er being stopped trying to drive baseline.
“I’m a lot stronger,” Robinson said about the change in his game. “Just being around coach Rice, he made me smarter, just made me think about the game in different ways. He instilled more confidence in me coming out of high school.”
Robinson scored all eight of his second-half points in a t wo- minute stretch. He drove f rom t he lef t side to make it 65- 40 with 12:30 left.
He was floored by K. J. Lee as he attempted a 3- pointer. He made all three foul shots and soon after sank a trey f rom that same spot moments later. With that wideni ng Monmouth’s margin to 71- 42 with 10:11 r emaining, Robinson sat out the rest of the game.
“Justin has improved t remendously. He was good when we got him as the people up here know,” Rice said. “He was a big- time high school player, but he works so hard he’s better at everything. He can shoot better, he handles it better, decision making is better.
“His family has done an outstanding job of raising this young man.” Rice added. “I just tell him, ‘Justin, start cooking. Justin, shoot. Let it go. Play how you play.’ Like I said, he’s so humble. He wants his teammates to do well first and then he knows he can get going at any time.
“We are happy, fortunate, blessed, all of the above, to have him in our program.”
Assistant coach Brian Reese, who lef t to become head coach at Georgian Court this past year, was the one who recruited Robinson.
“We had never spoken before. He knew a lot about me. He watched me play a lot,” Robinson said. “He made me seem like they wanted me here. I took my unofficial visit down here and everybody was so welcoming, the players on the team that were here, especially Jalen Palm and Tyrone O’Garro.
The coaching staff and the community around Monmouth University welcomed me. It felt like a family. It was so closeknit.
“I’ve made it f it and they made it fit to me. It’s great.”
After guiding Kingst on t o an 18- 3 record and within a win of the state final four in 201213, Robinson’s first year at Monmouth was an eyeopener. The Hawks went 10-21 — the third straight 20- loss season for the program.
“My f reshman year sucked. To lose 20 times, it felt awful. It was a brutal time.”
That provided the motivation for this season.
“I planned on that my freshman year. because I was so used to winning. I hate losing,” he said. “To go through those trials and tribulations in my freshman and sophomore year, it definitely prepared us better for this season.”
As Robinson improved, so has Monmouth. He averaged 7.1 points his first season and 13.4 as a sophomore when the Hawks went 18-15 and made the MAAC semifinals.
The team has garnered national attention.
It started the season with an overtime win over UCLA and another over nationally-ranked Notre Dame. The bench, which includes younger brother Tyler Robinson, has become a sensation with its celebrations.
Justin Robinson has been featured in stories in The New York Times and USA Today.
“I can care less about the attention. As long as my program is winning games, it’s all that matters,” Robinson said.
“Recognition will come. Recognition will go. It doesn’t mean anything. You get more recognition by winning games. As long as I can be a contribution to this team and win games, that’s what I’m looking forward to.”
Last month, he did become the 22nd player in the program’s history to reach 1,000 career points. He’s currently 12th overall with 1,148.
Just watching the Monmouth players interact, you can see their closeness.
“It is a family. Off the court, we’re always together. We’re never alone. It’s just a brotherhood. We make sure that’s a point,” Robinson said. “If we’re going to be good, we got to be brothers and everybody’s bought into it.
“To be around t his group of guys, it’s phenomenal.”
Robinson got the loudest reaction during Tuesday’s player introductions. There was a large family section that sat directly behind the Monmouth bench. As focused as he is on the court, he hears them.
“My aunts, my uncles, my cousins, my nieces — I can hear everyone of them,” he said. “Their voices are so distinct and they always yell at the quietest points so they know that they can make sure that I can hear them.”
After the game, Robinson was greeted by many of them. He posed for photos and, for one young girl, signed a leg cast.
“Kingston doesn’t get a lot of love. It’s a great city. I wouldn’t want to be from any other city,” Robinson r e marked. “T he people a r ound Kingston and everybody are so family- oriented t hat everybody knows everybody.
“It’s almost like everybody’s related and I love Exit 19.”