GW Hoops / Small Ball?

**Posted by GWAlum2001** 11/01/2022 5:30 pm

Interesting note in one of the Hutchinson commit articles referencing the small ball approach that Miami has used in the past (and currently) going with smaller lineups based on personnel with success. Curious if we think CC is going that route for GW or if the recruits thus far were just opportunistic?

**Posted by BM** 11/02/2022 8:47 am

Mason went to final four playing small ball

**Posted by GWAlum2001** 11/02/2022 9:17 am

Exactly. I have not heard CC openly say that is our strategy in his interviews (or I missed it) but it seems like that is the direction we are headed. I am sure we will have a few forwards mixed in the 2023 class but I would not be surprised to see a continued focused on guards/wings.

**Posted by GWRising** 11/02/2022 11:50 am

Don't think CC will go with a small ball strategy unless he has no choice. Mason did employ a small ball strategy but that will be 17 years ago this coming March. Don't think small ball wins unless you have guards who can defend and rebound at a very high level. Looking at our current and projected rosters, I don't see those type of guards in sufficient numbers yet.

Last edited by GWRising (11/02/2022 11:52 am)

**Posted by Free Quebec** 11/02/2022 9:44 pm

Did Mason really play small ball? I seem to remember them dumping it down to big Jai Lewis in the post a lot (he wasn’t tall, but he was a load in the post). I think they also had a 6’8” F who started and was not a three point shooter - will thomas maybe? Maybe I remember wrong, but I remember them as a team that scored in the paint, not a 3 point shooting team.

Then again, we were better than them that year - we just didn’t get by the brutal road games in the ncaa tourney.

**Posted by GWRising** 11/03/2022 9:12 am

Mason didn't have a starter over 6-7 and some said those heights were generous. They had Jai Lewis and Will Thomas in the front court and Tony Skinn, Folarin Campbell and Lamar Butler as guards. Believe Skinn was under 6-0 and Butler maybe 6-2 and Campbell maybe 6-4. Thomas and Lewis were both around the same height. They didn't really have any size off the bench either as I recall.

**Posted by moneybox** 11/03/2022 9:22 am

I would only play small ball if you had no quality bigs. I'm hearing that GW has made offers to five frontline players overseas and I'm hoping for some success there