Today we pause from profiling the "Legends" of UConn Athletics to pay tribute to a young man who has left us all too soon. Stanley Robinson, aka "Sticks", passed away all too soon at the age of 32. As I see the tributes come in from those who covered him while playing for Jim Calhoun's Huskies from 2006-2010, the word that is being used often is kind..A young man who came to play here from Birmingham, Alabama had what many saw in person on the floor...freakish athletic ability. At 6-9 and 210lbs, Robinson was an exciting, high wire act with dunks that would bring down the house....
ESPN's Jay Bilas: "an outstanding player, and a very nice, humble man."....The Courant's Mike Anthony: "Gentle, Kind, Sweet, Fun..Only player who ever sought me out, sat down and said "how are things at the paper ?" "......CCSU Coach Donyell Marshall - " This was one of my youngin's. Stanley was a great dude..we always had a good time when we hung out and talked to each other. You will be missed."...His Coach, Jim Calhoun "He was just a really, really sweet kid. The world was harsh for him because they weren't all like Stanley Robinson. He was such a caring, giving person." And per Dom Amore's story online that will be in tomorrow's paper, Calhoun just spoke with Stanley on Monday, hoping to get him to return to Connecticut..From Gavin Keefe from The Day of New London..."Just a great guy, Enjoyed talking to him during his UConn Basketball Career."....There are so many more and will continue to be over the next 24 hours I'm sure...
Robinson played with AJ Price, Jeff Adrien, Gavin Edwards, Jerome Dyson and in his last two seasons in Storrs, a young Kemba Walker....his MO, dunk with authority..He had what can be called as freakish athletic ability. In year one, just a glimpse in playing 31 games while averaging 5 points and 4 rebounds per game...His first career double-double against St John's at MSG....13 points and 12 boards while going 3 of 4 from three point range...and a season high 21 points in a tough 4 point loss to Indiana. The Huskies went just 17-14 that year in which there was no postseason for UConn.
The 2007-08 season saw the Huskies win 24 games and reach the NCAA Tournament. Robinson scored a career high 32 and chipped in with 11 rebounds in a rout of Maine in Hartford...One of his five double-doubles on the season. 11p-11r in a road win at Indiana, 16p-10r in beating Louisville and 18p-13r against Rutgers...West Virginia got the better of the Huskies in the Big East Tournament, then were stunned in OT by San Diego in the NCAA's...the first opening round loss in Jim Calhoun's UConn Career...Sticks meanwhile averaged 10p-6.5rpg in his 2nd season...a career high 28 three's made and a 42% shooter from long distance when needed...
The 2008-09 season was full of promise, a preseason #2 ranking and a star studded cast that was adding talented freshman guard Kemba Walker....But Robinson was dealing with a suspension imposed by Jim Calhoun...He missed the first eight games and worked in a scrap metal company in Willimantic during the suspension. But worked his way back, rejoined the team and played a huge role on getting the Huskies to their 4th Final Four....Jerome Dyson went down with a season ending ACL Tear in early February. Sticks picked up the slack, especially in the post season. In the epic 6 OT loss to Syracuse in the Big East Tournament, Robinson was spectacular with 28 points and 14 rebounds....Then scored in double figures in all five of UConn's NCAA Tournament games....with double-doubles in the Sweet 16 win over Purdue and the Final Four loss to Michigan State in Detroit...Stick's scoring average went down a tad, 9p-6rpg...and while some say if Dyson didn't get hurt, UConn may have won it all...on the other hand, UConn may not have gotten to Detroit if not for Robinson....
So now Robinson, a healthy Dyson and Walker....along with Alex Oriachi were the hold overs from the Final Four Team...Sticks, Dyson and Walker all averaged double figures...Robinson's most productive season...14.5 points and a team high 7.6 boards per game...41 blocks and 27 threes...and 8 double-doubles as well...14p-11r against LSU, a huge 22p-16r game against Notre Dame and a 17p-12r effort, that included an incredible alley op dunk from Dyson in a home win over #1 Texas at Gampel....The Huskies took a step back with an 18-16 record and a NIT appearance, losing in the second round at Virginia Tech....
Stanley Robinson's career at UConn...1,231 points (35th) 48% field goal and 6.2 boards per game to go along with 130 blocks. He led the team in three point percentage three times...his freshman, sophomore and senior seasons... He was a 2nd round pick of the Magic in the 2010 NBA Draft, but was cut as camp came to an end...The NBA Lockout in 2011 denied him another chance.....Playing in the D-League, in Canada and overseas, Sticks dealt with numerous injuries that included an achilles tear....It sounds like Stanley could never catch a break...
If you get a chance, look up on YouTube, UConn Highlights, Stanley Robinson Dunk Mix....well worth your time....
RIP Stanley Robinson, taken from us way too young at age 32....Maybe not a UConn Legend from an All Conference or All American standpoint....But by the tributes on social media about the young man, a UConn Legend in every other sense of the word.....