George Washington University Athletics
Battle-Tested
12/23/2019 2:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
First-year continues to learn on the fly with GW men's basketball
With the shot clock dwindling, Jamison Battle had to make something happen.
The GW sharpshooter didn't have enough room to hoist a 3-pointer with6 -foot-11 Robert Baker of Harvard playing him close, so he pump -faked and took three hard dribbles to create some space before lofting a high-arching fadeaway along the baseline.
To the Smith Center crowd's delight and Baker's disbelief, the shot splashed through the net, beating the buzzer for two hard-earned points.
The highlight-reel moment late in the first half of last Saturday's entertaining battle vs. the Crimson offered a sure sign of Battle's continued offensive growth.
The first-year from Minnesota matched his career high with 18 points in the contest, showcasing familiar long-range marksmanship but also flashing an aggressive attitude and explosiveness that hint at his potential as an all-around scorer.
"He's a guythat we've been giving a lot to," head coach Jamion Christian said afterward. "He's more than just a shooter. He's a guy that can make plays for our team, and we're just trying to put him in a ton of positions to do that."
Battle arrived in Foggy Bottom ready to help with an intriguing combination of size and skill, and the 6-foot-7 forward has appreciated the chance to learn on the fly in the early going.
Battle has takenadvantage in averaging 12.0 points and 5.3 rebounds in a team-high 34.8 minutes per game while establishing himself among the Atlantic 10's premier outside shooters. He aims to continue that progression, heading into Saturday's home non-conference finale vs. Longwood.
"I think I'm still figuring it out," Battle said. "Every game is a different game, so I'm just trying to keep learning, keep growing. You've got to embrace the learning curve, and I think that's what I'm doing."
The scouting report on Battle has to start with his outside shooting. He's hit at least one 3-pointer in all 11 games, and 36 of his 44 field goals this season have been triples. His 3.3 3-pointers per gameare tied with VMI's Kamdyn Curfman for most among first-years nationally.
For all that success, Battleactually sees room to grow. Early in the season, he saw on film that his mechanics weren't consistent enough. He wasn't finishing shots the way he'd been taught , and he was missing too many open looks.
Lately, he'smade extra effort to land on balance and hold his follow-through, and he's felt better about the results.
"If I do those things, I feel like I can make the shot," Battle said. "I think it's just about confidence level now. I'm just going to keep shooting and keep working at it."
With his performance last Saturday, Battle served notice that his offense doesn't end there, though.
When the Crimson pressured him on the perimeter, he was able to put the ball on the floor and create in other ways. In addition to his four 3-pointers, he hit a pair of tough jumpers off the dribble and also earned a trip to the free throw line on a drive to the hoop.
It's a part of his game that he's eager to show off more moving forward.
"I think if I shoot the ball well, it's going to open up other points of my game," Battle said. "It's going to open up others, open up the team.
"If I shoot it, I can drive, kick and do all the other things. I think if I do that, it's going to help the team get to a place we're really excited about."
As he continues to improve, Battle has earned Christian's trust to play through his mistakes.
Battle stayed on the floor all 40 minutes last Saturday, the third time in five games he's gone the distance. It's a tall order for a newcomer still adjusting to the rigors of college basketball, but he's managed to hold up well amid a flurry of new experiences.
He was honored as A-10 Rookie of the Week after the Bahamas Showcase and then followed up by hitting a career-high six 3-pointers at South Carolina on Dec. 1.
Recently, Battle made a clutch 3-pointer as part of the epic comeback vs. Boston University, and he chipped in a layup and an assist as part of game-closing run to pull away from Delaware.
On Saturday, Christian stuck him with a tough defensive matchup vs. the taller and more experienced Baker, and the coach was pleased with the way Battle took on the challenge.
"He's just such a winner," Christian said. "He has such a winning mentality. All year long, he's done everything we need him to do."
As he prepares for his first run through the Atlantic 10, Battle is exactly where he wants to be.
The youngster is excited about all he's learned already and grateful that he's been empowered to keep pushing for more since the day Christian took over the program last March.
"That's something Coach Christian said to me in recruiting," Battle said. "I could've re-opened my recruitment, I could've gone somewhere else, but I realized that he believed in me, and he believed in this program.
"I think this program can go somewhere very special, and I think the belief he has in me is something I'm probably not going to get at any other university in America."
The GW sharpshooter didn't have enough room to hoist a 3-pointer with
To the Smith Center crowd's delight and Baker's disbelief, the shot splashed through the net, beating the buzzer for two hard-earned points.
The highlight-reel moment late in the first half of last Saturday's entertaining battle vs. the Crimson offered a sure sign of Battle's continued offensive growth.
The first-year from Minnesota matched his career high with 18 points in the contest, showcasing familiar long-range marksmanship but also flashing an aggressive attitude and explosiveness that hint at his potential as an all-around scorer.
"He's a guy
Battle arrived in Foggy Bottom ready to help with an intriguing combination of size and skill, and the 6-foot-7 forward has appreciated the chance to learn on the fly in the early going.
Battle has taken
"I think I'm still figuring it out," Battle said. "Every game is a different game, so I'm just trying to keep learning, keep growing. You've got to embrace the learning curve, and I think that's what I'm doing."
The scouting report on Battle has to start with his outside shooting. He's hit at least one 3-pointer in all 11 games, and 36 of his 44 field goals this season have been triples. His 3.3 3-pointers per game
For all that success, Battle
Lately, he's
"If I do those things, I feel like I can make the shot," Battle said. "I think it's just about confidence level now. I'm just going to keep shooting and keep working at it."
With his performance last Saturday, Battle served notice that his offense doesn't end there, though.
When the Crimson pressured him on the perimeter, he was able to put the ball on the floor and create in other ways. In addition to his four 3-pointers, he hit a pair of tough jumpers off the dribble and also earned a trip to the free throw line on a drive to the hoop.
It's a part of his game that he's eager to show off more moving forward.
"I think if I shoot the ball well, it's going to open up other points of my game," Battle said. "It's going to open up others, open up the team.
"If I shoot it, I can drive, kick and do all the other things. I think if I do that, it's going to help the team get to a place we're really excited about."
As he continues to improve, Battle has earned Christian's trust to play through his mistakes.
Battle stayed on the floor all 40 minutes last Saturday, the third time in five games he's gone the distance. It's a tall order for a newcomer still adjusting to the rigors of college basketball, but he's managed to hold up well amid a flurry of new experiences.
He was honored as A-10 Rookie of the Week after the Bahamas Showcase and then followed up by hitting a career-high six 3-pointers at South Carolina on Dec. 1.
Recently, Battle made a clutch 3-pointer as part of the epic comeback vs. Boston University, and he chipped in a layup and an assist as part of game-closing run to pull away from Delaware.
On Saturday, Christian stuck him with a tough defensive matchup vs. the taller and more experienced Baker, and the coach was pleased with the way Battle took on the challenge.
"He's just such a winner," Christian said. "He has such a winning mentality. All year long, he's done everything we need him to do."
As he prepares for his first run through the Atlantic 10, Battle is exactly where he wants to be.
The youngster is excited about all he's learned already and grateful that he's been empowered to keep pushing for more since the day Christian took over the program last March.
"That's something Coach Christian said to me in recruiting," Battle said. "I could've re-opened my recruitment, I could've gone somewhere else, but I realized that he believed in me, and he believed in this program.
"I think this program can go somewhere very special, and I think the belief he has in me is something I'm probably not going to get at any other university in America."
Players Mentioned
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