Stanford Robinson moved across country to accelerate his hoops education - ALL-MET ELITE

 Stanford Robinson

moved across country

to accelerate his

hoops education 

 ALL-MET ELITE

 

PAUL VI

FAIRFAX VA.

 

Stanford Robinson still had a senior season of high school basketball left when he committed to Indiana last June. But he said he felt as if his prep career had ended and his college career had just begun.

The 6-4 combo guard left Paul VI Catholic High School in Fairfax, Va. --- one of the most successful programs in the hoops-rich Washington, D.C., area --- and transferred to Findlay Prep in Henderson, Nev., outside Las Vegas.

“Every person from Findlay is a major focus of their teams in college,” Robinson said. “It prepares you. It’s like being a freshman in college. When you go to college, you’re not playing and practicing like a freshman.”

Robinson said he was attracted to Findlay because it mimics the life of a college hoops player as much as possible. There are practices and workouts at 5:30 a.m., he said. Parents are absent for the first time in their lives. Cross-country travel is a regular part of the routine.

Robinson will begin to learn whether the decision paid off when he reports to IU for summer school next month. Victor Oladipo left the Hoosiers one year early to enter the NBA Draft.

“I’m definitely going in with the mindset of working my hardest to get that starting spot,” said Robinson, who is ranked 56th nationally in the Class of 2013 by rivals.com --- up 32 spots from when he committed to the Hoosiers. “I feel that I’m good enough, that if I work hard enough, I’ll be able to play as a freshman. I feel like I have leadership skills as well and that will also help me.”