Christian Signs Top-Notch First Recruiting Class
11/15/2019 10:45:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jamion Christian had officially been on the job for less than three weeks when Lincoln Ball made his visit to Foggy Bottom last spring.
The 6-foot-5 guard from Williamsport, Md., had talked extensively with his parents and AAU coach about his future before making the 75-mile drive into the District, and that April afternoon with Christian and the staff, including an eye-opening stop at the School of Business, cemented his feelings about GW.
As the day wound down, Christian told Ball to take all the time he needed considering the scholarship offer. The recruit responded that he'd already made a decision, setting off an impromptu celebration right there in the coach's new office.
"I was ready," Ball said. "Coach Jamion's been awesome everywhere he's been. He's got so many tools around him, so many great coaches around him. The opportunity there is just so awesome that I didn't want to miss out on that."
Ball made his plans official this week, joined by a pair of fellow DMV products in center Noel Brown (Leesburg, Va.) and guard Tyler Brelsford (Ellicott City, Md.) in signing National Letter of Intents to join Christian's first full recruiting class with the Colonials. Since taking over at GW, Christian has now added seven local products to the Colonial roster that will compete for an A10 Championship in 2020-21.
The well-regarded trio sifted through their options before jumping at the chance to get in on the ground floor of Christian's blueprint for restoring the program to glory.
"I'm just grateful, to be honest," said Brown, a 6-foot-11 senior at Flint Hill School in Virginia whom Christian calls the region's best big man in this class. "Coach Jamion has a great head on his shoulders, just with his vision and how he perceives the opportunity he has as a coach. He sees it as more than just what we do as a team. He sees how he can impact the players and the community. Just being able to be a part of it is really exciting."
Christian didn't have to go far to find this group, prioritizing size, versatility and playmaking as well as the intangibles required for a seamless fit as the Colonials continue to build for the 2020-21 season and beyond.
"These are high-academic guys who really understand George Washington and want to be a part of what we're doing," Christian said. "We want to do a great job with these kind of guys, these kind of families. If we're able to do a great job with that, we're going to put together a great roster, no doubt about it. This is the first step to many strong recruiting classes behind it."
Christian's admiration for Ball's skillset dates back to his freshman season at Williamsport High School. Then at nearby Mount St. Mary's, the coach showed up at a regional playoff game to scout an older recruit and left with a mental note to keep tabs on the youngster who scored in double figures with a poise beyond his years.
Ball has blossomed into a force on both ends, averaging 18.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists as a junior in helping Williamsport reach the state quarterfinals. The guard pairs a deft shooting stroke with the size to create around the rim.
"He's a guy who was really a no-brainer for us," Christian said. "I think people will be amazed by how well he gets off the floor and how many plays he makes. We just felt like with the things that we do on the offensive end of the floor, that he really fits us perfectly."
For Ball, the feeling was mutual.
Beyond the connection to the coaches, he's excited to expand his horizons in the World's Most Powerful City while also staying close enough to his Western Maryland hometown for family and friends to see him play.
With his future decided, Ball has worked hard in recent months to get ready, choosing to bypass his senior season as Williamsport's starting quarterback to focus on the hardwood. He's been putting up 500 shots per day, added 20 pounds onto his lanky frame, and plunged into mobility drills to improve his defense.
"I won't back down from anyone," said Ball, who represented Mid-Atlantic Select on the AAU scene. "I know we're going to play some great teams and some great players. I want everyone to know that I'm going to go in there and compete and play hard for GW."
Standing 6-foot-4 with a wingspan about four inches longer, Brelsford is a dynamic guard who has been battle-tested playing against elite competition. He's the latest in a line of Division I guards to come out of Mount St. Joseph in Baltimore under the direction of coach Pat Clatchey.
Brelsford has paid his dues in the talent-rich MIAA A Conference program: He played on junior varsity as a freshman before serving as varsity sixth-man as a sophomore and then joining the starting lineup last winter. Now, he's poised to lead the Gaels in his final prep season.
"I just try to go into every situation and feel like I'm the best," Brelsford said. "No matter if I'm playing a guy that's ranked top-whatever, I always feel like I'm the best on the court.
"My high school coach (Clatchey), he always challenges us. He puts us through adversity. He's coached a lot of great guys, so we're always prepared, and I feel like he's going to have me prepared for the next level."
Christian believes that experience and playing high-level AAU ball with New World Basketball has helped Brelsford develop the tools needed to succeed in his backcourt. With continued development over his final prep season, he has the potential to help right away as he joins a decorated list of Colonials out Baltimore like Kwame Evans, Shawnta Rogers and Mike King.
"Tyler's exceptional in the pick-and-roll, which is so important in our program," Christian said. "For a high school guy, his ability to make passes off of it and score is just off the charts.
"I'm looking forward to coaching him because I think he can take our system to another level with his size and athleticism and his true understanding of it coming in here as a first-year."
