SASKATOON -- As the U of S Huskies men’s basketball team prepares for Friday’s first round playoff game, leading scorer J.T. Robinson know this is his last shot at a championship
"I'm playing every game like it's my last,” said Robinson. “It's possible it could be my last. At the end of the day I'm still out there competing and doing what I've been doing all the time.”
Robinson is averaging 19.1 points per game this season. He says it still hasn’t quite hit him yet that Friday’s contest against Thompson Rivers could be the final time he suits up. He adds he's just trying to stay focused. Head coach Barry Rawlyk says having the proper mindset is important for the entire team.
"He understands it's a one game deal every time out there now. Lose and you go home,” said the coach. “So he wants to make sure he performs at his best and gives the team an opportunity to win. You know, you kind of stay emotionally level in terms of your approach to the game and how you play the game. So I don't think we can let the lows get to low or the highs get too high.”
The Huskies started 8-2 but struggled in the second half of the season, going 4-6. Most of those contests came against the top teams in the league.
The green and white will need all hands on deck for Friday's single elimination game against Thompson Rivers, which Rawlyk describes as a veteran, physical team.
"We've obviously had some struggles over the course of the season. But at the same time we've beaten some very good teams. So I think that teams look at us somewhat warily and realizing that we have the ability to do a number of things."
Staying sharp defensively will be important if the Huskies hope to move on to the next round
"We have to maintain our posture, be disruptive defensively and make sure we're out in transition and running the court, just not having too many breakdowns defensively.”
Game time is 7 p.m. Friday at the Physical Activity Complex on campus.
