Jan. 10, 2012
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By John Denton
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - That A.J. Rompza is playing the best basketball of his UCF career now might come as a surprise to some considering that he is just a couple of weeks of removed from a two month-long stretch of no official games.
But the actual truth is Rompza had been playing games every day for the past six weeks while waiting out a 12-game NCAA-mandated suspension. He treated each sweat-soaked session in the weight room, every shooting drill and all practices like games. That not only allowed Rompza to cope with the pain of losing the only sport he's ever loved, but it also kept him sharp mentally and physically when he was finally allowed to play.
``I would joke around with the guys every day before practice and tell them that it was game day for me,'' said Rompza, who will be the starter at point guard Wednesday night when UCF hosts Houston at 7 p.m.
``You have to look at things on the bright side,'' he continued. ``I looked at it like I could get more practice. I always take the positive out of everything and I worked hard every single day of practice. With me not playing, I always wanted to help the other guys get better. If I had to pressure (Isaiah Sykes) or Marcus (Jordan), I did what I could to make those guys better.''
Rompza's return on Dec. 30 could not have been a better shot in the arm for UCF (12-3 overall and 2-0 in Conference USA play). His ability to set up others for open shots helped UCF beat Rhode Island and win the UCF Holiday Classic. And in the first league game of the season, Rompza keyed a critical second-half turnaround with his defense and finished with 11 points and four steals.
And the 5-foot-9 point guard was never better than he was Saturday in UCF's compete road win against East Carolina. He made six of eight shots and three of four 3-pointers in a 16-point effort. And his indefatigable hustle was evident with the nine assists and seven rebounds. And the fiery point guard showed the maturity of a senior leader and played under control, turning the ball over just once in 39 minutes.
Rompza's work in his first two league games allowed him to win the C-USA Player of the Week award for the first time in his career. He feels fortunate to just be back on the basketball court and around his teammates again and certainly has a new appreciation after being away from the game for a while.
``Basketball has been my life since the age of three. And when you lose the thing that you love most it is extremely hard,'' said Rompza, a Chicago native. ``Basketball bas always been my life. The best thing is being back with my teammates. Playing with guys who love the game is great. Being able to play with those guys again is the best feeling in the world.''
UCF head coach Donnie Jones didn't hesitate playing Rompza once he regained his eligibility, inserting him into the starting lineup right away. Jones got to see the focus and passion that Rompza brought to practice each day in practice, and he knew his return would give the Knights an immediate boost.
``Every practice had to be game day for him. He couldn't do anything about the past; we learn from it, but we don't live in it,'' Jones said. ``I thought he focused on each day and the only reward was what he did in practice and it helped him get better. He's lifted our team.''
Rompza's done that with his energy, his leadership and his play-making abilities while driving into bigger players and kicking the ball out to open shooters. And he's also led with his mouth - players talk about his in-game screams and a high-pitched voice that can be heard throughout the arena.
``You always know where A.J. is. And each time he yells at you if you are in the wrong place he'll definitely let you know,'' said UCF shooting guard Marcus Jordan, Rompza's closest friend on the team. ``A.J. just brings this team another level of intensity. And I know that he's definitely saving my legs a little bit with what he does with the ball-handling. But it's so much fun playing with him because he gets guys open and creates for everybody else.''
Rompza said that he's having the time of his life again, being back on the court and helping UCF have tremendous success. He said he'll never forget the support he received from UCF fans while he was out and the ovation he got when he returned. Now, he just wants to do what he can to make this truly a special season for the Knights.
``I want to be remembered as someone who always gave it their everything. Hopefully we can make it to the tournament. I think if we continue to play well, and continue to stay positive, we will be fine,'' Rompza said.
``We peaked a little early last year. This year, you can tell that each practice we are getting better. We have people pushing us each and every day,'' continued Rompza, referring to UCF's 14-0 start last season. ``The biggest thing is keeping everyone together. We need to make sure we are all on the same page. We can only build. You cannot take a step backwards. You can only move forward and take it one game at a time.''
John Denton's Knights Insider appears on UCFAthletics.com several times a week. E-mail John at jdenton@athletics.ucf.edu.