QUAKERTOWN - The world changed in a heartbeat for Brett Roseboro.
One month, Quakertown’s 6-10 senior was being recruited by the lower level Division One schools, the next he was the target of some of the nation’s marquee programs.
“It went from UMBC to the University of Maryland in two weeks,” Quakertown assistant coach/junior varsity coach Toomey Anderson said.
On Wednesday afternoon, Roseboro – surrounded by his coaches, his teammates and his mother, Jane - brought to an end a whirlwind recruiting war when he signed his name on a letter of intent to play basketball at Marquette University.
“This is a special moment for Quakertown basketball and the Quakertown community,” coach Kevin Keeler said. “Brett is the first player to receive a Division One (basketball) scholarship in over three decades.
“I can’t believe this day is here. It’s fantastic what he’s done.”
Marquette entered the picture in late September after a strong showing by Roseboro in the iS8 Nike Tipoff Classic in South Jamaica, NY.
“Coach Aki Collins gave me a call, and I developed a relationship with him,” Roseboro said of the Marquette assistant.
He visited the Milwaukee campus on October 24. His choice was made.
“It was basically the coaches, the players, the academics, where it’s located,” Roseboro said of the reasons for his choice. “I liked everything about it.”
Roseboro will have an opportunity to contribute immediately.
“No redshirting,” he said. “They want me to be an impact player right away.”
His only other official visit was to Central Connecticut, but that school was not on his final list.
The Quakertown senior chose Marquette over Temple, Villanova, West Virginia, Rutgers, Maryland and St. John’s, and his ascent into the upper echelon colleges began in earnest last summer when he hit the AAU circuit with coach Anderson – a summer tour that included a car trip to Las Vegas.
“That opened his eyes to what was out there and how good he had to be,” Keeler said. “He had a dream to get to this level.”
And Roseboro would not have been satisfied with anything less.
“The one thing about Brett – he was not satisfied with some of the looks he was getting,” Anderson said. “He would keep telling me, ‘Toom, I’m better than this. I’m better than this.’
“I think he really took it personally, and he really improved his strength, and that improved his game to another level.”
It was Upper Merion assistant coach Jonathan Groom who actually introduced Roseboro to the AAU circuit when he invited the Quakertown center to play for his Old School Cavaliers squad.
“He’s a fantastic kid,” Groom said. “He’s never given me any problems. He’s just been a joy to coach.
“I think the biggest thing for him was getting confidence in himself. I have been telling him over and over again, ‘You can do this.’ He never really believed it until the last couple of months.”
Last season, Roseboro averaged 12 points, 10 rebounds after averaging six and six as a sophomore.
Keeler reflected on Roseboro’s growth since his sophomore season.
“He came right before the season started,” the Panthers’ coach said. “He was 6-6 as a sophomore, and saw this big Great Dane puppy – big hands and big feet, slobbering all over the place.
“It was just this raw potential, and he had this inner drive and a little bit of cockiness and confidence that he was going to be better.
Roseboro gave glimpses of his immense potential in a 23-point, 17-rebound effort against Wissahickon last season.
“He had two 6-8 kids going at him, and he was hitting three’s,” Keeler said. “It was a monster, monster game.”
What has been the biggest change since last season for Roseboro?
“Probably my strength and being a threat outside and inside,” he said.
According to Keeler, it was Roseboro’s ability to go outside and shoot the trey that really turned some heads, but the Panthers’ coach noticed an equally important change that is more subtle.
“Just his mental approach – that was the biggest thing,” Keeler said. “If he got a bad call or missed a couple of shots early, he realized he could play through it.”
Keeler knows that opposing teams will be gunning for the Panthers and their D-1 recruit this season.
“We can’t hide anymore,” he said. “To have this kind of publicity – every single coach in our league will see that, and Brett will be a marked man on the whiteboard of every team.
“They’re going to want to prove they’re better than a Division One kid. There’s no hiding. We have to bring it every night.”
If Roseboro is concerned, he certainly didn’t let on.
“No big deal,” he said.
Roseboro and the Panthers will open their season On Dec. 5 when they will compete in the Southern Lehigh Tournament. It promises to be an exciting season.
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