This year’s men’s basketball team could be sorted into two camps; on one side are the experienced veterans who work with coaches in leading the team on and off the court; on the other a young but highly potent and accomplished group producing the bulk of the Yellowjackets’ points, both presently and in the future. Sophomore John DiBartolomeo could be considered a member of both classes. A former UAA Rookie of the Year and the team’s leading scorer, DiBartolomeo is also a presence when it comes to organizing strategies and executing plays on the court.
Why did you pick UR?
I decided to attend UR because of its rich basketball tradition, as well as its good academics. It seemed to have the best combination of both compared to other schools.
As the 2010 UAA Rookie of the Year, your teammates and coaches must have had great expectations for you since freshman year. How have you dealt with this kind of pressure?
I think everyone has expectations for each other and themselves. Being Rookie of the Year hasn’t added any more pressure on me from my teammates or my coaches, but I definitely feel like they have more confidence it what I can do.
Anyone who’s been to a home game notices you as someone who’s often calling plays on the court. What’s it like settling into a leadership role, especially as a sophomore?
It hasn’t been that hard settling into
[/caption1-]1Sophomore John DiBartolomeo has been a leader for the Men's Basketball Team both on and off the court.
What have you changed (technique, mindset, training, etc.) to improve your game in the past couple weeks?
Over the past couple of weeks, I haven’t done anything different than I have in the past. Having recovered from my injury, it has been really easy to gel with our team. We have an up-tempo style of play which has benefited my game really well.
Is there any particular moment during your college career that stands out as a high point in your mind?
A moment I will always remember is my first game when I started opening night.
What are your hopes for the team this season?
We hope to win the UAA which would get us into the NCAA tournament. That’s our primary goal, once we make the tournament our goal is to make it as far as we can.
What’s your favorite NBA team?
New York Knicks.
Bernstein is a member of the class of 2014.
