Three years ago, Lamont Robinson took over the Kingsway girls basketball program, replacing highly successful coach, Felicia Jenkins. Replacing Coach Jenkins was no small task, as she had an extensive basketball resume that included college coaching stops at Benedict College and Jackson State University. Following her would prove to be difficult.
However, Coach Robinson certainly has made his own imprint on the girls’ program in his short three year tenure. This season, his squad went 11-4 in an abbreviated season due to the pandemic, and they were able to win the Tri-County Conference Royal Division title in a conference that was one of the strongest in South Jersey.
In his three year coaching stint, he now has amassed a record of 49-20 (a .710 winning percentage), and he has won two of the last three Royal Division titles.
“This season was a huge success,” said Coach Robinson. “We added some hardware to the school’s trophy case with a Tri County Conference Royal Division Championship. I was extremely proud and pleased.”
Navigating the season with COVID-19 looming certainly added to the difficulty any coach faced this season. However, Coach Robinson’s infectious, positive attitude certainly allowed his team to be thankful for all they accomplished.
“We played all 15 games, got a chance to give our girls an awesome experience, and stayed healthy from Corona-related incidents,” said Robinson. “This year our goal was to ‘Win the Day’. With so much uncertainty and so many different challenges going on, all we wanted to do was cherish and take advantage of every day we received an opportunity. We were fortunate to play ball. Most days we did just that and our efforts were rewarded with a really positive season.”
“Managing all of the protocols definitely was different, but the girls and staff all had really positive attitudes, and we took it all in stride,” continued Robinson. “Not having fans during the first few weeks was an adjustment, too but, again, being able to play and have these experiences with one another outweighed all the barriers and obstacles. From having a Senior Night to ending a three-game losing streak to Clearview to win the conference made this season even more special.”
With a strong group of hard-working returners led by a monster junior class, Coach Robinson is looking forward to seeing how they come together next season. He believes they will be competing for championships next year as well.
Needless to say, the hiring of Lamont Robinson has been a fruitful move – one that seems to result in championships more times than not.
— By Christian Lynch
