THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, January 10, 1996 TAG: 9601100794
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 94 lines
Jamal Robinson has been up, and he's been down.
The University of Virginia junior has driven fans in University Hall wild with Jordanesque dunks, and he's driven them nuts with out-of-control passes.
He's been called a budding superstar, and he's been called a bust.
But not until now, with Robinson seemingly having found a comfortable role with the Cavaliers, has anyone been quite sure what to make of him.
First, there was his freshman season two years ago, when the 6-foot-7 swingman from Monsignor Clancy High School in Jamaica, N.Y., jumped into the starting lineup and exploded in the ACC tournament. He propelled Virginia to the championship game and was named first-team all-tournament.
That performance, along with the occasional acrobatic dunks he had displayed during the regular season, labeled Robinson as one of the league's future superstars.
Norfolk fans still buzz about the swooping dunk Robinson made in a December 1993 game in Scope against Old Dominion.
But with the stage set for greatness, Robinson became perhaps the league's biggest disappointment last year.
No one was more disappointed than Robinson himself.
He began his sophomore season as a starter, but that lasted only two games. And for the remainder of the year he struggled with both himself and his game. It got so bad at one point that the sensitive Robinson thought he was going to wind up in a psychiatric ward.
``I couldn't sleep much at night and I'd get up in the mornings thinking some really wild things,'' Robinson said. ``That was the whole problem - I did too much thinking.''
Robinson is back on track to stardom this season, but with an ironic twist. While the rest of the team has struggled to live up to preseason expectations, Robinson has been the most consistent performer, in a reserve role. He is averaging 9.5 points and is shooting 47.4 percent from the floor - up from the 5.4 points and 36.4 percent of a year ago. He also is second on the team in rebounds (6.5) and assists (3.4) per game.
Coach Jeff Jones acknowledges that Robinson is playing well enough to be in the starting lineup, and he considered making the change before last Saturday's game against North Carolina State.
``He (Jones) talked to me about starting,'' Robinson said, ``and I told him to do what he thought was best for the team. I left it entirely up to him.''
Jones decided against making a change. He likes the versatility and lift Robinson provides off the bench, and a lineup change could create other problems. Robinson would have replaced either freshman Courtney Alexander, who has a fragile ego, or Chris Alexander, a senior.
``It doesn't matter all that much to me,'' Robinson said. ``I know I am going to play either way.''
Likewise, Robinson said his own fragile confidence was not bothered when Courtney Alexander, a blue-chip recruit, started ahead of him at the beginning of the season.
``There were circumstances as to why I didn't start,'' Robinson said. ``It wasn't that he just beat me out. I was late to a couple of practices, and I didn't start for disciplinary reasons.''
Besides, Robinson has discovered there are advantages to coming off the bench.
``In terms of pressure, there is none at all,'' he said. ``That is great, and I still come in and play 30 minutes.''
But the biggest change for Robinson this season is that he no longer is thinking about all he needs to do be successful.
``I had so many high expectations last year and when I didn't get off to a good start, I got down on myself,'' he said. ``I guess it was what some people call a sophomore slump. Instead of getting out of the slump, it just got worse and worse. I decided this summer I was just going to relax and play my game.''
As simple as the solution sounds, teammate Harold Deane says there is no other explanation.
``Last year, Jamal was trying to think the game too much instead of going out there and playing,'' Deane said. ``Everyone is going to make mistakes. But when Jamal made mistakes, he didn't rebound from them. This year, I think he realizes he has got to keep playing through the good times and the bad times.''
Robinson says he has done that, and he thinks the Cavaliers are ready to break out of what has been ailing them this season, too.
``We took a big step in the win over North Carolina State last Saturday with Harold playing the way he did,'' Robinson said. ``Once we get Curtis Staples' shooting to come around, we will be fine.''
To that end, Robinson's advice to Staples is to relax and not worry.
He knows sometimes that is all it takes. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by Matt Gentry/Daily Progress
Swingman Jamal Robinson, hailed as a hero than scorned as a bust, is
a vital cog for the Cavaliers.
KEYWORDS: PROFILE by CNB