Riverside-Brookfield’s Colin Cimino on track for breakout senior season

Riverside-Brookfield senior forward Colin Cimino is on the right track toward a promising future in basketball.

He gained valuable experience last season for the Bulldogs, carving his teeth on the varsity with several starts in the second half.

The 6-foot-6 Cimino acknowledged last season was a big growth period for him that aided him in the offseason.

“Last year I was more of a role player,” Cimino said. “I set a lot of screens, played good defense and rebounded. I learned how to stay calm during high pressure situations and also how to be a leader as we had three great senior leaders in the starting lineup. I hope to take on that role this year.”

With senior guard Cameron Mercer getting the majority of the headlines for the Bulldogs, Cimino is a player with quality size and upside who could be an impact player, Riverside-Brookfield coach Mike Reingruber said.

“Colin improved in every aspect of his game,” Reingruber said. “He’s a good shooter, moves well without the ball and rebounds. He’s able to get the basket and guard bigger guys.

“Colin is an extremely hard worker, a gym rat. He has big goals for himself when it comes to basketball. He’s a great leader and a very skilled offensive player and a good defender who shoots it well. We’re looking forward to him having a breakout season.”

Mercer, the son of former Kentucky and NBA player Ron Mercer, is entering a key development season. A three-year starter, the senior guard is one of the top players in the state.

“Cameron is our go-to guy,” Reingruber said. “He had an outstanding summer and improved in every facet of the game, became a very good leader for us and we’re looking for great things from him for his senior year. He works really hard and puts a ton of time in behind the scenes on his game.”

Cimino said the Bulldogs played strong in June, especially in the Riverside-Brookfield Shootout.

“I thought we played really well,” Cimino said. “We brought back a lot of experience and that helped when we got into close game situations. I feel like I was a leader for our team during June. I scored the ball well, played great defense, distributed the ball and hustled. We won a ton of games. I saw a ton of improvement with our team. We have some younger guys that are going to play important roles this year, so I feel like I need to lead by example and be there for those guys making the transition to the varsity.”

Since the end of last season, Cimino said he fine-tuned his game and worked on his body and conditioning to handle a bigger load this season.

“I’ve worked on all aspects of my game, especially my scoring,” Cimino said. “I spent a lot of time working on shooting and off-the-dribble moves and finishes. I lifted a ton during the offseason and it’s starting to really show. I feel great about my new game. I have turned into a scorer and maintained the hustle and grit I had before that. I’m also dunking the ball a ton, so that’s also fun.”

Cimino said he gained confidence in the spring and summer playing for his AAU team against high-level opponents, which should aid him this season.

“My July AAU season was fantastic,” Cimino said. “I played great throughout the month and picked up a lot of college looks. I scored on all three levels, was the leader of my team and continued to play great defense while hustling. We finished strong, winning our last six games. I played with a lot of my teammates for two years, so I’m sad it’s over, but I can’t wait to get back on the floor for school ball.”

Cimino said he wants the senior class to continue R-B’s success in the win-loss column under Reingruber, pointing to the talent returning along with several promising newcomers.

“I want to be a 20-win team and would like to win a regional and make it far in the Jack Tosh tournament,” Cimino said. “I want to be a better leader for the younger guys, so they can hopefully carry it on for the next few years.”