While Rosemont College was founded in 1921, the men’s basketball team has only been around since 2010. This is mainly because the College did not accept male students until 2009. Since 2010, the men’s basketball team has won one championship, which occurred during the 2018-2019 season. The team went 15-13 overall, going 8-4 in conference. The Ravens also were 7-1 at home, giving the fans a show every home game. The team averaged 80.9 points per game, which is third highest in school history. They were led by Keith Blassingale, starting all 28 games, averaging 19.0 points per game, 2.6 assists per game, and 3.1 rebounds per game. Blassingale also shot 47% from the field, 36% from three, and 70.1% from the free throw line. He was also a pest defensively, averaging 2.0 steals per game, and totaled 14 blocks. Another key piece to the team was Jalil Myers, who averaged 14.8 points per game, 9.6 rebounds per game, and 1.9 assists per game. His shooting splits were 49.8% from the field, 31.0% from three, and 77.7% from the charity stripe. He had 11 double-doubles throughout the year, with his best statistical game coming on January 12th, 2019, where he scored 24 points, along with collecting 13 rebounds against Keystone College. The team was guided by Head Coach Robert Hughes, as well as assistant coaches Julius Cooke and Bud Tosti.
Coach Robert Hughes is the all-time winningest coach at Rosemont, and also holds the record for most wins in a season with 17 in 2017-2018. He was also the CSAC Coach of the Year in 2015.
In The Regular Season:
The Ravens went 8-4 in the Colonial States Athletic Conference, including ending the season on a 7-game win streak going into playoffs. Some of their notable victories include a home win against Bryn Athyn on January 8th, where they topped the Lions 86-56. The Ravens had four players in double figures, and were led by Alex Epps-Ortiz with 19 points in 25 minutes. Other players that stood out include Kahleel Henry with 16 points, Jalil Myers with 17 points and 8 rebounds, Zaire Mitchell with 12 points, and Keith Blassingale with 9 points and 6 assists in only 19 minutes. Another notable victory came against Clarks Summit University on January 18th. This ended a 3-game losing streak, and was the start of their 7 game winning streak, which eventually propelled them to a conference championship. The Ravens dismantled the Defenders 93-66. The Ravens were led by the trio of Keith Blassingale, Chris Briner, and Perry Belcher. Blassingale posted 20 points in 23 minutes, while Perry Belcher added 16 points along with 4 assists. Lastly, Briner added a season-high 24 points and 6 rebounds in only 22 minutes.
Postseason Recap
In the CSAC semifinals, the Ravens faced the Wilson College Phoenix in a matchup that took place at Wilson. The two teams had previously been 1-1 against each other during the regular season, which built up even more anticipation for the game. However, there were no nerves shown from the Ravens, as they posted a season high 113 points and obliterated the Phoenix 113-79. Keith Blassingale had a whopping 45 points, along with 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Jalil Myers did his thing with a 20 point and 15 rebound double-double. Marlon Sharpton added 14 points and 5 rebounds, and Jacob Simonson added 10 points in limited action. The Ravens shot 57.7% from the field and 48.1% from three, burying 13 triples on their way to victory. Their next matchup was a rematch vs. Cairn University. Cairn was 10-2 during the regular season and held the 1-seed in the conference. In an absolute shootout, the Ravens came out victorious, 100-97. Blassingale had another marvelous performance, posting 28 points. Jalil Myers posted yet another double-double, this time with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Marlon Sharpton stepped up big time with 20 points, while going 8 for 8 from the free throw line. The Ravens shot 51.4% from the field, and went 10/21 from three. They also knocked down 18 free throws en route to their victory.
The Ravens would then go on to face powerhouse Amherst College in the first round of the NCAA tournament, where they put up a fight, but fell short. This was the first and only appearance in the NCAA tournament in men’s basketball history. Considering it was first introduced in 2010, it is remarkable the Ravens were able to build a championship culture so quickly.
Click HERE to check out Graduate Assistant Alona Stanley’s article, covering her interviews with former Coach Robert Hughes, as well as members of the final Rosemont Men’s Basketball Team, Zaki Gomez and Brandon Moore.
