Player Spotlight: Stanley Robinson

Stanley Robinson has the build, hops, shooting ability and raw athletic ability to be a star but his game at times looked as jerky as a teenager learning to drive a standard. He would shoot lights out from downtown one game and clank every shot the next, pull down double digit boards and then come up empty on the glass. It is a wonder that a player with his skills could only average 5 points a game but he did.

The Good: Stanley showed he has range shooting .381 from three point range and .374 from the inside. He contributed with 4.4 boards a game and used his hops to sky for some easy put backs, recording 45 offensive boards. He has the best jumping ability on the team and is great in the open court.

His defense wasn’t spectacular but he played solid using his quick jumping ability to record 17 blocks and his speed to snatch 11 steals. He also played defense without fouling, having one of the better minutes per fouls on the team.

The Bad: It starts with his inconsistency. If the small forwards averaged double digits in points, Uconn would have made the NCAA tournament last year. With the position having no clear cut starter, Stanley had to split time with Marcus Johnson, it showed in his confidence.

Robinson needs to improve his free throw shooting which is a paltry .661. His shooting percentage is fine but his shot selection was questionable. He tended to get three happy and forget to mix it up. When he clanked a few from downtown he shied away from the offense and passed up shots. He never truly got into any offensive sets and was relegated to being a three point outlet in the closing seconds of the shot clock or picking up loose balls and going up strong.

Overall: I expect a much more mature, stronger and confident player next year and Robinson has all the tools to elevate his game to whatever level he sets for himself. Once he finds that meanness to his game this kid will be a menace.

His frame could add another ten pounds of muscle without losing his hops and when he finds a consistent shot, expect Stanley to supplant himself into the starting roll as the next big time small forward. I expect him to be the most improved player next year.