Welcome Ronald Polite

JimP · Mar 23, 2020

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High School Sports
In Oxon Hill’s Ronald Polite, George Mason thinks it’s getting a ‘sleeping giant’

Ronald Polite averaged 22.5 points as a senior at Oxon Hill. (Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post)
By
Kyle Melnick
March 23, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. EDT
With the high school and college basketball seasons finished, The Washington Post will use the coming weeks to look ahead to next season, when some of our area’s prep stars will bring their skills to various campuses across the nation. This is the first story of the series.

George Mason men’s basketball coach Dave Paulsen sat in Oxon Hill’s home bleachers last March when Ronald Polite received a pass while cutting to the paint. There were teammates circled around Polite, but the Clippers guard saw a small opening to the left side of the basket. He attacked the gap, jumped around a defender and finished a layup through traffic.

It was only the second quarter of Oxon Hill’s Maryland 3A playoff game against Potomac, but Paulsen had seen enough. He told assistant coach Duane Simpkins he was sold on Polite and offered him a scholarship in Oxon Hill’s locker room after the Clippers’ win.

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Paulsen said the intuition Polite displayed on that play is unteachable, and it’s one of the main skills the senior will bring to George Mason, which finished this past season 17-15, including 5-13 in Atlantic 10 play.

“As good as Ronald is, he’s going to come to a program that really values player development,” Paulsen said. “The Mason program’s a sleeping giant, and I think he’s a sleeping giant.”

2020 Winter All-Met: Boys’ basketball first team, second team, and honorable mention

Despite not being a coveted prospect nationally, Polite emerged as one of the area’s top players this season, averaging 22.5 points and 5.5 assists while leading Oxon Hill to its first Prince George’s County title since 2010. The first-team All-Met selection’s season came to a halt against Southern Maryland Athletic Conference champion St. Charles in the second round of the Maryland 3A playoffs.

Polite made a big jump athletically this past season, even throwing down one of the area’s best dunks over a Potomac defender in February. His intelligence, though, is what has stood out to his coaches.

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He grew up studying former NBA stars while watching “Hardwood Classics” on NBA TV. In middle school, before teams watched film, Polite observed opposing players’ tendencies during warmups. Even playing quarterback as a kid, Polite could roll to one side but still find open receivers on the opposite side of the field.

“The thing that’s super exciting for me about him is his ability to pass, his vision and his unselfishness,” Paulsen said. “Passing and vision and basketball IQ are at shorter supply now than ever. He brings that right to the table right from Day 1.”

While Polite grew up as a facilitator, he developed into a go-to scorer entering his junior year by improving his midrange jump shot. Oxon Hill Coach Lewis Howard sold George Mason’s coaching staff on the fact that Polite plays at a fast pace and doesn’t become rattled under defensive pressure. Polite believes his skill set translates well to George Mason’s up-tempo, pick-and-roll-heavy offense, which is similar to Oxon Hill’s system.

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“As time went on, I had to become a better scorer, create by myself a little more, because that’s what was best for my team,” Polite said. “I had to learn how to create plays from nothing.”

In July, Polite verbally committed to George Mason, partly because it was the first school to offer him a scholarship. He also considered William & Mary, James Madison and Delaware.

George Mason graduates two players and expects to return most of its scoring next season. Former local stars Jordan Miller (Loudoun Valley) and Xavier Johnson (Episcopal) should remain big contributors in the backcourt.

Polite will have to earn a spot in a rotation that usually went nine players deep this past season. Paulsen doesn’t know what Polite’s role will be in his freshman season, but he foresees him directing the Patriots’ offense at times and forcing turnovers with his 6-foot-3, 162-pound frame.

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“If you just look at him and you didn’t see him play, you wouldn’t think that he could do the things that he can do,” Howard said. “The unteachable things that he has is his feel for the game.”

Howard believes Polite has a high ceiling and could become the Atlantic 10’s premier player during his George Mason tenure.

Paulsen does, too.

“I don’t think it’s a question of if he’ll be an elite player for us,” Paulsen said. “I think it’s a question of when.”
Click to expand...

Sorry if I missed something on the boards, but the article seems to indicate Kier is not coming back. Talks about two graduating seniors.

