George Washington University Athletics
Wednesday, December 30
Bronx, NY
1 p.m.
George Washington University
at
Fordham
Making Mayhem
12/29/2020 11:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Men's basketball aims to learn from its mistakes
Back in August, Head Coach Jamion Christian leaned on a clip from The Dark Knight Rises to make a point to his GW men's basketball squad.
In the film, Christian Bale's Bruce Wayne tries again and again to escape the underground prison where he's being held captive. It's only after those failures that Batman's alter ego takes on the challenge without a rope and finally summons the strength to complete the harrowing climb out of the pit.
There would be tough moments ahead, Christian told his group, and like the Caped Crusader, the Buff and Blue would ultimately be stronger for it.
"When you're in the pit, that's when you really have to dig deep into who you are," Christian said. "That's when you find out your character. That's when you find out how hard you're going to work. That's when you need to find who you're going to be."
Christian has harkened back to this lesson from the team's leadership enhancement plan often early this season.
Especially after missing out on valuable time together over the summer due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the veteran head coach expected this new-look group to need time to grow into their roles and learn to play together, and there have indeed been trying moments over seven non-conference games.
As a fresh start arrives with Atlantic 10 play beginning Wednesday at Fordham, the Buff and Blue aim to use their experiences so far – what's worked and what didn't – to keep building toward a bright future.
"It's an important time for us," Christian said, just before the non-conference finale vs. Charlotte. "We're not going to forget the mistakes we've made. We're going to have great awareness of the mistakes we've made. We're going to acknowledge where we are and own where we are. And that's going to allow us to be able to gain all the knowledge we need to really be successful as we move forward."
The non-conference slate provided unmistakable flashes of Christian's vision of MAYHEM.
There was the energetic second-half comeback at UMBC that showcased the defensive intensity that Christian wants night-in and night-out. The Colonials made offense look easy in a dominant first-half vs. William & Mary in which they rolled up 46 points on 20-of-37 shooting with nine assists vs. one turnover.
Last week vs. the 49ers at Smith Center, they put it all together in an explosive late-game burst that turned a nine-point deficit into a one-point lead in less than three minutes of action.
"I think we've had these great points where we have such great connectivity that it overwhelms our opponent," Christian said. "We're just not at the place right now where we're putting it together for 40 minutes."
The Colonials will keep working toward that goal, trying to maximize their time together in film study and on the practice court.
Many of the mistakes right now are more mental and emotional than physical right now, Christian said.
Quite simply, the coach wants the love and camaraderie that this group has built off the court to show through between the lines. He's challenged them to hold each other accountable as they continue to develop their on-court chemistry.
"The things we're showing on film I think people would probably be surprised about," Christian said. "You might think it's all about, 'Oh, we didn't make this pass or make that play.' There is definitely some of that, but it's more about body language and emotional things that are not allowing us to be at our best. We're striving to be at our best when our best is required, and we're just short right now."
Despite the challenges, there are reasons for optimism, especially on the offensive end.
James Bishop has led the charge for an attack averaging 75.6 points per game, up 10 points from a year ago.
The LSU transfer has showcased the tools to be one of the A-10's top point guards, hitting the 20-point mark in six of seven outings while averaging 6.6 assists per contest to rank third in the conference.
Jamison Battle has taken every piece of his game to the next level coming off an All-Rookie campaign, while Matt Moyer is getting to showcase a mix of size and skill that few in the A-10 can match.
The addition of rookie Lincoln Ball to the starting lineup vs. Charlotte, as well as the spark off the bench from Hunter Dean in his Buff and Blue debut, provided encouraging signs at the end of non-conference play.
With 18 A-10 games coming and the conference championship after that, they will find plenty more opportunities for growth, taking on the ups and downs together in this unprecedented season. Just like Christian told them back in the summer after they watched Bruce Wayne make his great escape.
"Going through the pit is where it all happens," Christian said. "Everybody wants success but no one wants to go through the pit. And it just doesn't work that way."
In the film, Christian Bale's Bruce Wayne tries again and again to escape the underground prison where he's being held captive. It's only after those failures that Batman's alter ego takes on the challenge without a rope and finally summons the strength to complete the harrowing climb out of the pit.
There would be tough moments ahead, Christian told his group, and like the Caped Crusader, the Buff and Blue would ultimately be stronger for it.
"When you're in the pit, that's when you really have to dig deep into who you are," Christian said. "That's when you find out your character. That's when you find out how hard you're going to work. That's when you need to find who you're going to be."
Christian has harkened back to this lesson from the team's leadership enhancement plan often early this season.
Especially after missing out on valuable time together over the summer due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the veteran head coach expected this new-look group to need time to grow into their roles and learn to play together, and there have indeed been trying moments over seven non-conference games.
As a fresh start arrives with Atlantic 10 play beginning Wednesday at Fordham, the Buff and Blue aim to use their experiences so far – what's worked and what didn't – to keep building toward a bright future.
"It's an important time for us," Christian said, just before the non-conference finale vs. Charlotte. "We're not going to forget the mistakes we've made. We're going to have great awareness of the mistakes we've made. We're going to acknowledge where we are and own where we are. And that's going to allow us to be able to gain all the knowledge we need to really be successful as we move forward."
The non-conference slate provided unmistakable flashes of Christian's vision of MAYHEM.
There was the energetic second-half comeback at UMBC that showcased the defensive intensity that Christian wants night-in and night-out. The Colonials made offense look easy in a dominant first-half vs. William & Mary in which they rolled up 46 points on 20-of-37 shooting with nine assists vs. one turnover.
Last week vs. the 49ers at Smith Center, they put it all together in an explosive late-game burst that turned a nine-point deficit into a one-point lead in less than three minutes of action.
"I think we've had these great points where we have such great connectivity that it overwhelms our opponent," Christian said. "We're just not at the place right now where we're putting it together for 40 minutes."
The Colonials will keep working toward that goal, trying to maximize their time together in film study and on the practice court.
Many of the mistakes right now are more mental and emotional than physical right now, Christian said.
Quite simply, the coach wants the love and camaraderie that this group has built off the court to show through between the lines. He's challenged them to hold each other accountable as they continue to develop their on-court chemistry.
"The things we're showing on film I think people would probably be surprised about," Christian said. "You might think it's all about, 'Oh, we didn't make this pass or make that play.' There is definitely some of that, but it's more about body language and emotional things that are not allowing us to be at our best. We're striving to be at our best when our best is required, and we're just short right now."
Despite the challenges, there are reasons for optimism, especially on the offensive end.
James Bishop has led the charge for an attack averaging 75.6 points per game, up 10 points from a year ago.
The LSU transfer has showcased the tools to be one of the A-10's top point guards, hitting the 20-point mark in six of seven outings while averaging 6.6 assists per contest to rank third in the conference.
Jamison Battle has taken every piece of his game to the next level coming off an All-Rookie campaign, while Matt Moyer is getting to showcase a mix of size and skill that few in the A-10 can match.
The addition of rookie Lincoln Ball to the starting lineup vs. Charlotte, as well as the spark off the bench from Hunter Dean in his Buff and Blue debut, provided encouraging signs at the end of non-conference play.
With 18 A-10 games coming and the conference championship after that, they will find plenty more opportunities for growth, taking on the ups and downs together in this unprecedented season. Just like Christian told them back in the summer after they watched Bruce Wayne make his great escape.
"Going through the pit is where it all happens," Christian said. "Everybody wants success but no one wants to go through the pit. And it just doesn't work that way."
Players Mentioned
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