So much to unpack in this latest, easily foreseen disaster. 
The departure of Jamison Battle is a tremendous loss.
He made the A-10 all-rookie team last year.
   This year, he was the best player on the team, without the privilege of having the ball all the time.
He greatly improved offensive elements of his game, but rarely got the ball in shooting position, especially for 3s. Had to make his own shots, when he could wrest the ball away. We only occasionally ran plays to take advantage of him.
By the way, in at least 2 of our handful of wins, Battle scoring a lot and the point guard less so (and Lindo's performance, too) showed how at least some team play matters. We don't play as a team, and even the dimmest of TV announcers note that, as well as smart basketball people like Dr. John.
  Not that Jamison was forced out, like others, not at all. But he got the hint about his relative value and
saw what happened to his teammates. A number of us speculated this could happen, even trying to soft pedal it not to give any ideas. In a system favoring one player (even outside observers note it), it's hard to a player of great ability to function as a clear second class factor on the court. And have to beg for the ball.
  It was clear that this could and likely would happen, as speculated here, particularly during games when it was obvious. 
It has a lot less to do with college transfer syndrome and a lot more to do with how players perceive their treatment and their future syndrome. If you don't know why Jamison and JNJ, etc leave the team, maybe you don't know enough about coaching yet.
  This is a really good kid, whose family was invested, at least a first, in supporting him at GW.
   From the team, we hear a lot of lip service about players' value, but it's been a two-track system.
If you like a one man show (aptly termed here), enjoy the next few years, unless another shoe drops.
There have been a bunch of insights from other posters on what led to this and numerous issues to explore later. We have a lot to talk about and no new transfer/recruit, no matter how promising, can overcome what has happened to this team, in terms of building a winning program.
  How can you recruit freshman after all this turmoil? Who in their right mind would want to come to GW when the coach looks to the shiny next thing all the time? And there's a clear two-tier system for mistakes allowed. 
    You can't spin this as a great triumph of the current regime. An All A-10 rookie team player leaves the team the next year. Weren't we just speculating on his pro prospects a few games ago? Now, Jamison is expendable, too.
  He played pretty much 40 minutes a game at the end of this year. Jamison was so important then, but now guess it doesn't matter. Other A10 teams and other Division 1 team fan bases, who  would not roll with the punches so easily, are licking their chops at our loss.
An entire roster turned over in just 2 years. Three players leaving the program midseason. 5 total, with more likely to come. Except the obvious candidates who would essentially be told or asked to leave and would be more understandable transfers, may now be valued to keep face. The hit the road conversations may be halted, just to stop the carnage. Don't need to name names at the moment, but its obvious, given our pattern of the last two year, who might have left. 
   If you think there was good basketball, good use of players available, good or major development, equal treatment of players, recognition of potential (especially early), and smart coaching on both sides of the ball this year (even before our pre-Covid break), greatly admire your optimism. But respectfully disagree.
  If this is the plan, after very proven quantity Jamison leaving, it doesn't pass the smell test.
This about more than wins and losses, as pathetic as we are in that category.
Since we try to be optimistic. The only upside: this constant turmoil will keep us busy in the long offseason.

If the goal is the NBA, are you better off being Obi Toppin and Deandre Bembry? would those guys have fared better among similar players or being super-stars in the A10?

If the goal is to just play pro somewhere, same question?

The A10 is plenty good to get exposure, so I am not so sure.  For Carlik Jones, it is a 100% no brainer to move up many levels to Louisville, bad as that was for his former school.

Things probably worked out better for Tyler at GW than he had stayed in the ACC right??
 
Also, I'd be remiss not to note, I posted about a dozen threads about JB's exploits Frosh year, and half as many this year, with barely a word, and zero from the names who are apocalyptic today, so yeah, something less than Kosher goes on, on this board. I'm pretty sure you can guess what that is.

Last edited by The Dude (3/08/2021 7:59 pm)

Here is a historic fact: Since 1966 (the year I came to GW) we have had no player with Battle's level of talent who started his career as a Colonial transfer out.
Now I have a question: does a player who transfers this year have to sit out next year unless he is labeled a "hardship?"

GW0509 wrote:

Jeff Borzello @jeffborzello·7h 
George Washington transfer Jamison Battle tells ESPN that he’s heard from Marquette, Nebraska, Arkansas, Tennessee, Arizona, Loyola Chicago and Cincinnati since entering the portal today. Averaged 17.3 points and 5.2 rebounds this season.

