MIAMI SHORES, Fla. – Jevoni Robinson came from big-time college basketball to finish his career and master’s studies at Barry University. Now the 6-foot-8 athletic forward from Charlotte, North Carolina, and the Buccaneers are about ready to dig in for extra helpings of holiday hoops.
No. 20/24 Barry hosts the Cesar Odio Thanksgiving Classic Friday and Saturday at the Health & Sports Center. Sioux Falls (S.D.), Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras and Young Harris will all compete in the four-team event beginning 5 p.m. Friday.
Odio coached the Buccaneers for 18 years, compiling a 281-234 record while taking three teams to the NCAA Tournament. He was named the Sunshine State Conference Coach of the Year twice, and his teams won 17 games eight times, including a school-record 23 victories in 2004-05 and 2006-07. Odio’s 2009-10 team beat Florida Southern in Russellville, Arkansas, for the Bucs’ only NCAA Tournament victory in school history.
“First of all, I’ve got a chance to meet Coach Odio. He’s certainly a wonderful guy,” said Robinson, who transferred to Barry from North Carolina State. “We’re happy to play this tournament for him. Being involved in the community is always a good thing. We’ve volunteered for the Lymphoma Society the past couple weeks, and the outcome was great. This is just a wonderful opportunity for us to go out and represent Coach Odio and what he stands for.”
Odio has battled Leukemia twice during his coaching career, winning both battles – a symbol of his toughness as a coach and competitor. He played collegiately for Florida Southern, serving as team captain on a team that won the 1980-81 NCAA Championship. Odio now serves as an assistant athletic director at Barry.
Barry (3-0) will host Sioux Falls (1-2) at 7 p.m. Friday and Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras (2-5) at 7 p.m. Saturday. Young Harris (2-2) plays Rio Piedras at 5 p.m. Friday and Sioux Falls at 5 p.m. Saturday. All games will air on the Buccaneers Broadcast Network with Danny Rabinowitz handling the call.
“Teams are going to come here and throw punches at us,” said Robinson, who is averaging 6.7 rebounds, 4.0 points and one block per game. “I think being able to respond is how we’ll be recognized as a top team in the country and a good basketball program.
“As we progress on and on, the coaches get more intense, and we buckle down on things and do things the right way. From now on, I think we only get better as our opponents get better.”
The Buccaneers weren’t at their best in the first half of Friday’s 91-68 win over Florida Memorial. Then again, the athletic Lions came ready to play, and Barry wasn’t ready for what hit them in the first 15 minutes of the opening half.
“It was definitely a wake-up call,” said Robinson, whose highlight dunks have become commonplace when he’s on the floor.
“We didn’t come out and play as well as we should have in the first half. Coach (Butch Estes) did a good job of getting us back together, and we just went out there and dominated in the second half.”
Robinson, who is shooting .429 from the field and one of four Bucs pulling down over five rebounds per game, is convinced moving to Miami was the right move.
“So far, it’s been wonderful,” the sport management graduate student said. “I made the best decision to come here. The coaching staff is great, and my teammates are even better. I’ve learned a lot since I’ve been here. My classes have been great. I think this is just a wonderful environment for learning and playing basketball.”
The Buccaneers have dished out 61 assists to their opponents' 19 in the first three games. While it’s early, the 20.3 assists per game is tops in school history.
“I think it can take us a very long way,” Robinson said of the Bucs’ share-the-basketball nature. “Eventually, in the long run I think it will pay off. We’re in it together, and we have one goal and want to accomplish everything we came here for.”
First things first, there’s Thanksgiving basketball to feast on. Rest assured, Barry University is thankful for Cesar Odio, and the nationally-ranked Buccaneers will try to honor him with their play this weekend.
