May 24, 2010
Rosaroso to Chico State
In general, success means different things to different people. It is just as hard to pinpoint just such a definition in the expansive world of basketball. So why do we believe 5-foot-8 Franklin High point Mike Rosaroso is going to succeed collegiately after recently signing with Chico State? Let him–inadvertently–tell us why.
Rosaroso is a coach on the floor
It wasn’t the answer to any direct question posed to him. The response came because of a query of who he would like to thank for his landing a scholarship. Rosarosa humbly said, in part, "I played on the junior varsity as a freshman and was brought up to the varsity as a sophomore. Coach [Jesse] Formaker turned me into a player," detailing the early morning work on his shooting, ballhandling plus the talks that strengthened his basketball mentality.
This attitude isn’t new to Chico Coach Greg Clink -- it had to be one of the factors in signing Rosaroso -- but who could blame Clink if he begins quoting, with one change, the line Humphrey Bogart spoke to Claude Rains to close out the film “Casablanca” -- "Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."
But all was not a golden path leading Rosaroso to Chico. After his junior season, when Franklin went 24-9 and was the runner up for the D-1 section championship, Rosarosa was a first team, All Delta Valley Conference selection after averaging 11.4 points per game. However, the cupboard remained bare regarding offers from four-year schools. "Going into my senior year," Rosaroso explained, "I was only getting looks from junior colleges."
But that changed.
"I had gone to a couple of open gyms at Chico State," he offered, which seemed to get the ball rolling. Eventually, Rosaroso took an official visit -- "The coaching staff was great and I got along with the players, plus, I fit in with the style of play."
This was after a 26-6 Franklin High season and a second runner up finish in the D-1 section championships. Rosaroso was named the most valuable player of the Delta Valley Conference based on averaging 16 points, 3 boards, three assists and three steals a contest. For his high school varsity career, the diminutive backcourter totaled 131 made treys
The move to Chico means that Rosaroso will be joining former Franklin teammate Amir Carraway, a redshirt freshman forward, at Chico.
The reaction of Rosaroso’s parents to his signing? "It’s something they always wanted for me and they are proud of my achievement,"
Rosaroso’s academics are fine as he holds a 3.4 grade point average and is looking to major in Business Management while at Chico State.
Why does he like playing the pressure-laden point position, where the ball resides more than any other position and the primary duty is implementing what the head coach has planned?
"I see pressure as a personal motivation. Coming into this season, Coach [Formaker] wanted me to step up into a leadership role on and off the court since I was the only returning player. So I made sure the guys were on top of things and that they were getting to their classes. It’s a worrying about others, not yourself."
His best basketball moments to date? "Going to ARCO Arena and playing in the two section championships with the team."
Rosaroso’s father put a basketball in his hands at a very early age and the young man took it from there, playing since he was four-years-old. Coach Formaker did the same and Coach Clink will undoubtedly continue what has become a Rosaroso tradition.