In a defensive stance, long-armed, steely eyed Russell Robinson resembles one of the top point guards in Kansas University history — Cedric Hunter.
“Cedric is stronger. Russell may shoot it better,” KU coach Bill Self said, agreeing with a reporter’s observation that Robinson’s game mirrors Hunter.
Self helped coach Hunter at KU during the 1985-86 Final Four season.
“Cedric was a great point guard, great. Russell is not near as good creating for others, yet I think he can get there. Mario Chalmers will remind you of Cedric, too,” Self said of KU’s signee out of Bartlett High in Anchorage, Alaska.
“We’ll have two guys hawking the ball in Russell and Mario. The long arms, at least they both physically look like Ced.”
Self deemed Robinson the most outstanding perimeter player in Sunday’s 79-70 victory over Washburn. The 6-foot-1 freshman out of New York’s Rice High scored seven points off 3-of-6 shooting. He hit his only three-point try and had four assists, no turnovers and, perhaps most impressively, three steals.
On one early second-half possession, Robinson stripped Ichabod Andrew Meile and raced in for an layup despite getting hacked on the play to give KU a 52-47 lead.
“I was kind of waiting on it the whole game,” Robinson said of going for the steal at the opportune time. “It was big for our whole team. It’s something I try to do a lot.”
The play seemed to inspire the Jayhawks. Keith Langford followed with a free throw, and Moulaye Niang drilled a 12-footer as KU extended its lead to eight points at 14:45.
“Basically I try to contribute any way I can, offense, defense,” Robinson said. “Nothing different from practice. I’m just sticking to the script, running coach’s offense.
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He’s doing well, said KU senior point guard Aaron Miles.
“Russell changed the complexity of the game with his defense and decision making,” Miles said. “Russell is a competitor. He changes the game with the intensity he brings. Defensively he’s deceptive, sneaky. He can get his hands on balls, makes great decisions, attacks, penetrates.”
He’s also a good listener.
“Coach stressed tightening my game up, being as efficient as I can,” Robinson said. “I try to change the tempo of the game (when he’s put on the floor).”
Robinson showed poise Sunday in a game the Jayhawks expected to win but needed to scrap and claw to prevail.
“It’s something we’d rather have this test now than Friday (in opener versus Vermont). It’s our chance to respond, see how we respond.”
Mature beyond his years, Robinson has learned to laud the opposition.
“I credit Washburn’s defense. Basically they attacked our strongest points with Dub, Keith and J.R.,” he said of good defense on Wayne Simien, Langford and J.R. Giddens. “They kept it going the whole game.”
Robinson, who watched a lot of basketball on TV the past several years, believes the Division Two Ichabods could win some Division One games.
“Yes,” he said. “They have a great team and I think that will show as the season goes on. They came out with intensity and kept it the whole game. It was great for us to get our first test. Hopefully, we’ll respond well to it.”
