Published: April 16, 2008 10:45 pm      

BASKETBALL: UB signs an important pair in Watt, Robinson

AMHERST — When it comes to recruiting visits, two isn’t always better than one. College coaches often stagger the weekends that prospects appear on campus in an effort to show extra attention to each player. College recruiting has become as much about stroking the egos of athletically-gifted high schoolers as it has about selling the virtues of the campus.

So when the University at Buffalo men’s basketball coaching staff brought Mitchell Watt and Titus Robinson to Amherst at the same time, they weren’t certain how the move would shake out.

But they soon learned. The recruits teamed up in a pick-up game with current Bulls players, shining in the process.

Although Reggie Witherspoon and his coaching staff couldn’t watch the run because of NCAA regulations, word quickly got back to the coach’s office that the dynamic duo led their team to victory.

“I heard they played hard. Really hard. And sometimes when recruits come in like that, they’re a little tentative,” Witherspoon said. “They not only jumped right in played, but they picked some of our stuff up right away. These guys are quick learners.”

Both Watt and Robinson will get more to time to grasp the Bulls’ system after the two signed National Letters of Intent on Wednesday, the first day of the national signing period.

Watt, a 6-foot-9 forward from Goodyear, Ariz., was a first-team all-state player who led his team to the state championship. Robinson also took home the state title, but did so at East Mecklenburg High School in North Carolina. The 6-foot-7 forward averaged 15 points and three blocks per game and was named the MVP of the state championship game.

In Watt, the Bulls get a straight-A student who also is a member of the National Honor Society. He averaged 12 points and 8.5 rebounds for Desert Edge, and entertained offers from Davidson, Tulsa, Rutgers and Pepperdine.

“What Mitch does well is he’s very cerebral player,” said UB assistant coach and Wheatfield resident Jim Kwitchoff. “But he doesn’t let that get in the way of his athleticism. Sometimes you can out-think yourself. He plays with an aggressiveness. We think he’s the total package.”

Watt canceled visits to Pepperdine and Rutgers after visiting Buffalo, his interest in the school’s highly-rated exercise science program a key component of his decision.

Robinson, meanwhile, has an enormous wingspan. According to Witherspoon, the all-state selection has a reach more typical of a 7-footer.

“That’s extraordinarily long,” Witherspoon said. “You can’t teach and develop that. He has the potential to be an extraordinary defender, not just because of a his reach, but his overall athleticism.”

All told, Witherspoon said he’s ecstatic with a class that could be one of the most pivotal in Witherspoon’s coaching career.

“We didn’t have to compromise on the level of kids,” Witherspoon said.

Contact Group Sports Editor Tim Schmitt at 282-2311, ext. 2266.