‘A bulldog in a china shop’: Giancarlo Rosado shining in first year with Charlotte 49ers
Giancarlo Rosado knows how to win, and he’s brought that attitude to the Charlotte 49ers.
The 6-foot-8 graduate student transferred to Charlotte this season after a strong four-year career at Florida Atlantic. Rosado played consistently during his time with the Owls, including helping them reach a recent Final Four.
“I love it,” Rosado said of his first few months in University City. “I love my coaches. I love my teammates. It’s a great program.”
Rosado, who is currently averaging 12.3 points per game, remains admired by both of the American Athletic Conference teams for which he’s played.
While John Jakus is in his first season at the helm of FAU, he was introduced to Rosado this past spring. There was a group of players coming from the roster of now-Michigan coach Dusty May who had spent several weeks with Jakus, and Rosado was among those who stood out.
“It wasn’t even about talent,” Jakus said Wednesday after the Owls’ 75-64 victory over Charlotte. “They learned over a span of three or four years together how to win basketball games. And I think G’s spirit is at the heart of that. I don’t have anything but great things to say about him. He brought a Final Four to FAU — they put a banner there that no one saw coming.
“His bump-spin is really good. His mid-range is great. He probably made a good choice in the coach he chose, because all their triggers come off their five man, so he gets to be a passer from there. He chose a coach who makes what he does look good, and I hope it works out for them down the stretch.”
‘He’s not afraid to say what he needs to say’
While averaging double digits as one of Charlotte’s top scorers, Rosado hasn’t even been healthy all year.
Rosado, who posted a 14-point performance Wednesday night to lead Charlotte, returned from a minor knee injury before the Niners played in the Diamond Head Classic in Hawaii. Head coach Aaron Fearne was particularly impressed.
Throughout the five games he missed and subsequent return to the floor, Rosado showed leadership and talent — and his new teammates can build off that.
“(Rosado)‘s got a driver-expressive personality,” Fearne said. “He’s a bit of a bulldog in a china shop. He’s not afraid to say what he needs to say, and he came here for that role. It takes a lot of responsibility and pressure to talk, and you’ve got to go walk the walk. He’s continuing to grow in that space, too, and I know he had a strong voice with (Florida Atlantic)‘s program the last four years.
“There’s no doubt that that program has been extremely successful the past couple of years, in particular. He brings experience here that he gets to share with this group.”
Green and gold were in the cards for Charlotte’s leading scorer
Standout junior Nik Graves is averaging roughly 17 points per game this season.
He posted his first career double-double in Saturday’s loss to Rice on the road, grabbing 11 rebounds on a 23-point night. After averaging double figures in scoring a season ago, Graves has posted six games with at least 20 points as a junior.
Graves grew up in Durham and graduated from Greensboro Day School, where he became an all-conference player for the Bengals after initially beginning his high school career at Durham Academy. He has a younger sister, McKenzie, who’s a senior Division I basketball recruit at North Raleigh Christian Academy.
He’s the son of Nikki Graves, who scored more than 1,000 points for Charlotte women’s basketball from 1996-99, and is now a Division II assistant at St. Augustine’s in Raleigh. Graves’ father, Michael, also attended Charlotte.
“(Graves) can get to his left hand at any time,” Jakus said. “The thing is, a third of (Charlotte’s) points come from the free throw line, and he’s the one who gets to the free throw line. The big thing (Wednesday)? He was 1-of-4 from the line. Normally he shoots six to 10, so him getting on the line and missing a couple when he got there was a big difference.”
