Farewell to Ahmad Gilbert

[GMUgemini]

I think it's telling that two days ago Ahmad and his coach tweet that he was going to wait until the end of May to make his decision... then less than 24 hours later he commits to Minnesota. Way to stick with the game plan guys! Minnesota probably threatened to offer some other guys and said they would take the first player that verballed and he was scared he might lose out.

Jumping the gun on a Big 10 bottom-dweller might not have been the best idea.

 

[Quentin Daniels]

Jumping the gun on a Big 10 bottom-dweller might not have been the best idea.

Well he initially signed w/an A-10 bottom-dweller, so maybe that's what he wants and didn't think he was going to get that w/the coaching change.

 

[Pablo]

http://www.cityofbasketballlove.com/news_article/show/507137?referrer_id=1566508:

"Gilbert just finished off a stellar senior season for the Generals. He was named the Class A Player of the Year in Pennsylvania for a second time, and led his team to a state title. In the team’s 85-53 win in the championship game over Farrell, the 6-foot-7, 190-pound senior poured in 28 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.

Constitution head coach Rob Moore believes performances like that may have been the reason some higher-level Division I programs showed more interest in Gilbert after his de-commitment from GMU.

'The way he played for us this year, he was a steal in the A-10,' Moore said. 'When you’re looking at Big 10 schools and schools like Temple, Penn State and South Florida, George Mason becomes the smallest of the group.'

Moore also pointed out the Gophers’ lack of depth at the small forward position. Minnesota returns three forwards: Charles Buggs, Gaston Diedhiou, and Joey King. None of the three are under 6-foot-9, nor do any play the small forward position.

Because of that, Moore believes Gilbert has the chance to step in and have an impact immediately as a freshman.

'When you look at [Minnesota’s] roster, there are no small forwards on the roster,' Moore said. 'So that’s a big, big opportunity for him to step in right away.'"

 

[The Great PATSby]

http://www.cityofbasketballlove.com/news_article/show/507137?referrer_id=1566508:

"Gilbert just finished off a stellar senior season for the Generals. He was named the Class A Player of the Year in Pennsylvania for a second time, and led his team to a state title. In the team’s 85-53 win in the championship game over Farrell, the 6-foot-7, 190-pound senior poured in 28 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.

Constitution head coach Rob Moore believes performances like that may have been the reason some higher-level Division I programs showed more interest in Gilbert after his de-commitment from GMU.

'The way he played for us this year, he was a steal in the A-10,' Moore said. 'When you’re looking at Big 10 schools and schools like Temple, Penn State and South Florida, George Mason becomes the smallest of the group.'

Moore also pointed out the Gophers’ lack of depth at the small forward position. Minnesota returns three forwards: Charles Buggs, Gaston Diedhiou, and Joey King. None of the three are under 6-foot-9, nor do any play the small forward position.

Because of that, Moore believes Gilbert has the chance to step in and have an impact immediately as a freshman.

'When you look at [Minnesota’s] roster, there are no small forwards on the roster,' Moore said. 'So that’s a big, big opportunity for him to step in right away.'"

F U Rob Moore

 

[GMUgemini]

http://www.cityofbasketballlove.com/news_article/show/507137?referrer_id=1566508:

"Gilbert just finished off a stellar senior season for the Generals. He was named the Class A Player of the Year in Pennsylvania for a second time, and led his team to a state title. In the team’s 85-53 win in the championship game over Farrell, the 6-foot-7, 190-pound senior poured in 28 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.

Constitution head coach Rob Moore believes performances like that may have been the reason some higher-level Division I programs showed more interest in Gilbert after his de-commitment from GMU.

'The way he played for us this year, he was a steal in the A-10,' Moore said. 'When you’re looking at Big 10 schools and schools like Temple, Penn State and South Florida, George Mason becomes the smallest of the group.'

Moore also pointed out the Gophers’ lack of depth at the small forward position. Minnesota returns three forwards: Charles Buggs, Gaston Diedhiou, and Joey King. None of the three are under 6-foot-9, nor do any play the small forward position.

Because of that, Moore believes Gilbert has the chance to step in and have an impact immediately as a freshman.

'When you look at [Minnesota’s] roster, there are no small forwards on the roster,' Moore said. 'So that’s a big, big opportunity for him to step in right away.'"

I can understand the Big 10 (even if Minnesota has about as many NCAA tournament appearances as us -- given half of theirs have been vacated -- and Penn State's last semi-successful coach left to coach at Navy...Navy!). But why do I constantly see South Florida mentioned? Temple I get. Temple has history. But South Florida? I mean, USF was even worse than we were last season (8-23 RPI 273), the year before that (12-20 RPI 230), and the year before that (13-19 RPI 156).

Also, the last I checked, since the split of the Catholic 7 and the formation of the AAC, the A-10 has finished ahead of the AAC in conference RPI every year. So why do I keep seeing USF as being the "big deal" in college basketball? Is it because they football?

Caveat: This isn't an argument for us, because we've sucked the last four years.

 

[MasonFanatic]

Is it because they football?

Yes.

 

[gmujim92]

USF gets respect because it has the words "South" and "Florida" in its name.

People who ain't quite so smart equate it with South Beach, "the U," Star Island and all that glitzy flashy stuff they see on TV.

Only after they get there do recruits realize that the school is in Tampa, which is NOT South Florida, and has both mediocre football and awful basketball.

It's one reason why so many guys transfer out of there.

 

[Harry]

Yet they manage to beat us...

 

[Cool Disco Dan]

'When you look at [Minnesota’s] roster, there are no small forwards on the roster,' Moore said. 'So that’s a big, big opportunity for him to step in right away.'"

According to the Minnesota boards:
"He won't have to be a big time contributor next year because we'll have Mason, McBrayer, Morris, Buggs on the wing. He'll be able to develop while getting minimal playing time."

3 of those guys were on their roster last season and got significant minutes. Hopefully the kid is smarter than his coach.

 

[The Great PATSby]

Yet they manage to beat us...

I expect DP won't blow 17 point second half leads

 

[gmutom]

I expect DP won't blow 17 point second half leads

Just remember that you have to get 17-point leads before you have the opportunity to blow them. I look forward to the Paulsen era, but I don't anticipate a lot of huge leads in his first year. Baby steps.

 

[GMUSig03]

Just remember that you have to get 17-point leads before you have the opportunity to blow them.

This is a joke in here somewhere, I know it...

 

[GMUSig03]

But I do agree with your sentiment, it's better to have the opportunity to blow, then to have never blown at all.

 

[GMU84fanman]

But I do agree with your sentiment, it's better to have the opportunity to blow, then to have never blown at all.

I am not sure if this is an issue of opportunity, the opportunity to blow with Hewitt was always there. Sadly he chose to blow. My understanding is that DP will seek a different path.

 

[MasonGrad01]

Bump for awesome recruits