July 19, 2010
By Josh Newman, Staff Writer, app.com
Depending on what basketball magazine or website one frequently reads, Siena College senior Ryan Rossiter is being hailed as a potential second-round pick in next June's NBA Draft.
Instead of resting on what he has accomplished to get to the point of people talking about him as a possible professional at the highest level, the 6-foot-9 Staten Island native is choosing to remain humble.
"I hear that (NBA Draft) stuff from friends, but I try not to pay attention to that," Rossiter said. "I just try to work out every day and get better every day. I don't focus on that stuff, it'll just come with hard work."
After three productive summers at the Verizon Fios Jersey Shore Basketball League, Rossiter made his season debut on Tuesday night at St. Rose High School and showed why his game is held in such high regard.
The Monsignor Farrell (N.Y.) graduate poured in a game-high 34 points and 17 rebounds as T&T Coast held off a late charge from Sterns Trailer for a 111-104 victory.
Rossiter scored the final five points as part of a key 8-0 stretch in the third quarter.
After a putback off a miss and a drive to the basket on consecutive trips down the floor by Jerome Hubbard to extend the T&T lead to 78-71, Rossiter knocked down a 3-pointer from the right baseline. He followed that on the ensuing trip down court by spinning past former Monmouth University star and seasoned European professional Cory Albano on the left block for a layup to make it 83-71 late in the third quarter.
"Every night, it's a competitive atmosphere out here and you're definitely going to get your work in," Rossiter said. "A lot of these guys are D-I players or overseas players so I just try to come out here and try to prove to them that I can play and prove to myself that I'm ready for the next level."
A starter in all 68 games for the Saints over the last two seasons, Rossiter averaged 13.8 points and a team-best 11.1 boards as a junior to emerge as a viable third option behind standout seniors Alex Franklin and Edwin Ubiles. His play helped the 27-7 Saints win the MAAC Tournament for a third straight year before falling to Purdue in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The double-double (10 points and 13 boards) Rossiter posted against the Boilermakers and 6-foot-10 second-team All-Big Ten selection JaJuan Johnson on the college game's biggest stage did nothing to hurt his NBA stock.
"I think there is always going to be a stigma against the mid-major schools because they don't play the BCS schools every night," Rossiter said. "We've gone into every NCAA Tournament we've made looking to prove ourselves. We never consider ourselves underdogs and we feel we can beat anyone on any given night."
