Former Seton Hall basketball player Robert “Stix” Mitchell was arrested Tuesday and charged with kidnapping (first degree); robbery (first degree); burglary (third degree) and weapons offenses (second and third degree).
The 23-year-old Brooklynite was dismissed from the Pirates basketball team Sunday, but that is now the least of his worries after he then was allegedly involved in a home invasion the next day. The first-degree offense carries 10 to 20 years in prison, the second-degree 5-10 years and the third-degree 3-5 years.
Mitchell allegedly entered a home on Irvington Avenue in South Orange, forced the eight people inside into one room and robbed them at gunpoint — taking $300 in cash, credit cards, cell phones, debit cards, driver’s licenses and digital cameras.
After fleeing in a vehicle — which has since been recovered — Mitchell was arrested at 1:23 p.m. on Tuesday when South Orange cops spotted him near South Orange Avenue and Poe Avenue in Newark. Bail was set at $650,000, and arraignment was slated for 9 a.m. today in Newark.
The 6-foot-6 forward was dismissed from the team after he criticized now-fired coach Bobby Gonzalez following Seton Hall’s Big East tourney loss to Notre Dame. He had played every game this season, but saw his minutes drop from 36.1 last season to 20.9. Now, it is clear there was far more to the dismissal than meets the eye.
“There’s been some history there this year. I don’t want to say anything to hurt the kid; he’s a good kid,” Gonzalez had said before being fired, adding that there was more than just a gripe over playing time. “It wasn’t based just on this latest thing [Mitchell’s comments about Gonzalez coaching inconsistently].
brian.lewis@nypost.com