Archbishop Carroll guard John Rigsby is Main Line Boys Athlete of the Week
The senior guard and tri-captain is averaging 13.6 ppg and 4.9 rpg for the Patriots, who won their first seven games of the season, and leads the team in charges taken. In Carroll’s recent big win against Malvern Prep, he tallied 27 points and pulled down eight rebounds. One of seven siblings, he wears No. 14, as did his father, Whitey Rigsby, during his playing days as a guard at Villanova in the late 1970s.
Q: You scored 27 points and pulled down eight rebounds in the Patriots’ win against Malvern Prep Dec. 23. What is your most vivid memory of that game – can you share it with us?
A: This game was really cool for me, being from Malvern, and being friends with most players on the other team. The coolest part of it for me was having one of my best friends, Murphy Rogers, on the opposing coaching staff. His dad Joe Rogers played with my dad at Villanova and he and I have been very close our whole lives.
Q: You come from a basketball family. Your father, Whitey Rigsby, was a guard for the good Villanova squads of the mid-to-late 1970s, the dawning of the Rollie Massimino era. Who have been your biggest basketball mentors, and what was the important thing each of them taught you?
A: My Dad has been my biggest mentor from the time I was born, he’s taught me everything I know about the game. Two other significant basketball mentors I’ve had in my life are two of my current coaches, Coach Paul [Romanczuk], and Coach Fran Lynam. Coach Lynam coached me through grade school and now coaches at Carroll now. All three have had huge impacts on me.
Q: You’re averaging nearly five rebounds per game this season – pretty good for a guard. What do you think has been the key to your successful rebounding this season?
A: Rebounding is a huge key to winning the game. Coach Paul always tells us to rebound angry and aggressive, so that’s what I always try and make sure I do.
Q: What do you consider the strongest part of your game? What part of your game are you working the most on currently?
A: The strongest part of my game I would say is my motor, and how hard I am able to play. The part of my game I’m most working on is my jump shot.
Q: What (to you) has been the most memorable game of your Carroll basketball career so far? Can you share with us your most vivid memory of it?
A: The most memorable game of my career at Carroll would be against Simeon at Springfield College. We had a good team win against a national powerhouse on a big stage in Boston.
Q: You wear No. 14 — is there a reason you chose that number, does it carry any special significance to you?
A: The number 14 has a huge significance to me, my Dad wore No. 14 at Villanova and most all of my brothers that played basketball have worn the No. 14. I have worn that number my whole life
Q: Who are your favorite basketball players? Are there any players that you try to pattern your game after?
A: My favorite player is Steph Curry, I love how flashy he plays and how hard he plays. Growing up watching Villanova I’ve always tried to model my game after how hard the guards there play, and always try to play with the heart that they do.
Q: You’d like to play basketball in college – what are your favorite colleges at present? What do you think you’d like to major in at college? Is there a career path that particularly interests you at the present time?
A: I’m undecided on college as of now, but I’m interested in Moravian and East Stroudsburg. Of course Villanova is always on my mind as well. I’m also undecided on what career path I’m looking to take but I would like to always have basketball in my life, so something in that field interests me.
Q: What extracurricular activities are you involved in at Carroll other than basketball? What sparked your interest in these activities?
Fun facts – John Rigsby
