Goodbye Ronald Polite

[sleeperpick]

He’s turned out OK I guess.

I like Miller a ton but hopefully Polite is more of a difference maker. Miller not near All-conference quality yet. Hope that changes and it definitely can. But we will continue to be bad if we don’t get game changing recruits in here to start taking over

 

[gmujim92]

I like Miller a ton but hopefully Polite is more of a difference maker. Miller not near All-conference quality yet. Hope that changes and it definitely can. But we will continue to be bad if we don’t get game changing recruits in here to start taking over

Polite is going to make a huge impact at Mason. He is still just scratching the surface of his ability ...

 

[sleeperpick]

Polite is going to make a huge impact at Mason. He is still just scratching the surface of his ability ...

I am excited to have him but definitely on a wait and see approach. college game is very different than high school and his league was good not great. I had heard the same about Temara, JDS and many others that didn't pan out for whatever reason so I hope people respect that. Then again I am very high on Malik Henry because of his AAU play

 

[gmujim92]

I am excited to have him but definitely on a wait and see approach. college game is very different than high school and his league was good not great. I had heard the same about Temara, JDS and many others that didn't pan out for whatever reason so I hope people respect that. Then again I am very high on Malik Henry because of his AAU play

Agreed not all pan out but Polite has a higher ceiling than anyone in our program other than AJ since Larranaga left. Plays much bigger than his size and very explosive. He’s the kind of recruit we need to compete in the A-10.

 

[Five Two]

I thought I had an hour to kill and was going to go back the past 4 years and list out the 1st and 2nd team All Met players, then remove anyone who signed with a P5 school or played a different sport in college. From there, I'd build my team of what is left. I'd have to make some assumptions (like a kid who signs with Maryland doesnt then transfer out and join my team. I'm also not losing anyone either. Also, I'm assuming all these kids want to play for Five Two University located in the DMV). This is not an exact science and I realize that.
Unfortunately, I didnt have time.

I'd have to imagine my team could compete for an A10 title, right and ranked? There is enough non-P5 talent around at all the positions to build a contender, yes?

 

[GMUgemini]

I thought I had an hour to kill and was going to go back the past 4 years and list out the 1st and 2nd team All Met players, then remove anyone who signed with a P5 school or played a different sport in college. From there, I'd build my team of what is left. I'd have to make some assumptions (like a kid who signs with Maryland doesnt then transfer out and join my team. I'm also not losing anyone either. Also, I'm assuming all these kids want to play for Five Two University located in the DMV). This is not an exact science and I realize that.
Unfortunately, I didnt have time.

I'd have to imagine my team could compete for an A10 title, right and ranked? There is enough non-P5 talent around at all the positions to build a contender, yes?

Who did you put on your team? There are actually a lot of A-10 players on that list. Did you include someone like Jared Bynum who was recruited to St. Joe's and then transferred to Providence? Kid averaged 11.3 points and 4.5 assists per game his freshman year.

By the way, Luke Garza was first-team all-met in 2017 (if you guys didn't look up that year).

 

[Five Two]

Who did you put on your team? There are actually a lot of A-10 players on that list. Did you include someone like Jared Bynum who was recruited to St. Joe's and then transferred to Providence? Kid averaged 11.3 points and 4.5 assists per game his freshman year.

By the way, Luke Garza was first-team all-met in 2017 (if you guys didn't look up that year).

I didnt get a chance to build my team.

 

[psyclone]

No knock intended on Polite...hope he turns out to be a Kevin Durant and not just a Patrick Holloway, both of whom were all Met POYs!

 

[Petey Buckets]

Help? I would assume so. But I am always hesitant to put too much stock in HS honors. I remember signing Louis Birdsong and everyone getting super stoked when he was most outstanding player of Baltimore Catholic league. One of our best players ever was Will Thomas and he had just won that honor a couple of years prior. Nothing against Birdsong at all, but he never ended u being the player I expected.

Counterpoint: Birdsong was Larranaga's failure. Larranaga's offense couldn't function without two post bigs and he had no idea what to do with a stretch 4, so he kept trying to park him under the basket. In today's game Birdsong would have killed it next to Will in the frontcourt. Larranaga was a great coach in many ways but was pretty low on the visionary scale.

(Also applies to Vlad Moldoveneau)

 

[Mason32]

He looks so tiny in that picture in the WaPo compared to other All-Mets

 

[Herndon]

Counterpoint: Birdsong was Larranaga's failure. Larranaga's offense couldn't function without two post bigs and he had no idea what to do with a stretch 4, so he kept trying to park him under the basket. In today's game Birdsong would have killed it next to Will in the frontcourt. Larranaga was a great coach in many ways but was pretty low on the visionary scale.