Brelsford cited Christian's preferred style of play and track record for developing guards as factors that drew him to consider GW, but his choice to commit in May came down to relationships that go beyond the court.
After celebrating signing day with family and friends, Brelsford said he's excited to join the Colonial family and begin the next chapter of his career.
"To me, (signing day) shows that all the hard work didn't go unnoticed, and it's paying off, but this is just the start for me," Brelsford said. "I'm just going to continue to keep working, and I think the sky's the limit."
Brown has made a quick rise as a prospect thanks to his physical tools and blue-collar approach.
Although he grew up playing basketball in a church league, the 6-foot-11 center didn't get serious about the game until about three years ago when he joined his first AAU team.
Since then, Brown has buckled down with a year-round schedule and developed into a dominant presence down low. It's been a tough-yet-rewarding journey to get here.
"It clicked that the players who are good it's not just because they love the game, it's because they practice and make sacrifices for the game," Brown said. "That was the deciding moment for me. I wanted to make a sacrifice for basketball because I loved the sport, and I didn't want to stop playing it after high school."
Brown models his game after Serge Ibaka, seeking to maximize his rare combination of size and athleticism. He stands to be a weapon in the GW pick-and-roll because of that athleticism.
Christian had the chance to watch Brown closely over the summer at GW Team Camp with the Huskies and continued to track his development on the AAU circuit with District W.A.W.G. and into the fall. Every time the coach saw the athletic big man in action, it seemed he'd added to his skillset.
Christian is excited to soon have a hands-on role in helping Brown grow into his vast potential.
"Noel's will and his want-to to improve is just so special," Christian said. "He's got an excellent intelligence level for the game and also great compassion for his teammates. Those are all things we look for in our post guys.
"We wanted to make sure we filled our roster with a powerful big man that could go in and make plays, and we're going to have exactly that with him."
Playing alongside four-star recruit Qudus Wahab, Brown was a part of the area's most physically imposing frontcourt last winter in his first season at Flint Hill. With Wahab's graduation, he's taking on more responsibility to lead the Huskies and eager to showcase his continued improvement.
This fall, Brown has added workouts before school, drilling his offensive footwork, timing, and touch around the rim. He texts Christian frequently for advice about how to be a better leader for his teammates.
After putting pen to paper on his NLI, Brown is more excited than ever to take the next step in Buff and Blue.
"Honestly, it's surreal – like something out of a dream come true," Brown said. "It means so much to me and my family.
"I want my mom to know that I'm thankful for all the years that she put in to help make it happen. We did it."
The 6-foot-5 guard from Williamsport, Md., had talked extensively with his parents and AAU coach about his future before making the 75-mile drive into the District, and that April afternoon with Christian and the staff, including an eye-opening stop at the School of Business, cemented his feelings about GW.
As the day wound down, Christian told Ball to take all the time he needed considering the scholarship offer. The recruit responded that he'd already made a decision, setting off an impromptu celebration right there in the coach's new office.
"I was ready," Ball said. "Coach Jamion's been awesome everywhere he's been. He's got so many tools around him, so many great coaches around him. The opportunity there is just so awesome that I didn't want to miss out on that."
Ball made his plans official this week, joined by a pair of fellow DMV products in center Noel Brown (Leesburg, Va.) and guard Tyler Brelsford (Ellicott City, Md.) in signing National Letter of Intents to join Christian's first full recruiting class with the Colonials. Since taking over at GW, Christian has now added seven local products to the Colonial roster that will compete for an A10 Championship in 2020-21.
The well-regarded trio sifted through their options before jumping at the chance to get in on the ground floor of Christian's blueprint for restoring the program to glory.
"I'm just grateful, to be honest," said Brown, a 6-foot-11 senior at Flint Hill School in Virginia whom Christian calls the region's best big man in this class. "Coach Jamion has a great head on his shoulders, just with his vision and how he perceives the opportunity he has as a coach. He sees it as more than just what we do as a team. He sees how he can impact the players and the community. Just being able to be a part of it is really exciting."
Christian didn't have to go far to find this group, prioritizing size, versatility and playmaking as well as the intangibles required for a seamless fit as the Colonials continue to build for the 2020-21 season and beyond.
"These are high-academic guys who really understand George Washington and want to be a part of what we're doing," Christian said. "We want to do a great job with these kind of guys, these kind of families. If we're able to do a great job with that, we're going to put together a great roster, no doubt about it. This is the first step to many strong recruiting classes behind it."
Christian's admiration for Ball's skillset dates back to his freshman season at Williamsport High School. Then at nearby Mount St. Mary's, the coach showed up at a regional playoff game to scout an older recruit and left with a mental note to keep tabs on the youngster who scored in double figures with a poise beyond his years.
Ball has blossomed into a force on both ends, averaging 18.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists as a junior in helping Williamsport reach the state quarterfinals. The guard pairs a deft shooting stroke with the size to create around the rim.
