2014 Recruiting

[GMUgemini]

Allen can (and has) gone by defenders. Cam Long could get by defenders and into the paint. Tony Skinn, Campbell, the list goes on and on. I didn't say they had to be "true" PG's. I said I need my PG to be able to take someone off the dribble. Holloway hasn't shown that ability.

Jason Miskiri, Tony Skinn, Campbell, Long, and Allen are ALL guys I'd take at the PG spot before Holloway. ALL of them could create their own shot. Holloway relies on screens, picks, etc to get himself open. He's an amazing shooter and can score. Not sure he can run an offense.

Yes because Campbell, Long and Allen were so great at PG that our coaches gave up on them and put them all on the wing...

Holloway is a smart player and knows where his game is and isn't, that's more important for a point guard than anything else. If he's paired on the floor with two forwards who can hit from deep and a wing who will be able to abuse smaller players in the post or take bigger players off the dribble from the perimeter he will be fine in the half court. The biggest question mark would be how is he against the press? but we have Moore on the roster for that.

If Moore can develop a consistent jumper in the offseason you obviously start him, but I'm not confident that will happen.

 

[A.-Siegfried]

Nice highlight tape.

He'd get destroyed in the A-10.

 

[A.-Siegfried]

Yes because Campbell, Long and Allen were so great at PG that our coaches gave up on them and put them all on the wing...

Holloway is a smart player and knows where his game is and isn't, that's more important for a point guard than anything else. If he's paired on the floor with two forwards who can hit from deep and a wing who will be able to abuse smaller players in the post or take bigger players off the dribble from the perimeter he will be fine in the half court. The biggest question mark would be how is he against the press? but we have Moore on the roster for that.

If Moore can develop a consistent jumper in the offseason you obviously start him, but I'm not confident that will happen.

They did?

Campbell lead the team in assists his final 3 years on the team. He started at PG the final 3 years. You can look it up. They tried Jordan Carter briefly and figured out it wasn't going to work. So much so that Carter didn't even start half the games his senior year. Back to the point went Campbell.

Long took over after Campbell graduated and lead the team in scoring AND assists his soph/junior years. He was still the PG his senior year when Hancock lead the team in assists. Long was the primary ball handler for that team.

I'd take Long or Campbell over Holloway running the point 10 times out of 10. Both of them had a skill set AND a physical attributes Holloway doesn't have (mainly they were both 6'4").

Allen is similar to Campbell. They tried to move Allen off the point by using Edwards and now Moore. But what happens? They go right back to Allen.

In the ranking of "recent PG's" if you will, the top 5 guys would include both Long and Campbell. Probably along with Miskiri, Price and hell, even through in the one year with Terry Reynolds perhaps.

 

[gmujim92]

They did?

Campbell lead the team in assists his final 3 years on the team. He started at PG the final 3 years. You can look it up. They tried Jordan Carter briefly and figured out it wasn't going to work. So much so that Carter didn't even start half the games his senior year. Back to the point went Campbell.

Long took over after Campbell graduated and lead the team in scoring AND assists his soph/junior years. He was still the PG his senior year when Hancock lead the team in assists. Long was the primary ball handler for that team.

I'd take Long or Campbell over Holloway running the point 10 times out of 10. Both of them had a skill set AND a physical attributes Holloway doesn't have (mainly they were both 6'4").

Allen is similar to Campbell. They tried to move Allen off the point by using Edwards and now Moore. But what happens? They go right back to Allen.

In the ranking of "recent PG's" if you will, the top 5 guys would include both Long and Campbell. Probably along with Miskiri, Price and hell, even through in the one year with Terry Reynolds perhaps.

I know you didn't mean to, but you just made my point for me, which is this: neither of the two best teams in Mason basketball history were led by a "traditional" pass-first PG.

Neither Campbell nor Long were wizards with the dribble -- Campbell was far from an explosive athlete and Long's handle was frankly as unreliable as I can remember from any three-time all-conference player -- but Larranaga made it work because all 5 guys on the floor were able to participate in facilitating the offense to some extent.

Also, suggesting that Holloway is merely a jump shooter because that's been his primary role in his first 2 seasons is pretty silly. Wright and Allen monopolize the ball and Hewitt isn't asking Holloway to be the creator/initiator of our offense. Once his role expands, I think a lot of people who never saw him in HS are going to be stunned to find out he can do much more than just launch 3s.

The kid is a crafty, smart player. He had the ball in his hands most of the time for a nationally-ranked PVI team as a senior, and I don't recall anyone complaining about his handle or selfishness or anything like that.

