A gritty, tough Mercy men’s basketball team has added some great pieces this year to compete in a physical ECC Conference known for depth, speed and high scoring.
Their secret weapon is the twin brothers who are very unknown in the basketball community but have the ability to show off their talent with an excellent work ethic. Their skillset defines how hard they compete to win every possession and make their teammates play better on the court.
From practicing on outdoor basketball courts to winning a high school championship, the Robertson twins are ready to show the crowd what they’re made of and accepting the opportunity to play for a basketball program that has not been successful in the last decade in school history.
“Don’t take things for granted,” Nathan preaches.
Mercy men’s basketball is currently 7-17 with a 6-9 conference record. Mercy has won some real nailbiters this season – 84-83 over Roberts Wesleyan, 82-79 over Holy Family University, 65-60 over D’Youville University, 71-70 over the University of the District of Columbia and 79-77 over the College of Staten Island.
The Robertson brothers lead the team in minutes. Nathan leads the team in field goal percentage with .510, three point percentage with .406 and steals with 46. They both lead points by a huge margin (0ver 100 points) – Nathan with 397 and Ethan with 391. Ethan leads the team in rebounds, 161.
Ethan and Nathan Robertson were born to Michelle and Junior Robertson of Boston, Massachusetts. They are the youngest of two siblings in the family. Ethan and Nathan’s childhood was surrounded by competition that eventually stuck with them until they began playing basketball.
Their mother was a track runner in high school and their father played soccer at an early age and tried to get the twins to play but it did not work out for them. By the time the boys were 10 years old, they began to find basketball as the sport they were committed to playing more than just an activity.
The twins also watched the Boston Celtics play on TV and were fans of players like Paul Pierce and Ray Allen when they were still playing in the NBA. They utilized their skills after the Celtics players, who had a great pace, and this helped them build their confidence and become very efficient with the ball.
The parents would take them to the basketball court in the park on the weekends where they played one-on-one and creative basketball games like H-O-R-S-E and Around The World. Sometimes if other kids were on the court, the twins would play against them unless they were on the same team.
The Robertson twins’ commitment to basketball led to their father signing them up for AAU basketball during the spring and summer for the boys to get training. The twins joined the Crosstown Elite, which was one of the top AAU teams in Massachusetts and was a competitive team.
The boys were very competitive, but not to each other, and knew that this team would be the right fit for them. The elite team was led by head coach Jamal and assistant coaches Jimmy and Al. The coaches’ first impression of the Robertson twins was filled with surprise and excitement by how they performed.
The coaches knew the boys had the potential to be great players and wanted to help them develop the right way so that they are prepared at a high level. The twins had complete trust in their AAU coaches and were eager to learn how to make their skillset outstanding.
Ethan Robertson, Mercy forward, credits the three AAU coaches for helping his and his brother’s performance development and impacting their young basketball careers.
“Our AAU coaches are the main reason for me and my brother playing basketball and providing us with important coaching for the next level. Coach Al taught us with mindset, Coach Jamal helped us with defense, and Coach Jimmy prepared us to be competitive,” said Ethan.
The Robertson twins played for the Crosstown Elite for eight years and continued to develop their game through the competitions with the team. The boys contributed half the scoring, rebounding, and the defending that made the team impossible to beat with their hustle on the court.
From the AAU experience, the twins took their talents to play at the Winchendon School, an amazing high school basketball program close to winning championships. The school offered them a scholarship after watching them play at some of their AAU games, which made the school coach want them on the team.
The twins had a plan that they were going to bring Winchendon a championship during the four years and be an asset to the program’s success. They always went to the gym, practicing harder and ensuring their high school teammates could keep up with them to be a great team.
Winchendon was a top-tier team for the last four years, led by the Robertson twins, who created problems for their opponents. The school made the state title appearance three times with the twins leading them to victory during their junior year, where the team finished 21-1.
Nathan Robertson ended his high school basketball career scoring over 2,000 points and winning a high school championship along with his brother Ethan who was named MVP. Ethan was a double-double machine in high school with an average of 20 points and 10 rebounds per game.
When it came down to choosing what college to attend, Ethan and Nathan had no trouble finding a school to play the next four years of basketball and getting a good education. They saw opportunity at Mercy University.
Mercy University men’s basketball team finished last season 2-24 (ECC 1-15), the worst record for men’s basketball in school history. Coach Chris Watts, in his third season as head coach, has been watching the Robertson twins play since their AAU days and believes that the boys will help grow the program.
On the recruitment visit to Mercy University, the twins had second thoughts about leaving Boston for New York. Watts was aware of the twins’ feelings and would try to make their college experience unforgettable for four years.
Chris Watts, Mercy Men’s Basketball Head Coach, saw the Robertson twins play AAU during a recruitment visit in Boston and knew they were the perfect fit to improving the program.
“Ethan and Nathan are the epidemy to what I’m trying to build in this program, and I know that they are going to be special for us the next four years.” Coach Watts said.
The twins learned that Mercy provided good education, and the athletics staff would support them on anything they need that will set them up for life. Watts reminded the boys that the basketball would be different and knows the twins are the missing piece to their roster this season. The twins talked to their parents after the visit and decided that they will attend the university to establish their culture.
Nathan Robertson, Mercy guard, talks about how coming to Mercy allowed them to build their identity and provide for the men’s basketball team.
“My brother and I committed to the school because the coach took a chance on us and knew that we are the right fit for the program,” said Nathan.
Ethan and Nathan come to a men’s basketball program to build a foundation with this program that is going to succeed in the future. They are the top two leaders individually in scoring, minutes, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals. The brothers have given the Mavericks double production, making their opponents choose which brother to defend.
Robertson twins and Mercy men’s basketball team currently rides a two-game win streak and look to extend their streak with only three games remaining as the Mavericks look to make a postseason run for the first time in the last decade.
Ethan added, “We are just getting started.”
Senior Taj Chiles leads the team with 145 assists. Junior T.J. Holloway leads in free throw percentage at .863. Sophomore Shedrach Makinjuolo, the 6-7 force down low, leads the team in offensive rebounds (53) and blocks (39).