(Also applies to Vlad Moldoveneau)

I'll never talk bad about L at Mason.

I'm also not going to say you're wrong. (You're not wrong)

 

[Herndon]

Agreed not all pan out but Polite has a higher ceiling than anyone in our program other than AJ since Larranaga left. Plays much bigger than his size and very explosive. He’s the kind of recruit we need to compete in the A-10.

Yet another in the "this is why I'm not a college basketball coach" series, but UVa has a kid coming in named Reece Beekman. Really good player, long, rangy, skilled, athletic point guard.

I've seen his film, and I've seen Polite's film, and to me, they're basically the same player. Like, I cannot understand for the life of me why Beekman is a 4star and Polite is unranked.

Sometimes I see guys and I cant figure out why they're not ranked higher.

This kid we're recruiting in' 21 Rafael Castro. 6'9, athletic, skilled, can shoot. Why is he a 2 star? How does his game not translate to any school in America?

I can understand how Holloway didn't work out. He's small and unathletic, and couldn't get his shots against bigger, more athletic players. But sometimes I just feel like I'm blind.

 

[Patriotsince81]

This kid we're recruiting in' 21 Rafael Castro. 6'9, athletic, skilled, can shoot. Why is he a 2 star? How does his game not translate to any school in America?

Could be a 2 star because he is so thin. 6'9" and only 190 pounds? Pure speculation on my part.

 

[G M U]

Yet another in the "this is why I'm not a college basketball coach" series, but UVa has a kid coming in named Reece Beekman. Really good player, long, rangy, skilled, athletic point guard.

I've seen his film, and I've seen Polite's film, and to me, they're basically the same player. Like, I cannot understand for the life of me why Beekman is a 4star and Polite is unranked.

Sometimes I see guys and I cant figure out why they're not ranked higher.

This kid we're recruiting in' 21 Rafael Castro. 6'9, athletic, skilled, can shoot. Why is he a 2 star? How does his game not translate to any school in America?

I can understand how Holloway didn't work out. He's small and unathletic, and couldn't get his shots against bigger, more athletic players. But sometimes I just feel like I'm blind.

A lot of times it comes down to competition. Polite does indeed look the part but he's playing against public school competition

 

[GSII]

Ronny is gonna be a good player at Mason. Just needs muscle. Which if he adds that, under this regime, could mess up his shot, if he has one.

 

[Falco]

I would like to see more effort in recruiting in the AAU circuit. I understand Paulsen had success finding gems in the High School circuit, but its time to expand.

 

[GMUgemini]

I would like to see more effort in recruiting in the AAU circuit. I understand Paulsen had success finding gems in the High School circuit, but its time to expand.

Ronald Polite plays AAU basketball (Team Takeover Orange)...so did Xavier Johnson (CP25), Josh Oduro (Team Takeover).

Funny thing about rankings, Malik Henry was ranked as high as 35th for Power Forwards, signs with us in September, and then drops to below 50 pretty quickly afterward.

 

[FreeGunston12]

A lot of times it comes down to competition. Polite does indeed look the part but he's playing against public school competition

Competition and the school's reputation. Not to mention scouts' relationships with coaches play a huge role in recruit rankings.

I think competition is overrated. I know DJ3 can quote me the evidence that stars matter.
But as far as competition goes, who was that the biggest question mark for on our roster? Miller? AJ?

When looking at size/athleticism on tape, you have to ask is that the only reason they are excelling? How does their game translate when facing more athletic or bigger opponents? Can they develop some secondary skills? That's the difference (aside from some character traits) between Eric Copes and AJ Wilson, right?

 

[Falco]

Ronald Polite plays AAU basketball (Team Takeover Orange)...so did Xavier Johnson (CP25), Josh Oduro (Team Takeover).

Funny thing about rankings, Malik Henry was ranked as high as 35th for Power Forwards, signs with us in September, and then drops to below 50 pretty quickly afterward.

See some good talent out of the AAU! haha.

 

[Falco]

Competition and the school's reputation. Not to mention scouts' relationships with coaches play a huge role in recruit rankings.

I think competition is overrated. I know DJ3 can quote me the evidence that stars matter.
But as far as competition goes, who was that the biggest question mark for on our roster? Miller? AJ?

When looking at size/athleticism on tape, you have to ask is that the only reason they are excelling? How does their game translate when facing more athletic or bigger opponents? Can they develop some secondary skills? That's the difference (aside from some character traits) between Eric Copes and AJ Wilson, right?

Please explain why competition is overrated? IMO it is vastly underrated.