I'm frankly stupefied that anyone is dismissing this idea out of hand, as if we have some John Wall-type stud coming in to play the point for us next year. For all any of us know, playing Holloway at the 1 might be the best option Hewitt has at his disposal.

 

[Pablo]

They did?

Campbell lead the team in assists his final 3 years on the team. He started at PG the final 3 years. You can look it up. They tried Jordan Carter briefly and figured out it wasn't going to work. So much so that Carter didn't even start half the games his senior year. Back to the point went Campbell.

Actually, Folarin Campbell didn't start at PG his junior season, nor the first 10 games of his senior season (Perhaps, you need to look it up!). In his junior season, it was Jordan Carter or Gabe Norwood starting at PG (Perhaps, you recall the end of the 2007 CAA championship game vs. vcu). And, Carter started the first 10 games at PG the next season until Larranaga honored Campbell's request and returned him to PG in the game at Florida International (after the loss at Kent State).

 

[Pablo]

Also, suggesting that Holloway is merely a jump shooter because that's been his primary role I'm frankly stupefied that anyone is dismissing this idea out of hand, as if we have some John Wall-type stud coming in to play the point for us next year. For all any of us know, playing Holloway at the 1 might be the best option Hewitt has at his disposal.

Frankly, I'm surprised that Hewitt has yet to play Holloway at PG. He gave Vertrail Vaughns some PT at the position, so why not Holloway?

 

[gmutom]

I know you didn't mean to, but you just made my point for me, which is this: neither of the two best teams in Mason basketball history were led by a "traditional" pass-first PG.

Neither Campbell nor Long were wizards with the dribble -- Campbell was far from an explosive athlete and Long's handle was frankly as unreliable as I can remember from any three-time all-conference player -- but Larranaga made it work because all 5 guys on the floor were able to participate in facilitating the offense to some extent.

Also, suggesting that Holloway is merely a jump shooter because that's been his primary role in his first 2 seasons is pretty silly. Wright and Allen monopolize the ball and Hewitt isn't asking Holloway to be the creator/initiator of our offense. Once his role expands, I think a lot of people who never saw him in HS are going to be stunned to find out he can do much more than just launch 3s.

The kid is a crafty, smart player. He had the ball in his hands most of the time for a nationally-ranked PVI team as a senior, and I don't recall anyone complaining about his handle or selfishness or anything like that.

I'm frankly stupefied that anyone is dismissing this idea out of hand, as if we have some John Wall-type stud coming in to play the point for us next year. For all any of us know, playing Holloway at the 1 might be the best option Hewitt has at his disposal.

And THIS is why I want Jim talking more basketball around here. Dude knows his stuff. Nobody is saying Holloway needs to be Chazz Williams, but it's worth a shot if he provides more production than we are getting now. Even the slightest upgrade makes us a better team, which I think everybody here agrees is desperately needed.

 

[A.-Siegfried]

Actually, Folarin Campbell didn't start at PG his junior season, nor the first 10 games of his senior season (Perhaps, you need to look it up!). In his junior season, it was Jordan Carter or Gabe Norwood starting at PG (Perhaps, you recall the end of the 2007 CAA championship game vs. vcu). And, Carter started the first 10 games at PG the next season until Larranaga honored Campbell's request and returned him to PG in the game at Florida International (after the loss at Kent State).

And if Carter had been working out at the point...would Coach L have honored the request? Or would he have told Campbell to worry about his own position and leave the PG spot to Coach L to worry about?

I'm not some bandwagon guy who just started watching this team in the past 4 or 5 years. I remember those teams and I remember the struggles they had at the PG spot. But it is NOTHING compared to the struggles the past 2+ seasons. And isn't that the big worry? When people on message boards can see "we need a PG recruit ASAP" and the staff does ZERO to address that concern...and now you all want to turn to Holloway?

Again..good luck if that happens. As for him running the point at PVI...weird...the game winning shot he hit vs DeMatha

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBaGtWYMKG4

He never touches the ball until the very last moment. He wasn't running the offense. Tilman Dunbar (now suspended at Navy) was their PG. Holloway was a combo/shooting guard.

Yes, I saw them in HS.

 

[dr. gunnie]

Holloway was a PG at Paul VI.

He was? Pretty sure Tilman Dubar ran the point at PVI.

 

[Patriotfan49]

Ok I think we are getting off track, because everbody is talking about different things.

Nobody is discounting Holloway could do those things now or eventually, but he isnt doing them here. What he did at PVI is irrelevant at GMU, because he isnt being asked to do those things, or the system doesnt allow it. So whether its his fault, Hewitts fault or whoevers, its really pointless. Its no different than talking about how Gray could help the team IF Hewitt would put him in.