CESAR ODIO THANKSGIVING CLASSIC SCHEDULE
FRIDAY
5 p.m. – Young Harris (2-2) vs. Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras (2-5)
7 p.m. – No. 20/24 Barry (3-0) vs. Sioux Falls (1-2)
SATURDAY
5 p.m. – Young Harris vs. Sioux Falls
7 p.m. – Barry vs. PR-Rio Piedras
YOUNG HARRIS-PR RIO PIEDRAS LIVE STREAM
YOUNG HARRIS-PR RIO PIEDRAS LIVE STATS
YOUNG HARRIS-SIOUX FALLS LIVE STREAM
YOUNG HARRIS-SIOUX FALLS LIVE STATS
BARRY-PR RIO PIEDRAS LIVE STREAM
BARRY-PR RIO PIEDRAS LIVE STATS
CESAR ODIO THANKSGIVING CLASSIC NOTES
LAST TIME OUT: No. 20/24 Barry beat Florida Memorial, 91-68, Tuesday to improve to 3-0 ... Yunio Barrueta had 19 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks and three assists ... Juan Ferrales had 17 points and a career-high six assists ... Five Buccaneers scored in double figures.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE: Friday - Young Harris vs. Puerto Rico Rio Piedras 5 p.m.; Barry vs. Sioux Falls, 7 p.m. ... Saturday - Young Harris vs. Sioux Falls, 5 p.m.; Barry vs. PR-Rio Piedras, 7 p.m.
TOURNAMENT NAMESAKE: Cesar Odio coached the Buccaneers for 18 years, guiding three teams to the NCAA Tournament ... Odio’s teams went 281-234, earning Sunshine State Conference Coach of the Year twice ... His Barry teams won at least 17 games eight times, including a school-record 23 victories in 2004-05 and 2006-07.
SERIES RECORD: This marks the first meeting between Barry and Sioux Falls ... The Bucs are 3-0 all time against PR-Rio Piedras ... Barry’s last win over the Gallitos was a 70-57 triumph on 70-57 on Dec. 15, 2006.
EYES ON OPPONENTS: Sioux Falls (1-2) is averaging 70.3 ppg ... Mack Johnson and Charles Ward both are averaging 16.3 ppg while pulling down over 5 rebounds ... Bryan Kielpinski is averaging 11.7 ppg and 7.7 reb ... PR-Rio Piedras (2-5) beat preseason No. 5 Montevallo, 55-49 ... Bryan Martinez and Omar DeJesus are consistent double-figure scorers ... Young Harris (2-2) is 1-1 against SSC teams this year, having beaten Saint Leo, 64-63, and losing to Eckerd, 85-72 ... C.J. Wilson is averaging 22.3 ppg and 6.7 ast ... Isaiah Johnson is averaging 16 ppg, Kevin Altidor 14.5 ppg and 6.5 reb, and Herdie Lawrence 12.8 ppg.
WORTH MENTIONING: Jr. F Yunio Barrueta was named a preseason Honorable Mention All-American by Sporting News ... He leads the Bucs in scoring (20.0) and rebounding (9.0) with two double-doubles this season.
BOARDING SCHOOL: Barry has outrebounded all of its opponents this year, including No. 8 Louisville and No. 7 Florida in exhibitions ... The Bucs are outrebounding opponents
SSC PLAYER OF WEEK: Soph. F Adrian Gonzalez was named the Sunshine State Conference Player of the Week after tying a school record on 10-for-10 field goal shooting last week.
2014-15 BUCS RECORD WHEN ...
Overtime Games: 0-0
Home Games: 3-0
Road Games: 0-0
Neutral Games: 0-0
Night Games: 3-0
Day Games: 0-0
Leading at Halftime: 3-0
Trailing at Halftime: 0-0
Tied at Halftime: 0-0
After a Loss: 0-0
Scoring 80+ points: 3-0
Scoring 70-79 points: 0-0
Scoring 60-69 points: 0-0
Scoring 50-59 points: 0-0
Games Decided by 2 points or Less: 0-0
Games Decided by 5 points or Less: 0-0
Games Decided by 10 points or Less: 0-0
Games Decided by 11-20 Points: 0-0
Games Decided by over 20 Points: 3-0
Outrebounding Opponents: 3-0
Opponents Outrebound Bucs: 0-0
Matching Opponents in Rebounds: 0-0
Committing 15 or Fewer Turnovers: 2-0
Committing over 15 Turnovers: 1-0