Getting to Know the Wildcats Men’s Basketball’s Robinson Preparing for His First Full Season

7/20/2022 3:43:00 PM

By: Chris Myers

FORT VALLEY, Ga. – A full Wildcats offseason of preparation may be a troubling elixir for the upcoming season for Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference foes. After he took control on January 5^th starting the second semester, Montez Robinson changed the Fort Valley State men's basketball into a force within the league in a short time.

After a coaching change last Christmas, FVSU called Robinson to take over the Wildcats. The veteran coach accepted the challenge and brought his tough mentality and attitude to direct the FVSU bench.

Coach Robinson directing the Wildcats in the SIAC Quarterfinals

Following a slow 1-3 start under his direction, Robinson's Wildcats finished 10 seconds shy of an SIAC Tournament semifinal appearance. FVSU recorded a 6-10 record in spring semester with home upset wins over both Benedict College and Tuskegee and five of the losses coming by five points or less. The Wildcats soundly took down the Thorobreds of Kentucky State (73-53), which they lost to by eight points at the end of November, in the SIAC First Round for the program's first tournament victory in four years. A Miles College game-tying 3-pointer with six seconds left sent the SIAC Quarterfinal to overtime where the SIAC West champ and NCAA South Region qualifier prevailed in the extra period to end the FVSU post-season push.

When he received the call to come to The Valley, Robinson was serving as a national scout for HBCU All Stars. He previously was a head coach in the NCAA Division I ranks for six seasons at Alcorn State (2015-20), where he stands fifth in all-time school wins at 89, and as interim head coach at the University of Tennessee at Martin (2020-21) during the CoVID season.

With some of his background revealed and the late season program success last spring, let's get to know Montez better as he and his coaching staff of assistant coach Spencer Wright and graduate assistant Emerson Jones are putting together the 2022-23 Wildcats.

First, where the FVSU coach comes from…

* Where are you originally from? Birmingham/Fairfield, Alabama

* What are you thankful for? My amazing family

* What makes you smile? My wife, who is my best friend

* What makes a good day? Just waking up

*Unique fact/something interesting about you? I played football, basketball and baseball in high school; basketball and baseball in college

* What drew your interest in sports and then into coaching? My brother and then my middle school coach

* What things do you enjoy away from coaching? Family & friends – bowling, hunting, movies

* Where did you go to college? University of North Georgia for undergrad and Bethune-Cookman University for graduate school

General FVSU

* How long have you been at FVSU? 7 months

* What brought you/interested you in this coaching opportunity at FVSU? God

* What do you like about The Valley/what makes it unique? People

Coaching

* What is your coaching background/where have you coached? Alcorn State (2015-20), UT-Martin (2020-21)

* What is your favorite part(s) of coaching? Teaching

* What drives you and gives you the passion for what you do? Being able to see a player reach their goals and dreams

* Do you consider yourself a players' coach? If so, how so and if not, what do you consider yourself? I am a players' coach, my players can talk to me about anything

* Most unique place you were able to successfully get a recruit from in your coaching career? Signed a player from Scotland, who was my first DI player

* Favorite place to eat on a team road trip? Cheddars

Wildcats Specific

* When did you take over the program? Jan. 5, 2022

* Vision for your program? Compete for a championship every year

* Other than winning the SIAC title and making the NCAA playoffs, what are some team goals you have for the upcoming year? Win every non-conference game

* Goals you have had in recruiting the upcoming year's class? Bring in shooting

* What type of team are you trying to put together? A tough one

* What will make your team more successful this year? Being able to coach them a full season

* What is a message you would like alumni, families and fans to know about your team and why continued support is vital? We are going to compete every day and leave it all on the court

With the SIAC Freshman of the Year, K.J. Doucet, and the rest of the Wildcats solid foundation back, Robinson, his staff and a full offseason to prepare should have the Conference not wanting to play The Valley as the end of last season was a true preview of what is to come.

-Wildcats-

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Getting to Know the Wildcats Men’s Basketball’s Robinson Preparing for His First Full Season