When asked to describe Leander High School junior forward Noah Robledo, head coach Clint Bradley simply called him “a matchup nightmare for the average high school basketball team.”
The 6-foot-6-inch, 185-pound second-year Robledo made an indelible impact for the Lions as a sophomore in what Bradley called a “really good year.” Robledo’s size, versatility and athleticism earned him a spot on the All-District 13-6A First Team, as well as the district’s Newcomer of the Year honor.
He is expected to take Leander to new heights after the team fell short of punching a playoff ticket in his debut season.
“It’s a blessing for us as coaches to have him in our program because we can move him in different areas on the floor and he’s going to have success wherever we put him,” Bradley told Texas Scorecard.
According to the coach, Robledo can put the ball on the floor and shoot three-pointers in addition to creating mismatches.
“He’s a three/four guy at the high school level,” Bradley said. “He’s got a lot of talent in multiple areas as far as on the basketball court.”
Robledo landed on the varsity prior to the 2018-2019 season because “he was fully ready,” added the coach, a Leander graduate who has led the program for nearly 15 years.
“He’s got some God-given talent that the average sophomore kids do not have,” he said. “We knew that it was going to be a growing process for him being a sophomore and not having that full 6A experience at the varsity level. But the thing about him was he’s so coachable it was a no-brainer for us as coaches to put him at the varsity level.”
Unleashed on the floor, Robledo almost produced a double-double, scoring nearly 17 points per game and snagging about nine rebounds a contest. He considers playing for the Lions a huge positive in his life.
“I’ve been able to work on my body and find myself, find a family, and a find a brotherhood that I can feel accepted in,” Robledo said. “[It feels good] just being in a new environment that’s welcoming and has helped me become a better player.”
Bradley said that for all of Robledo’s on-the-court feats, the junior remains open to learning.
“If he makes a mistake, he doesn’t let it get him down,” the coach said. “He’s always looking for our guidance to help him improve. He’s always trying to find ways to be better. He’s always trying to improve his leadership skills. He’s been nothing but a huge asset to our program.”
According to Robledo, he has a lot of room to improve.
“I think that my impact [on the team] could’ve been better,” the forward said. “I could always stand for improvement for myself and my team. It was just an honor being able to go out there and put everything on the floor every single night and give everything that I’ve got. That’s basically what I have to do at the next level, and that’s what I’m willing to do for my team to make sure we go out there and win.”
Robledo is part of a Lions squad that seeks to improve “daily and weekly” as it competes in a nine-team district.
“You have got to be ready to go,” Bradley said. “Hopefully by the time we get to district [in early December], we’re ready to make a run.”
The coach said that while there is nothing wrong with wanting to make the playoffs, he prioritizes taking it one game at a time.
“We’re going to have to be physically and mentally tough to get through it, and hopefully by the end, we’ll be one of the top four standing,” Bradley said.
Robledo has high expectations for this year’s squad, especially after missing the postseason last winter.
“This year, we have a better core group, a better team than we really did last year,” he said. “I look forward to being able to compete night after night, get dubs, being able to go to the playoffs, compete in the playoffs, being able to stay there, and hopefully hold up that trophy up at the end of it all with my teammates and everybody else.”
The junior added that he loves having fun with his hardwood brothers. If there is anything that the game has taught him, it is that it does not matter what or who you are so long as you can do your best.
Robledo also cherishes setting a good example for those around him.
Leander faces off with Buda Hays on Nov. 15 to open its 2019-2020 campaign.