Patriotsince81 · Mar 23, 2020

Maybe it's the 17 beers while sheltered in place or the fact that we've heard this hype countless times before......It's time for DP and the program to shut up and put up by winning. I hope Polite lives up to the hype, is A10 rookie of the year, and then 3 time first teamer, but money talks and bulls&t walks. I'll believe it when I see it.

mkaufman1 · Mar 23, 2020

I'm glad to have Polite on board. Certainly seems like a good ballplayer from everything I've read and seen. Hoping this class continues the trend of recruiting improvement that we've seen.

Jack Strop · Mar 24, 2020 at 9:41 AM

mkaufman1 said: ↑

I'm glad to have Polite on board. Certainly seems like a good ballplayer from everything I've read and seen. Hoping this class continues the trend of recruiting improvement that we've seen.
Click to expand...

It's very telling how this article is the first in a series about local players. With so many elite players coming out of the DMV, why has Ronald Polite's commitment to Mason taken the opening write-up?

gmutom · Mar 24, 2020 at 9:47 AM

Jack Strop said: ↑

With so many elite players coming out of the DMV, why has Ronald Polite's commitment to Mason taken the opening write-up?
Click to expand...

Maybe they were just trying to be polite.

patriot2000 · Mar 24, 2020 at 10:14 AM

gmutom said: ↑

Maybe they were just trying to be polite.
Click to expand...

Why is there no eye-roll reaction we can press?

mkaufman1 · Mar 24, 2020 at 11:53 AM

I just found it humorous that George Mason's offense was considered to be "up tempo" lol

Patriotsince81 · Mar 24, 2020 at 12:15 PM

Latest video.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZSQkhk-e24

GSII · Mar 24, 2020 at 12:19 PM

Dangerous talk from DP. Heard same shit from him about Reuter.

Patriotsince81 · Mar 24, 2020 at 12:22 PM

GSII said: ↑

Dangerous talk from DP. Heard same shit from him about Reuter.
Click to expand...

That would be A10 POY Reuter!

mkaufman1 · Mar 24, 2020 at 12:31 PM

Love what I'm seeing on Polite's highlight video. Can't help but think that the best is yet to come with him.

Hopefully he is mean on the court (from the looks of things he does), we don't need him to be polite.

psyclone · Mar 28, 2020 at 11:42 AM

p8triotfan4life said: ↑

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High School Sports
In Oxon Hill’s Ronald Polite, George Mason thinks it’s getting a ‘sleeping giant’

Ronald Polite averaged 22.5 points as a senior at Oxon Hill. (Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post)
By
Kyle Melnick
March 23, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. EDT
With the high school and college basketball seasons finished, The Washington Post will use the coming weeks to look ahead to next season, when some of our area’s prep stars will bring their skills to various campuses across the nation. This is the first story of the series.

George Mason men’s basketball coach Dave Paulsen sat in Oxon Hill’s home bleachers last March when Ronald Polite received a pass while cutting to the paint. There were teammates circled around Polite, but the Clippers guard saw a small opening to the left side of the basket. He attacked the gap, jumped around a defender and finished a layup through traffic.

It was only the second quarter of Oxon Hill’s Maryland 3A playoff game against Potomac, but Paulsen had seen enough. He told assistant coach Duane Simpkins he was sold on Polite and offered him a scholarship in Oxon Hill’s locker room after the Clippers’ win.

AD

Paulsen said the intuition Polite displayed on that play is unteachable, and it’s one of the main skills the senior will bring to George Mason, which finished this past season 17-15, including 5-13 in Atlantic 10 play.

“As good as Ronald is, he’s going to come to a program that really values player development,” Paulsen said. “The Mason program’s a sleeping giant, and I think he’s a sleeping giant.”

2020 Winter All-Met: Boys’ basketball first team, second team, and honorable mention

Despite not being a coveted prospect nationally, Polite emerged as one of the area’s top players this season, averaging 22.5 points and 5.5 assists while leading Oxon Hill to its first Prince George’s County title since 2010. The first-team All-Met selection’s season came to a halt against Southern Maryland Athletic Conference champion St. Charles in the second round of the Maryland 3A playoffs.

Polite made a big jump athletically this past season, even throwing down one of the area’s best dunks over a Potomac defender in February. His intelligence, though, is what has stood out to his coaches.

AD
He grew up studying former NBA stars while watching “Hardwood Classics” on NBA TV. In middle school, before teams watched film, Polite observed opposing players’ tendencies during warmups. Even playing quarterback as a kid, Polite could roll to one side but still find open receivers on the opposite side of the field.

