By: Ryan Chichester
Jacob Rigoni is a family man.
The Australian teenager shares a close bond with his father Paul, who coached his son on the Sturt’s Premier League team for two seasons in South Australia. Both seasons ended with championship appearances, and eventually an opportunity to play Division I basketball in the states.
Back in the spring, Rigoni’s mother Sharon made the 10,672-mile trek from Adelaide, Australia to Hamden, Connecticut with her son to decide where he would continue his basketball career. Leaving his family behind worried Jacob. His family had been pillars of his playing career and personal growth. This wouldn’t be a normal trip off to college, where parents could pop in on weekends to take their child shopping for new clothes. Sharon and Paul would need plenty of frequent flyer miles to make that happen.
The Rigoni’s were able to breathe a little easier when they arrived in Hamden and realized that while Jacob would be saying goodbye to his family, he would be greeted by another.
“Meeting the coaches and some of the guys, I knew it was the place to be,” Rigoni said of his visit to Quinnipiac. “Moving away from home and coming into this family environment has been exactly how I imagined.”
No longer worried about homesickness, Rigoni has been able to shrug away the 10,000-plus miles between him and his parents and focus on the 94 feet of hardwood that his new family occupies on Lender Court. His teammates and coaches are helping Rigoni feel right at home at Quinnipiac, while the freshman stays in touch with the skills and lessons he learned Down Under.
“Jacob embodies the stereotypical Australian basketball player, which is smart, tough, and a skilled team player,” head coach Baker Dunleavy said. “He’s soaking everything up. He’s a guy that will get better with every practice because he’s just all-in.”
While Rigoni soaks in the new playing and coaching styles in Western civilization, he also isn’t afraid to express what he gained during his time in Australia. A proven leader and winner, Rigoni was the captain of the South Australian team in the 2017 U20 National Championships, anchoring his team to their first championship since 1993. Rigoni received MVP honors for his efforts, averaging 19.9 points and 5.6 rebounds while shooting 49% from the field for the tournament.
Prior to his tournament heroics for the U20 team, Rigoni led the Sturt’s U18 team to an unprecedented 50-3 record alongside multiple Division I commits to form a team that was considered one of the best in the country. For a Bobcats team looking for a winning culture, Rigoni has spent plenty of time in the win column in his pre-college days.
“I have confidence in the toughest situations,” Rigoni said of his experience overseas. “I think just bringing a winning culture and knowing what it takes to win, and understanding that it’s not one guy that’s going to get the job done. It’s the deep teams that win the championships.”
It’s also the players who adapt that win games and championships. Rigoni was the leader of multiple winning machines in Australia, and now finds himself as a freshman in a new country, and while he embraces the new role, he still carries his redeeming qualities from his time in Australia.
“Leadership starts with doing the right thing, and he does that,” Dunleavy says. “From day one, he has brought that leadership. He might not be vocal in the locker room yet, but he does things the right way.”
Until he grows more comfortable in the locker room and starts using his voice to lead, Rigoni is fine letting his game speak for itself. He prides himself on his versatility and shooting ability, which Dunleavy also raves about. At 6-feet-6-inches, Rigoni can shoot the three, battle in the paint and see the court efficiently.
It’s a mixture that Dunleavy predicts will make an immediate impact on his young Bobcats team.
“He’s going to be on the court for us this year.” Dunleavy said with conviction.
When Rigoni does take the court for the Bobcats this season, he will be surrounded by unfamiliar opponents playing some unfamiliar styles of basketball. However his new teammates in Bobcat plaid, who he now considers his brothers, will continue to ease him into his new process.
Aside from some outside influences, Rigoni is still running the same 94 feet down the court, shooting at the same 18-inch hoop, and expecting to enjoy the same success he did on the other side of the world.
Whether he’s surrounded by kangaroos or bobcats, Rigoni is right at home.
It’s all family to him.
