THIS POST was originally meant to air on Connect2Mason.com, but they've been getting busy as of late. Not like that ... with this. Without further ado, here's your mid-offseason check-in:
For yet another year, many of the players on the men’s basketball are playing in the Kenner League held on the campus of Georgetown University at McDonough Arena.
It is the first tangible opportunity to see the newest Patriots take the court and their first opportunity to play against high-level competition.
Sophomore guard Bryon Allen knows how they will fit in and fit together.
“They’re coming together,” Allen said. “Corey [Edwards] is real good with the ball, and ball-handling. Vaughn [Gray] is a good defender. Erik [Copes] has got good moves from his back. So I think we’re looking real good for next year.”
Edwards sees the league as a growing opportunity for his fellow recruits as they make the transition to a faster, more athletic level of competition. He is playing with Copes and Gray as well as senior forward Mike Morrison.
“Playing against pros, that always helps, gets you better, gets your mind focused on different aspects of the game,” Edwards said. “It can’t hurt you, only help you.”
They have been around their new teammates, mostly due to the fact that campus is fairly empty during the summer months, but they do not have on-court experience with the college and professional athletes playing in the Kenner League.
“They’re getting a feel for college basketball,” Morrison said. “It’s a lot more physical, faster and you can see the difference out there. So it’s not exactly the same but it’s better than playing pickup every day.”
It is also the first time that banged-up players can get on the court. Morrison had surgery at the end of last season on a knee that already had pins in it.
One of his teammates thinks he favoring the leg, but his play seems normal, other than the fact that he has missed playing time because of the knee, according to another source. Cam Long has been seen filling in for him as a way to prepare for playing in Lithuania.
“Surgery is going well,” Morrison said. “[It] started out slow, but my rehab picked up. [It] felt good today.”
Sherrod Wright also had work done to repair the cartilage in his shoulder and missed all of last season to the injury. With his work last season, coupled with his work ethic this offseason, he could be a breakout player in the CAA.
“We’ll see. I’m working hard to help my team in many ways,” he said. “I’m out there doing everything I have to do and hard work always pays off so we’ll see.”
Wright is not playing in this league, preferring to play further north during the summer, but he has the opportunity to see how his teammates will do.
“I think the guys are playing real well,” Wright said. “Mike is playing real well, coming off of surgery, starting to get full motion back in his knee. Corey showed some good things, point guard ability … So I think they’re playing well so far.”
Allen, playing in D.C.’s Goodman League, thinks that playing in offseason leagues is a big help, especially for freshmen.
“Everybody feels like it is going to be a good help,” Allen said. “It’s something new to the freshmen, they aren’t used to playing, so they are kind of anxious, but it’s coming along real good.”
Rashad Whack, who transferred after last season to Mount St. Mary’s primarily due a lack of playing time, is also playing in the Kenner League.
He left because of a lack of playing time under the Larranaga regime, looking to get more use as a point guard.
“I feel like it will be a good fit. I can be a strong guard to help their program try to make a run in their league,” Whack said. “Hopefully, after the experience in the NCAA tournament, that can give me an advantage.”
They all show a favorable opinion of the Patriots’ new head coach, Paul Hewitt, who is entering his first season after leaving Georgia Tech on poor terms. Sherrod Wright knows Hewitt from when he was being recruited.
“Paul Hewitt and I had a good relationship already,” Wright said. “He recruited me before I came here. He offered me a scholarship to Georgia Tech, so I already knew him.”
Copes said he had the impression that Hewitt looks for hard work and that his teammates will hold him accountable to that.
“You’ve got to play hard. That’s how I play anyways,” Copes said. “You’ve always got to play harder.”
With a turnover of four players and an entire coaching staff, there was a question of whether or not the team could bond. Erik Copes has the solution:
“We’ve got to hang out together, we’re teammates. We’ve got to get into trouble together, we’ve got to have fun with each other and support ourselves.”
The Kenner League runs through Sunday, August 7, when the championship game is played. The remaining schedule is located online here.
