ORANGE PARK, Fla. – It wasn’t one shot or single play that made the biggest impact on Josiah Sabino.
It was a rejection.
The 6-3 shooting guard from Orange Park may dominate on the court and be lauded as the area’s top player, but Sabino wasn’t always the finished product that he appears as now.
Quite the opposite.
Sabino, a Jacksonville University signee and top recruit in the area this season, was cut from his junior high team in seventh grade. While his career has evolved into an exceptional one for the Raiders, Sabino said that moment stands out as one of the most pivotal in his development because it forced him to work harder than he ever had.
“I actually cried to my mom. My mom actually didn’t believe me at first. She was like, very surprised, but it really made me a man and step up and see a different aspect of life,” Sabino said.
He made the team the following year and the fuse was lit.
Sabino is averaging a career-best 22.1 points per game for the 13-2 Raiders, who are tied for sixth in the News4JAX Super 6. Raiders coach Derek Kurnitsky calls Sabino the ultimate “alpha dog,” who can win over a room like he can take over a game.
“He’s a politician. You know, he walks in the gym, he shakes everybody’s hand, he hugs people, he kisses babies. I mean, he’s got that going for him,” Kurnitsky said. “And JU’s going to be real happy. … it’s nice that he’s a local kid. We haven’t had that in a long time. He’s that guy that the community is going to love.”
Sabino wouldn’t have been the player he is now if not for that bit of adversity. Sabino said that rejection in seventh grade toughened him up and forced him to attack the game like never before.
“It definitely changed my perception on basketball. Definitely. I had to see what I had to work on. I definitely grew, which helped me a lot,” Sabino said. “But honestly, working out, waking up every morning going to the gym really helped me a lot. Working on my game at 7 in the morning with Coach [Kurnitsky], just becoming a different player over the summers.”
Sabino said he hit his growth spurt by his sophomore season in high school, shedding weight and finally cracking the six-foot height mark. He averaged 12.8 ppg that season for the Raiders.
“He’s a hard worker. He’s earned it,” Kurnitsky said. “I mean, he comes to gym at eight o’clock on a Sunday morning. I mean, he’s in here, 10 o’clock in the offseason, he puts in the time. So, he deserves it. He’s earned it.”
The last two seasons have helped Sabino raise his profile. He averaged 21 points and 7.1 rebounds a game as a junior and has thrived in the summer league circuits. Sabino said that he saw that intensity focused toward him pick up as teams focused on him at the beginning of the season.
“I was still a great player last year, but this year I’m a heavy target ... triple team, double team,” he said. “But I got a great team behind me, behind my back to help me. We’ve got a great record. We’ve had some tough losses, but it’s only lessons.”