Robertson Shows Unquestionable Work Ethic
March 07, 2011 | Men's Basketball
by Tony Allen
USF Communications
University of South Florida guard Hugh Robertson is not the most vocal guy on and off the basketball court, but when it comes to work ethic, his will is unquestionable.
Robertson transferred to USF from Tallahassee Community College just this season and is the only player on the team who has started every game. Men's basketball coach Stan Heath had some major holes to fill at the guard position this offseason after losing Dominique Jones to the NBA Draft along with senior Chris Howard, and he was confident that Robertson could help get the job done.
"He's a very versatile guard," said assistant coach Reggie Hanson, who recruited Robertson. "He can step out and shoot, he can drive it and he can rebound, plus he's our best perimeter defender. He's a guy who can do a lot of different things for us."
At TCC, Robertson was ranked as the No. 2 junior college prospect, averaging 11 points, two assists and just under five rebounds a game. When Coach Heath asked Robertson to come play for USF following one of Robertson's games, the 6'6" guard out of Macon, Ga., was ready for the challenge.
"It was a tough transition coming over from junior college into the BIG EAST, but I think junior college actually made me a tougher player," said Robertson. "It was tough adjusting to the flow of the game and everything, but it gave me a good knowledge for the game."
One of the things that made the transition easier for Robertson was the warm welcome he received from his new teammates and coaches. He immediately felt comfortable around the atmosphere and he said that is was what sold him.
Redshirt junior forward Ron Anderson Jr., who is one of Robertson's closest friends on the team, gives his teammate props for all the work he has put in from the moment he stepped foot in the locker room.
"He had probably one of the biggest tasks-being thrown into a major role on the team and he's doing a great job at it," said Anderson Jr. "His work ethic has helped me become a better player just from living with him."
Robertson's intense will to work harder and harder each and every day probably comes from his mom (Phyllis Robertson), whom he said has always looked up to. She instilled these values in him and his brother and sister, while working diligently to raise three children as a single parent. They are a close family.
"I just try to always go hard at what I do and do it to the best of my ability," said Robertson. "When I signed here, I wasn't signing to come and sit on the bench, so this isn't anything new to me."
As a child, Robertson certainly learned how to utilize the resources that were available to him, as he and some other kids in his neighborhood made a basketball hoop out of a bike rim with the spokes taken out. They hung it from a tree and by the time Robertson began playing organized ball a little later on, he was hooked.
"It helped him to become the player that he is now and the person he is now," said Anderson Jr. "He has a real strong heart. A lot of times, I need someone to pick me up and he does that. He knows what to say."
The Bulls look for Robertson to remain an integral player as he continues to build chemistry with his teammates. Considering the vast amount of work he put in during his first year with the program, it's likely that Robertson will bring even more intensity and preparedness into next season. He has the tools to do it all, including the heart and desire to progressively get better.
"He's the only guy that started every game for us this year. That says a lot about his character and his versatility on the court," said Hanson. "He just comes to work hard every day."
