George Washington University Athletics
'Be You'
11/27/2019 11:59:00 AM | Men's Basketball, My GW: Celebrating our Stories
Armel Potter excited to build on big weekend in the Bahamas
In the hours after last Sunday's 66-63 win over Milwaukee, Armel Potter took a moment to consider his situation.
The redshirt senior guard had provided the spark GW men's basketball needed to claim two victories in three games at the Bahamas Showcase, averaging 22.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.6 assists. He'd reached 1,000 career points by scoring 25 on Saturday vs. Evansville before capping the weekend with a 22-point effort in which he played all 40 minutes.
With the hard work complete, Potter savored a well-deserved break, making sure to appreciate the rare chance to relax with his teammates in the luxury Caribbean resort surrounded by palm trees, blue seas, and white-sand beach.
"It doesn't get better than that," Potter said.
Indeed, Potter's stay in paradise was a smashing success.
The superb run was a testament to the New York native's mental fortitude and continued progression within head coach Jamion Christian's system.
After playing sparingly over GW's first four games of the season, Potter has made the most of his opportunity to seize a role in the backcourt. He earned the right to have the ball in his hands in crunch time before delivering in Sunday's finale by hitting seven of eight free throws in the final 36 seconds of a three-point win.
"It was just my faith," Potter said. "It was a lot of praying and a lot of positivity. I tried to stay away from negative thoughts and stay the course."
Christian believed a breakthrough was coming.
Potter was among GW's most consistent offensive players throughout the offseason, particularly with his outside shooting. He'd dropped 36 points in an intrasquad scrimmage just before the season opener.
The tools – namely, impressive quickness off the dribble and a knack for making the right play once in the lane – were there. It was just a matter of letting it show.
One key piece of the progress puzzle: About a month ago, Christian challenged Potter to make 150 3-pointers on his own every day. He has faithfully stuck by that plan, usually recruiting a teammate or a manager to stick around with him after practice and regularly going well beyond the prescribed amount.
Another: Christian wanted Potter to play more freely. The first-year coach started giving the veteran guard a daily reminder.
"I just want him to be him," Christian said. "He's a guy that everyone on our team likes being around. He's funny. He's got a good sense of humor. I want him to play that way – to be himself. Every day I say to him, 'I'm glad you're here. Be you.'"
What does that mean to Potter?
"Just hooping," he said with a grin. "I've got to trust my instincts and believe that I'm going to make the right play. I think I've put in the work for this, so I'm just going to go out there and play."
Potter put that mindset on full display in the Bahamas. He started the weekend by scoring 20 points in 23 minutes off the bench on Friday vs. Kansas City.
The next day, Potter's 25 points were a career-best in Buff and Blue and three off his personal mark set as a first-year at Charleston Southern in March 2016. He reached the 1,000-point mark in style, hitting a driving scoop with 3:23 remaining to extend GW's lead in a tight contest.
Potter only found out about that part in the postgame locker room when Christian informed the group. At the news, the rest of the Colonials rushed to swarm him in celebration.
"I did not know I was even close," said Potter, who has scored 243 points over 34 games as a Colonial. "I was like 'Oh, wow!' when I found out, but I'm beyond blessed to be able to do that. Not many people can say they reached 1,000 points in college. I'm just grateful and blessed, to be honest."
Potter's reward was his first start of the season. He responded with a stat-stuffing line of 22 points, seven assists and seven rebounds in the win over Milwaukee to help the Colonials secure a fifth-place finish in the event.
There was a moment early in that one that summed up Potter being Potter to his roommate Luke Sasser. The guard got to the basket for a layup that rimmed out, followed his miss for another chance in traffic and then stuck with it for a tip-in on the third try. It wasn't exactly pretty, but he worked hard and got the job done.
"It was great to see him finally play like that," Sasser said. "Because the whole team knows what he's capable of, and the coaching staff's been building his confidence up to show what he can do out there."
Christian is excited about Potter's continued development. The coach places a heavy responsibility on his guards, challenging them to balance scoring and creating for others. He believes the guard will only keep getting better as he gets more comfortable in the offense.
"I think the biggest thing with him is that he's in a place right now where we can help him move towards being the best player that he can be," Christian said. "He's shown glimpses of it, but I think there's so much more there."
Potter agreed. He takes his role as a veteran on a youthful squad seriously. His poised play in the Bahamas helped the Colonials reverse an early-season trend and close out a couple of narrow wins.
As GW gets ready for Sunday's test at South Carolina, he's excited to do his part in the group's continued development under Christian.
"Right now, we have a lot of confidence," Potter said. "This is a big week of practice for us. We've got to continue to work hard in practice and apply it to the games. Just keep getting better all the time."