I'd laugh pretty hard and love it  if he became a Rambler. Not sure Battle can play D like they do at Layola, but he has that stroke. I understand the adult  reaction NOT to OVERREACT, but it is hard to over state what loosing a guy that tall who can shoot that well. Best forward shooter since Kwame Evans?
 

I want to reply to a lot of posts here.

GW Rising specifically saying BCS “transfers” - plural - is huge. Hopefully they are good, but the fact that we are potentially in line for multiple guys, and not just one, is huge.   That’s the only way we can fix this quickly.

GW73 - I disagree that his teams haven’t improved during the season. His first year, the team started playing very well when Harris and Paar were both playing, and this year, the team was MUCH better in conference play than early.  The terrible starts are a legitimate concern, but I don’t think it’s fair to say the teams haven’t improved during the year (especially because having Moyer and Lindo together probably means at least one more win).  I’ll also say that as nice as it’s been to have his teams improve in January, we can’t afford another horrible start next year (and we can’t peak in January again albeit probably because of iniury/covid issues the last two years). 

LSF - I think Battle’s shooting numbers are held down by lack of other options. Put him on the Garino/KevLar/Cavanaugh team where defenses can’t shade their entire D to him,’and I think he’s more like a 45% three point shooter.  Despite the percentages, I think he’s the purest shooter we’ve had in a while (at least since Collucci or Matt Hart,, and he’s a much better player than those guys). 

JF - I disagree that we rarely ran plays for Battle. We ran them all the time.   Problem was, they didn’t work, because defenses ignored 2 or 3 guys to make sure Battle couldn’t get open. 

JF - You also speculate - actually present as fact - that Battle left because he didn’t like his role in our offense. Do you have any evidence or are you just surmising because it fits your hatred of Bishop?  From everything I’ve heard, he and Bishop were buddies and that has nothing to do with why he’s transferring.  Evidence to back up your assertion, please.

JF - you ask how we can recruit freshman after all this turmoil, we will see how they perform, but on paper Freeman, Nixon, Gapare is our best recruiting class in years (we’ll see) and BS suggests another top 150 recruit is on the way. 

GW0509 - good point about other guys transferring up.  And Battle is way better than Justin Keri and arguably better than Santos-Silva. It’s an unfortunate reality and Battle won’t be the last we lose, no matter how stable the program. 

MG14 -  seeing as the team was ranked 241 in 19-20, I’m not sure turning over entire roster (other than Battle) isn’t a good thing.

AT Hiker - I think Kethan Savage was at Battle’s level.  Different kind of player, but at least before he got hurt, Kethan was playing at an extremely high level (great defender and got to the rim better than just about anyone we’ve had for that 2/3 season before he got hurt at St Bonnie).

Free Quebec -

To clarify I expect JC to bring in at least 2 BCS transfers and possibly 1-2 HS recruits. He is in the mix with some well-known potential transfers. Tafara is now a 2022 so we technically have 4 more for next year (2021). I could see a guy with one year left, a younger transfer, and maybe a HS guard/wing to mix with the following:.

Ball
Bishop
Brelsford
Brown
Dean
Freeman
Harris
Lindo
Nixon

I doubt that Moyer returns but you never know.

Also, JF has his theories as to why Battle left and then there is the reality. I don't think there is much overlap but I guess he is entitled to fantasize here..

MG14 wrote:

https://twitter.com/theTylerByrum/status/1368947527379283984

This is a stunning statistic.

It'a also not true (Amir Harris)

The hits keep on coming.
Byrum's stat is depressing. I had no idea it was that bad.
With Seymour announcing today, I wonder if we will finish out the week with enough players to take the floor?
What is our wonderful AD doing while we sink further into the blackhole? Getting ready for the former AD's wedding?

We have the only D-1 hoops fans in the Country that still obsess about a coach who hasn't been here in 5 years - ML is not coming back to resurrect our program! Until our administration fixes what they did 5 years ago this disaster is staying for another 3 years. LeBlanc, please help.

At least my HS team is doing well. They played at the #2 school in NJ the other day. They were down by 17 points at the half.  I don't know what the coach said in the locker room, but he got the team's attention. Even after the team's biggest player fouled out the team was able to come from behind and win in OT. The coach did a masterful job of" 'in game' coaching.  When to call a time out. When to see when a certain player was getting tired or out of control. And getting some 4 and 5 star recruits to play as a team. Glad they televised this game. Coaching in today's world is difficult, but it can be done.