Consistency Is The Key For UTC 's Eric Robertson

"If I had 10 Eric Robertson's on my team I would be thrilled. He never has a bad practice, never gets down on himself. He is always upbeat and is the same person every day ."

UTC basketball coach Matt McCall

 

UTC senior guard Eric Robertson leads the team in 3-point field goals made (27) and is the second best long range shooter in the Southern Conference (48.2%) to teammate Peyton Woods (55.6%).

A year ago, Robertson led the SoCon in 3-point shooting (46.8%).

But Robertson, an all-state player for Huntsville's Lee High School, has not always been near the top in basketball stats.

For a time he wasn't even the best player in his household..

"My older brother, C.J.,  wore me out on the court starting in elementary school and into high school," said Robertson who is one of the leaders on this year's UTC squad which is 9-2 and hosts Radford University today at 3 p.m. in the final game before Christmas.

"He beat me on offense and on defense and in every way on the court," said Robertson. "In the summers when I was in high school he would have me play on his team at the rec center with older players and they would wear me out as well."

But everything has its purpose and little did Robertson know that older brother had a reason for putting kid brother in all those bad games.

"Looking back now, all those tough games against the older players were preparing me for where I am today."

Not only is Robertson high in stats on the court, but stellar in the classroom as he is a Dean's List student who has earned a 4.0 average three of his seven semesters at UTC and earned a 3.6 this fall.

"When I was growing up my dad stressed to me the importance of an education and made sure I understood that basketball would not last forever and people can't take away your education," stated Robertson who graduated sixth in his high school class in 2012 and is contemplating graduate school after graduating from UTC next spring.

"I enjoy what I study and am grateful for the opportunity to earn a college education."

UTC coach Matt McCall said, "Eric is so consistent is who he is whether in basketball, in the classroom and with his faith.You want to surround yourself with successful people like Eric."

Coach McCall and Robertson's teammates are grateful for the lessons Robertson learned on the court from older brother C.J. and as the Mocs look to the second semester and a run at a Southern Conference title, the SoCon opponents will wish he was not such a good learner.

contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net