A.J. Rudowitz and the Skyhawks are flying high at 15-2 and ranked No. 13 in the country. |
Cranbury Press: A.J. Stands For 'Awesome Job' At Stonehill
By Rich Fisher, Sports Editor
At 6-foot-6, when A.J. Rudowitz takes a step
forward, it's a biiiiig step.
The 2006 Monroe Township High School graduate has
taken just such a step for the Stonehill College men's basketball
team this season.
After being unranked the first part of the year,
the Skyhawks moved into the National Association of Basketball
Coach's Division II Top 25 on Jan. 13, where they debuted at No. 20
with a 12-2 record. It is their first national ranking since the
season prior to Rudowitz's arrival, when they went to the Final
Four.
"It's always been a pretty good Division II
program," Rudowitz said. "Not making the NCAA Tournament my first
two years is not what this school is used to."
Things may return to normal this season.
Since last week, the won-lost mark has ballooned to 15-2 with
nine straight wins, the ranking improved to No. 13, and Rudowitz
was a major reason for it all. He led the team in scoring (13.0
ppg), rebounding (7.5 per game), blocked shots (25), steals (24)
and field-goal percentage among regulars (54 percent).
"This year A.J. has been getting better
throughout the season and teams are very much geared towards
stopping him," said coach Dave McLaughlin, who
recently won his 100th game at Stonehill. "His progression
throughout the year, skill level and ability to understand the
importance of taking care of the ball has allowed him to make
progress each game. He has a tremendous upside and our hope is that
his approach this year stays consistent so he continues to raise
his game to another level.
"He has not only grown as a player, but his
leadership potential is beginning to show both on and off of the
court. He is acting like an older player and because of the way he
approaches practice and games, has gained the respect of his
teammates."
It's not like Rudowitz was a slouch his first two
years.
After leading the Falcons to the NJSIAA Central
Jersey Group III title game and winning Greater Middlesex
Conference Player of the Year honors as a senior, Rudowitz enrolled
at the traditional Division II power in Easton, Mass.
As a freshman, he started 21 of 28 games,
averaging 12.1 points and 6.1 rebounds and earning a berth on the
Northeast-10 Conference All-Rookie team. During one stretch, he was
Northeast-10 Freshman of the Week three straight weeks.
Last year, Rudowitz averaged 12 points and a
team-high 5.7 rebounds. He was ninth in the conference in
field-goal percentage (53.9 percent) and eighth in free-throw
percentage (83.3).
This season, Rudowitz has taken his game to
another level and the Skyhawks have followed.
"The first two years, I played well, but this
year I definitely have a lot more confidence," he said. "When we
need a basket, I try to demand the ball as much as possible. I
realize if I touch the ball, I might not score, but I could find
someone else.
"Early in the season, I was scoring a lot. Now
that defenses are doubling me and sink down low when I get the
ball, I have to find the open man."
The forward seems to have gotten the hang of
that, as his 35 assists are third on the team.
"It has been a pleasure seeing A.J. mature as a
player as well as an individual over the past few years,"
McLaughlin said. "In particular, his maturity level from his
sophomore year to this year is quite impressive."
Rudowitz said he prepared for this season the
same way as usual, playing in the Jersey Shore Summer League and a
Monroe men's league. One area he paid more attention to was
weightlifting, since he is mainly used as a low-post man in
Stonehill's motion offense.
"I wanted to get my strength up," said Rudowitz,
who increased his weight to 220 after gaining 10 pounds of muscle.
"That was one of the main things holding my game back. It was tough
to get position in the post. Instead of catching the ball on the
block, I'd catch it five or six feet out, which would make it
tougher to get a good shot."
He has also stepped things up in the most
important area of the game.
"On the court he has made solid strides on the
offensive end, but the impressive jump this year in his game is on
the defensive end of the floor," McLaughlin said. "Much of this has
to do with his increased strength levels and high basketball IQ. He
anticipates very well and understands the concept of team
defense."
That should not come as a surprise, considering
Rudowitz is as smart in the classroom as he is on the court. He
made the Academic All-Conference team as a sophomore and is well on
his way to a repeat honor after gaining a 3.83 GPA last semester.
His overall GPA is 3.5 and he is a member of the St. Thomas More
Law Society at Stonehill. With an eye on going to law school,
Rudowitz plans on taking the LSAT this summer.
He also finds time to keep tabs on Monroe's
red-hot basketball team, which includes his brother Brian.
"I'm just trying to do good in the classroom and
I've been doing surprisingly well," Rudowitz said with a laugh. "I
didn't even do this well in high school. I'm able to budget my
time. A lot of grades in college are based on tests, I'm pretty
good at taking tests."
Rudowitz's academic endeavors are not lost on his
coach.
"A.J.'s performance in the classroom is very
impressive," McLaughlin said. "The way he prioritizes academics as
well as balances his educational and athletic commitments helps to
truly define A.J. as a student-athlete."
It has all been like a wonderful dream for
Rudowitz, except for the frigid New England winters that force him
to wear coats even when he's inside.
"It's a little rough, but I'm loving it up here," he said. "It's
been more than I hoped it would be. I really didn't know what to
expect coming to college. It's kind of far away, you're meeting new
people. But it's been great."
It's been great for Rudowitz.
In turn, he has been great for the Stonehill basketball team.