“The thing that’s super exciting for me about him is his ability to pass, his vision and his unselfishness,” Paulsen said. “Passing and vision and basketball IQ are at shorter supply now than ever. He brings that right to the table right from Day 1.”

While Polite grew up as a facilitator, he developed into a go-to scorer entering his junior year by improving his midrange jump shot. Oxon Hill Coach Lewis Howard sold George Mason’s coaching staff on the fact that Polite plays at a fast pace and doesn’t become rattled under defensive pressure. Polite believes his skill set translates well to George Mason’s up-tempo, pick-and-roll-heavy offense, which is similar to Oxon Hill’s system.

AD
“As time went on, I had to become a better scorer, create by myself a little more, because that’s what was best for my team,” Polite said. “I had to learn how to create plays from nothing.”

In July, Polite verbally committed to George Mason, partly because it was the first school to offer him a scholarship. He also considered William & Mary, James Madison and Delaware.

George Mason graduates two players and expects to return most of its scoring next season. Former local stars Jordan Miller (Loudoun Valley) and Xavier Johnson (Episcopal) should remain big contributors in the backcourt.

Polite will have to earn a spot in a rotation that usually went nine players deep this past season. Paulsen doesn’t know what Polite’s role will be in his freshman season, but he foresees him directing the Patriots’ offense at times and forcing turnovers with his 6-foot-3, 162-pound frame.

AD
“If you just look at him and you didn’t see him play, you wouldn’t think that he could do the things that he can do,” Howard said. “The unteachable things that he has is his feel for the game.”

Howard believes Polite has a high ceiling and could become the Atlantic 10’s premier player during his George Mason tenure.

Paulsen does, too.

“I don’t think it’s a question of if he’ll be an elite player for us,” Paulsen said. “I think it’s a question of when.”
Click to expand...

This article finally made today's print edition of the Post. About 1/3 of the back page of the Sports section which is only about 3 pages these days.

Jack Strop · Mar 29, 2020 at 9:27 AM

psyclone said: ↑

This article finally made today's print edition of the Post. About 1/3 of the back page of the Sports section which is only about 3 pages these days.
Click to expand...

...and not even it's own section. "Sports" makes up three pages in the back of the "Style" section then followed by Classifieds! Urrrrghhhhhh... I'm feeling sick...

gmujim92 · Mar 29, 2020 at 10:19 AM

Jack Strop said: ↑

...and not even it's own section. "Sports" makes up three pages in the back of the "Style" section then followed by Classifieds! Urrrrghhhhhh... I'm feeling sick...
Click to expand...

No live sports = almost nothing to cover

I’m surprised more papers haven’t suspended their sports sections while everything is shut down. Given staffing limitations these days, those sports reporters could be used to help with news coverage. That’s where they are needed.

psyclone · Mar 29, 2020 at 11:58 AM

gmujim92 said: ↑

No live sports = almost nothing to cover

I’m surprised more papers haven’t suspended their sports sections while everything is shut down. Given staffing limitations these days, those sports reporters could be used to help with news coverage. That’s where they are needed.
Click to expand...

I think I saw a Goff byline on a short story updating a development on covid-19 early last week in the Post.

Herndon · Mar 29, 2020 at 1:32 PM

Patriotsince81 said: ↑

Latest video.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZSQkhk-e24
Click to expand...

Jesus, his athleticism is so casual. He doesn't look like he's really gathering himself, but he just goes up, up, up.

You watch the video and it feels like he's 6'6.

gmujim92 · Mar 29, 2020 at 3:06 PM

Herndon said: ↑

Jesus, his athleticism is so casual. He doesn't look like he's really gathering himself, but he just goes up, up, up.

You watch the video and it feels like he's 6'6.
Click to expand...

He’s what a coaching friend of mine likes to call a “glider.” He doesn’t look like he’s moving that quickly because everything is effortless.

Definitely plays taller than 6-2.

GSII · Mar 29, 2020 at 3:48 PM

Did pvi play Oxon Hill?

Patriotsince81 · Mar 29, 2020 at 4:00 PM

GSII said: ↑

Did pvi play Oxon Hill?
Click to expand...

Nope.
https://www.maxpreps.com/high-schools/oxon-hill-clippers-(oxon-hill,md)/basketball/schedule.htm

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