 

[Patriotfan49]

And THIS is why I want Jim talking more basketball around here. Dude knows his stuff. Nobody is saying Holloway needs to be Chazz Williams, but it's worth a shot if he provides more production than we are getting now. Even the slightest upgrade makes us a better team, which I think everybody here agrees is desperately needed.

You sure its just not because this is the first thing in a while that you agree with him on lol?

 

[Pablo]

And if Carter had been working out at the point...would Coach L have honored the request? Or would he have told Campbell to worry about his own position and leave the PG spot to Coach L to worry about?

I'm not some bandwagon guy who just started watching this team in the past 4 or 5 years. I remember those teams and I remember the struggles they had at the PG spot. But it is NOTHING compared to the struggles the past 2+ seasons. And isn't that the big worry? When people on message boards can see "we need a PG recruit ASAP" and the staff does ZERO to address that concern...and now you all want to turn to Holloway?

Again..good luck if that happens. As for him running the point at PVI...weird...the game winning shot he hit vs DeMatha

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBaGtWYMKG4

He never touches the ball until the very last moment. He wasn't running the offense. Tilman Dunbar (now suspended at Navy) was their PG. Holloway was a combo/shooting guard.

Yes, I saw them in HS.

Obviously, you are confusing me with another poster. I was responding to your erroneous statement that Folarin Campbell was the starting PG in his last 3 seasons, which you stated emphatically. And, I expressed surprise that Holloway has not yet been given some PT at PG like Vertrail Vaughns had. Really, what's the harm at this point?

 

[gmutom]

You sure its just not because this is the first thing in a while that you agree with him on lol?

Haha, maybe. Jim and I have actually agreed on most things dating back many years on the Zone. He's admittedly lost his way lately with all of the rants, but that great, analytical basketball mind is still there.

 

[A.-Siegfried]

Obviously, you are confusing me with another poster. I was responding to your erroneous statement that Folarin Campbell was the starting PG in his last 3 seasons, which you stated emphatically. And, I expressed surprise that Holloway has not yet been given some PT at PG like Vertrail Vaughns had. Really, what's the harm at this point?

Nope. No confusion at all. Say what you will but when the shot clock was running down or end of half scenarios were being played out, Long and Campbell had the offense run through them. They were the ones with the ball in their hands. Not Jordan Carter. That's your PG. Just like now...Moore may start at the PG position, but the way his minutes go up and down, it's pretty obvious who this staff wants with the ball. And Holloway isn't that guy. Pat is great if you can get him open off screens or off a curl or a 3 man weave at the top, but do you honestly trust him to be able to get into the paint the way Allen can? The way Moore can? If so, we see two entirely different players.

And Vaughns running the point? That was about defense and desperation. And even he could get to the rack better than Holloway. (yes, we are desperate now as well...but does Pat play defense well enough to defend the PG position? Do ANY of them? nope.)

 

[GMU84fanman]

I wouldn't mind seeing them give PH a try at the point (at this juncture--what the heck). I am not sure how good his handle is and whether he has the strength and quickness to compete at the point but he does seem to possess good court awareness, can hit the outside shot and can hopefully distribute the ball if not told to launch it all the time. One thing that puzzles me however is his foul shooting. Can someone please explain how it is that he is hitting 63% from the line? Marquise is hitting almost 69%, Corey at 80% and Bryon at 85%.

 

[gmubrian]

PH...One thing that puzzles me however is his foul shooting. Can someone please explain how it is that he is hitting 63% from the line? Marquise is hitting almost 69%, Corey at 80% and Bryon at 85%.

Maybe he needs to shoot them from further back. He is not used to shooting from so close...

 

[GMUSig03]

Maybe he needs to shoot them from further back. He is not used to shooting from so close...

I said this exact thing during the GW game when he missed a foul shot. I honestly believe he could hit over 60% from 3 if uncontested.

Seems like the issue is he is a jump/rhythm shooter. Perhaps have him just grab the ball and get the shot up immediately when the ref bounces it to him

 

[JimP]

I thought the crowd might have rattled him a bit at the Old Dominion game.

 

[gmutom]

Trey Porter had 28 points last night as Potomac improved to 19-0. I would imagine that is a career high, but the only details I can find on the game is an abbreviated box score.

http://wiki.allmetsports.com/all-met/games/boys-basketball/potomac-va/forest-park/2014/01/31/

 

[Dawgs99]

Porter also grabbed 12 boards and 5 blocks.