I don't do twitter, but I imagine one of you fine chaps does.  Ask Stevie what's up with GW?

No value judgment attached to either side, but I don't expect him here.

Podcast Discussing Gapare (starting at 49:45)
Apple: https://apple.co/3hcpx7A
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2WnvnqdCXyGKttsDhKShgS?si=kdJwppqpTPSrgbCqK3EIFg&dl_branch=1

"Highest level prospect out of New Zealand"
"Interest from Australian NBL, mid majors and high majors in the NCAA"
"Has stagnated a bit the last couple of years [due to staying in NZ]"
'Very scrawny...hasn't done much work in the gym"
"Was meant to be going to George Washington but is not on their roster this season"

One of the commenters suggested Gapare should play in the NBL right away starting in November.

My takeaway is that coming to GW for a year or two and challenging himself against better players while still getting all the playing time he wants would be his best option.  Sure, a professional team would probably offer a better strength and conditioning program, but there's no guarantee he'd get much PT or be the primary target while he's out there.  Definitely sounds like he is checked out playing against the scrawny kids he plays against in high school.  Also not sure how much the COVID travel restrictions might have hindered his ability to get over here any earlier.  He apparently likes being the big shark in a pond full of guppies.

Will be interesting to see what he does coming up soon.
 

You can't put a player on the roster before they enroll.  We only have eleven scholarship players on the official roster so there's certainly space for him.

Stevie Cozens
@steviecozens

2022 New Zealand wing Tafara Gapare played his last local game of High School ball tonight.
Gapare hit a clutch three with under a minute left to secure the Wellington title for his team Scots.
He has one more National HS tournament left next month.

https://twitter.com/steviecozens/status/1441344941817417734?s=21


Guess we should have a sense of Tafara’s future plans sooner rather than later

Long Suffering Fan wrote:

Would this not make him eligible second semester (hopefully at GW)?  Isn't his playing second semester the rumor that we had been hearing for some time? 

More successful time spent counting on your favorite bullpen to garner wins and saves the rest of the season.

That would be fine with me, provided the team is GW.

But...barring a need for Tafara to play or potential NCAA berth run (which seems unlikely this year, but next year certainly a possibility), if he lives up to his commitment and comes, whatever works for both him and the coaches.
Certainly a lot to be said for game experience. Also something to be said for sitting out and focusing on things.

Suppose there’s gambling at the back of Rick’s Cafe and I should look to the west for the setting sun. Glad to put an end to this expected outcome.

I tend to stick to Occams Razor but if you want to go down the conspiracy route it's been interesting following both of the guys above.  They have been pretty aggressive in pumping up Gapare and saying he should be going pro/not mentioning the prior GW commitment.  

If he goes to Duke/Kentucky/Kansas, so be it.  That's understandable. Like Kwame Evans Jr. you can't expect to beat out a top 5 school.

If he ends up following Nima to Fordham then there's some shady shit going on.

Last edited by GW0509 (11/01/2021 6:51 pm)

Nigel Johnson anyone?