299 Days of English

[gmujim92]

What are Hartwell’s knocks? He’s undersized. Shot selection isn’t the best and he’s not a great defender?

Our entire guard core has been underwhelming defensively. I think a lot of that had to do with our scheme. Let’s see if what happens next season before we start chucking some of these players overboard.

As for shot selection, that can be mitigated and or get better. He’s a shooter for sure. He’s not going to be able to necessarily create his own shot, but with better off ball movement, better use of screens, and ball movement we can get him open in good spots and his numbers can go up (he shot better than 36% from 3 last season, which is nothing to sneeze at).

XJ, I don’t know. Again, we will have to see with him. But he was explosive as a freshman and strong. And a lot of us were pretty high on him going into last season and then he fell on his face. A lot of reasons there could be for that.

The other holdovers (Frazier and Henry) everyone seems to like, or at least hopeful for.

And then there are the incoming freshmen DP recruits (Gray, Gadsden) we just don’t know anything about really other than Gray has a history of injury and Gadsden looked a little like Miller in the highlights and is known for his defense.

If it’s true that Hartwell won’t count against our scholarship limit after this season. Even better.

If there’s a high-level PG in the portal who wants to come to Mason and would be a Day 1 starter, would you still be content to stick with what we have? Because many of us are excited about trying to win now ... I bought into the excruciatingly slow rebuild with DP but never again.

 

[GMUgemini]

If there’s a high-level PG in the portal who wants to come to Mason and would be a Day 1 starter, would you still be content to stick with what we have? Because many of us are excited about trying to win now ... I bought into the excruciatingly slow rebuild with DP but never again.

Why can’t we win with the 8 man rotation I outlined?

 

[gmujim92]

Why can’t we win with the 8 man rotation I outlined?

I never said we can’t. How does adding a guy good enough to start for us at PG from Day 1 make us less likely to win?

 

[sleeperpick]

I never said we can’t. How does adding a guy good enough to start for us at PG from Day 1 make us less likely to win?

Proud of you Jim. Brand new man now and you are completely spot on. Why does a team need 4 PGs? 1 that could be really good, 1 freshman with injury history and 2 guys that anyone watching last year could see can’t cut it on a winning team. Thought we were finally getting away from the hugs and kisses Mason program full of smiley kids. Anyone that says Hartwell needs improvement on defense is just being PC. Hartwell needs to learn how to play defense is more like it. If KE can do that then maybe Hartwell can turn into a 5-6 mins off the bench guy that scores 5 points. But for a winning program the Hartwell we saw last year won’t be playing. Can’t blow every defensive assignment, be a bad passer, and not be able to be a primary ball handler at 5 foot 8. Just doesn’t happen at any competitive program. Maybe we are being too mean Jim but unless he does a 180 on defense I can’t see KE playing him very much if at all if we are trying to win.

 

[By George.]

Not objecting, just curious how is it you’ve come to know his character, leadership abilities, work ethic and academic standing. If you are related to Jamal please know I mean no offense toward him personally.

Clearly Pablo and Hartwell are not related haha. I can confirm Hartwell works hard and is respected in the locker room.

 

[By George.]

I never said we can’t. How does adding a guy good enough to start for us at PG from Day 1 make us less likely to win?

KE’s point guard is already on the roster - Ronald Polite

 

[gmujim92]

KE’s point guard is already on the roster - Ronald Polite

I’m a huge Polite fan, hope he takes the job and runs with it. But the caliber of the Class of 22 PGs Mason has offered says this is a fluid situation ...

 

[By George.]

I’m a huge Polite fan, hope he takes the job and runs with it. But the caliber of the Class of 22 PGs Mason has offered says this is a fluid situation ..

You never stop offering top talent. Every position is fluid

 

[gmujim92]

You never stop offering top talent. Every position is fluid

My point exactly

 

[Patriotsince81]

You never stop offering top talent. Every position is fluid

It's called D1 basketball where the objective is to dance. DP never got that. He was too loyal to players he originally recruited. We would have been much better served by immediately bringing in players better than those he signed in year 1. KE understands the objective is to better the team and win.

 

[By George.]

My point exactly

Who’s the stud 2022 PG you were talking about?

 

[gmujim92]

Who’s the stud 2022 PG you were talking about?

Dinkins in 22 and Bryson Warren in 23 are both 4-stars

 

[By George.]

Dinkins in 22 and Bryson Warren in 23 are both 4-stars

Find me a source that lists Dinkins as a 4 star. He’s also listed at 5’10 or smaller. New rule: let’s keep our PGs 6’ or higher please.

 

[gmujim92]

Find me a source that lists Dinkins as a 4 star. He’s also listed at 5’10 or smaller. New rule: let’s keep our PGs 6’ or higher please.

You should inform Kim about your decree ... Dinkins was his first offer as Mason coach

 

[gmujim92]

Also I guess Dinkins is actually a 3-star ... thought I had seen him with 4 somewhere not that it matters either way

 

[By George.]

You should inform Kim about your decree ... Dinkins was his first offer as Mason coach

Correct he is a 4 star, and it does matter.

I’ll take whoever KE wants but let’s not pretend that current or future offers have any barring on our current roster. Everything is in influx. We will see more Centers and PFs receive offers soon as well. Sure we have 5 offers out to PG’s right now but some of them could be combo guards in college. PG is the most important position, have to lock them in ASAP.

From what I hear and see, Polite is the guy.

 

[FreeGunston12]

Find me a source that lists Dinkins as a 4 star. He’s also listed at 5’10 or smaller. New rule: let’s keep our PGs 6’ or higher please.

KE has mentioned playing with Phil Pressey and "finding the beauty in all sizes" (in your interview nonetheless, I believe). I don't think he will be instituting any such rule.

 

[GMUgemini]

KE has mentioned playing with Phil Pressey and "finding the beauty in all sizes" (in your interview nonetheless, I believe). I don't think he will be instituting any such rule.

Plus, who wouldn't have taken Fatts Russell, Jacob Gilyard, or Tavian Dunn-Martin on this team last year?

As for the guys on our roster right now? Hartwell will only take a roster spot next year. And if XJ is beaten out for playing time by Gray, Polite, Frazier, Hartwell and others, I'm sure he'll transfer all on his own. Schwartz will also be gone after next year. So, we'll have at least 2-4 spots I'm sure to fill in '22.

I also think you want to be careful about amassing too many transfers/new players in a single season. The team needs time to gel for the sum to equal more than its parts (see: URI). If you brought in a transfer PG to start next year, you're looking at 4 new starters, and at least 6 new players in the top 8 rotation, all who have never played with each other before. Could work, could be a recipe for a very uneven season too.

 

[GreenLantern]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1383823310211801094

View: https://twitter.com/Englishscope24/status/1383823310211801094?s=19

 

[JPgmuswim]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1383823310211801094

View: https://twitter.com/Englishscope24/status/1383823310211801094?s=19

Not sure I’m on board with bringing back those jerseys but this is the season we get new ones and I’d love for them to come out with something fresh.