"He's a guy who was really a no-brainer for us," Christian said. "I think people will be amazed by how well he gets off the floor and how many plays he makes. We just felt like with the things that we do on the offensive end of the floor, that he really fits us perfectly."
For Ball, the feeling was mutual.
Beyond the connection to the coaches, he's excited to expand his horizons in the World's Most Powerful City while also staying close enough to his Western Maryland hometown for family and friends to see him play.
With his future decided, Ball has worked hard in recent months to get ready, choosing to bypass his senior season as Williamsport's starting quarterback to focus on the hardwood. He's been putting up 500 shots per day, added 20 pounds onto his lanky frame, and plunged into mobility drills to improve his defense.
"I won't back down from anyone," said Ball, who represented Mid-Atlantic Select on the AAU scene. "I know we're going to play some great teams and some great players. I want everyone to know that I'm going to go in there and compete and play hard for GW."
Standing 6-foot-4 with a wingspan about four inches longer, Brelsford is a dynamic guard who has been battle-tested playing against elite competition. He's the latest in a line of Division I guards to come out of Mount St. Joseph in Baltimore under the direction of coach Pat Clatchey.
Brelsford has paid his dues in the talent-rich MIAA A Conference program: He played on junior varsity as a freshman before serving as varsity sixth-man as a sophomore and then joining the starting lineup last winter. Now, he's poised to lead the Gaels in his final prep season.
"I just try to go into every situation and feel like I'm the best," Brelsford said. "No matter if I'm playing a guy that's ranked top-whatever, I always feel like I'm the best on the court.
"My high school coach (Clatchey), he always challenges us. He puts us through adversity. He's coached a lot of great guys, so we're always prepared, and I feel like he's going to have me prepared for the next level."
Christian believes that experience and playing high-level AAU ball with New World Basketball has helped Brelsford develop the tools needed to succeed in his backcourt. With continued development over his final prep season, he has the potential to help right away as he joins a decorated list of Colonials out Baltimore like Kwame Evans, Shawnta Rogers and Mike King.
"Tyler's exceptional in the pick-and-roll, which is so important in our program," Christian said. "For a high school guy, his ability to make passes off of it and score is just off the charts.
"I'm looking forward to coaching him because I think he can take our system to another level with his size and athleticism and his true understanding of it coming in here as a first-year."
Brelsford cited Christian's preferred style of play and track record for developing guards as factors that drew him to consider GW, but his choice to commit in May came down to relationships that go beyond the court.
After celebrating signing day with family and friends, Brelsford said he's excited to join the Colonial family and begin the next chapter of his career.
"To me, (signing day) shows that all the hard work didn't go unnoticed, and it's paying off, but this is just the start for me," Brelsford said. "I'm just going to continue to keep working, and I think the sky's the limit."
Brown has made a quick rise as a prospect thanks to his physical tools and blue-collar approach.
Although he grew up playing basketball in a church league, the 6-foot-11 center didn't get serious about the game until about three years ago when he joined his first AAU team.
Since then, Brown has buckled down with a year-round schedule and developed into a dominant presence down low. It's been a tough-yet-rewarding journey to get here.
"It clicked that the players who are good it's not just because they love the game, it's because they practice and make sacrifices for the game," Brown said. "That was the deciding moment for me. I wanted to make a sacrifice for basketball because I loved the sport, and I didn't want to stop playing it after high school."
Brown models his game after Serge Ibaka, seeking to maximize his rare combination of size and athleticism. He stands to be a weapon in the GW pick-and-roll because of that athleticism.
Christian had the chance to watch Brown closely over the summer at GW Team Camp with the Huskies and continued to track his development on the AAU circuit with District W.A.W.G. and into the fall. Every time the coach saw the athletic big man in action, it seemed he'd added to his skillset.
Christian is excited to soon have a hands-on role in helping Brown grow into his vast potential.
"Noel's will and his want-to to improve is just so special," Christian said. "He's got an excellent intelligence level for the game and also great compassion for his teammates. Those are all things we look for in our post guys.
"We wanted to make sure we filled our roster with a powerful big man that could go in and make plays, and we're going to have exactly that with him."
Playing alongside four-star recruit Qudus Wahab, Brown was a part of the area's most physically imposing frontcourt last winter in his first season at Flint Hill. With Wahab's graduation, he's taking on more responsibility to lead the Huskies and eager to showcase his continued improvement.
This fall, Brown has added workouts before school, drilling his offensive footwork, timing, and touch around the rim. He texts Christian frequently for advice about how to be a better leader for his teammates.
After putting pen to paper on his NLI, Brown is more excited than ever to take the next step in Buff and Blue.
"Honestly, it's surreal – like something out of a dream come true," Brown said. "It means so much to me and my family.
"I want my mom to know that I'm thankful for all the years that she put in to help make it happen. We did it."
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