George Washington University Athletics
Meeting the Moment
1/11/2021 6:45:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Bishop and Battle continue to produce for men's basketball
A brief holiday break arrived at the right time for GW men's basketball.
Following a narrow defeat vs. Charlotte to close out the non-conference slate Dec. 22, the Buff and Blue enjoyed three days away from the court to relax and recharge.
For James Bishop, it was a chance to head home to his native Baltimore for the first time in months to savor some much-appreciated family time and a few helpings of his mother's famous mac and cheese.
"I think the whole team needed that refresher," Bishop said. "It gave everybody time to wind down, think about what we all needed to do to come together and put together a good A-10 run."
Indeed, GW has made the most of that reset, playing its best basketball of the season to earn its first 2-1 start to conference play in five years behind the strong play of Bishop and Jamison Battle.
Bishop averaged 20.0 points and 5.0 assists in that stretch, highlighted by a game-winning 3-pointer last time out in a 75-73 victory over Duquesne, while Battle was named the conference Player of the Week in recognition of averaging 23.3 points and 5.0 rebounds over the first three contests after welcoming his mother Darcy to the nation's capital to celebrate the holiday.
Those sparkling stat lines following a slight roster reshuffle are a testament to the pair's continued growth into featured roles.
Together, Bishop and Battle make up the A-10's highest scoring duo this season at a combined 38.1 points per game, nearly three points better than second-place Jalen Crutcher and Ibi Watson of Dayton (35.5).
With the talented sophomores leading the way, the Buff and Blue aim to build on that momentum following back-to-back postponements as they enter a challenging week that brings VCU (Wednesday) and Dayton (Sunday) to the Charles E. Smith Center.
"We just believe in those guys so much," Head Coach Jamion Christian said. "They both put the work in, and because they put the work in every day and they have a great mindset about trying to improve, you feel like they have the ability to meet the moment."
For Bishop, it's meant learning a new position.
An accomplished scorer during his prep and AAU career thanks to a potent jumper and an array of crafty moves around the rim, the Charm City native has taken on the challenge of becoming a distributor in Christian's attack following his transfer from LSU.
The continued COVID-19 pandemic eliminated important summer practice time, but since August, he's honed his craft day-by-day, crunching the film with Christian and assistant coach Graham Bousley to better understand the reads required in the offense.
At the beginning, Bishop particularly struggled hitting the roll pass on the screen and roll, but he finally got the hang of the angle and touch required by drilling it time and again.
Every step of the way, Bishop has been lifted by Christian's trust to run the show.
"It means everything," said Bishop, who ranks second in the conference at 19.7 points and 6.1 assists per game. "When your head coach is believing in you almost the same as you believe in yourself, it makes the game a lot easier. It gives you the confidence to go out there and try to make big plays and take chances and just be the leader of the team."
Bishop has rewarded that confidence with consistent production, netting at least 20 points in eight of 10 games and at least five assists nine times.
In a short time, he's secured a spot among the A-10's top point guards, and Christian is eager to see how he continues to develop with more time to grow.
"A large part of this year he's been learning how to pass," Christian said. "At some point here, he's going to really show the world how he can score. I think he's scoring at a high level right now, but in some regard, he's passing before scoring, and I think he's going to really learn how to do both here pretty soon and it's going to be really scary."
Bishop displayed that ability with his game-winner vs. the Dukes, swishing through a fallaway 3-ball off an in-bounds play with 13 seconds remaining. After a timeout, the Colonials got the stop they needed on the other end to claim the victory and flip the script on a series of close calls in non-conference play.
Bishop was glad to have the ball in his hand in that spot once again with the chance to show what he's learned from the earlier failed final possessions.
"I think it's just taught us the importance of execution," Bishop said. "Leading down the stretch, we've got to be able to take what Coach puts on the board and get it onto the court. I think that's the biggest thing. When you get into those positions, it's about making the right decision, knowing when to shoot, knowing when to pass, knowing time and score, all of those different things."
Battle, meantime, put the Buff and Blue in position to beat the Dukes with his career-high 29-point effort that showcased his increasingly well-rounded skillset.
Last season, the 6-foot-7 forward burst onto the scene with an All-Rookie campaign highlighted by a GW-record 89 3-pointers, but a majority of his scoring came via catch-and-shoot deep balls.
Training at home in Minnesota in the offseason amid the pandemic, Battle set to work to become more of an all-around threat.
With the help of a personal trainer and an assist from his sister Amaya as a workout partner, he dropped 15 pounds while refining his game.
"I knew that my role was going to change," Battle said. "I knew that I had to use the spring and summer during quarantine to get better if I wanted to be ready to succeed doing everything Coach was expecting from me."
The proof is on the stat sheet: As a sophomore, Battle has increased his scoring from 11.6 to 17.3 points per game while upping his field goal percentage from 39.9 percent to 47.8.
And via the eye test: His defensive improvements have made just as big of a difference for this new-look squad.
"He got the Player of the Week award because of his point total, but defensively, he was outstanding for us the way he was guarding and rebounding," Christian said. "I thought it was really his best week as far as playing both ends of the floor. I think he's just kind of scratching the surface as he's learning how good of a player he can be."
Battle's newfound versatility allows Christian to get more creative with the offensive gameplan, and his budding chemistry with Bishop makes him optimistic about the future for the group.
"He just knows how to play," Battle said of the other left-handed JB on the roster. "It brings us confidence as a team. It brings me confidence as a player, as someone who he's passing to. It brings me confidence that he trusts me to hit those shots, as well."
To be sure, both Bishop and Battle have proven plenty capable of knocking down shots. They've combined to score 130 of the team's 209 points in conference play so far (62.2 percent).
Add in Matt Moyer's stat-stuffing excellence and some timely contributions from the rest, plus improved team defense, and the Buff and Blue seem to have hit on a formula for success at the right time.
"We have a lot of trust in our team, and we're building trust as we speak," Battle said. "Connectivity is a big thing that Coach preaches, being connected with each other and knowing your role and accepting your role.
"I think that everyone is starting to figure out what their role is. Everyone believes in each other. I think that's the biggest thing – the belief in each other. Everyone believes in me. Everyone believes in Bishop. Everyone believes in everyone."
Following a narrow defeat vs. Charlotte to close out the non-conference slate Dec. 22, the Buff and Blue enjoyed three days away from the court to relax and recharge.
For James Bishop, it was a chance to head home to his native Baltimore for the first time in months to savor some much-appreciated family time and a few helpings of his mother's famous mac and cheese.
"I think the whole team needed that refresher," Bishop said. "It gave everybody time to wind down, think about what we all needed to do to come together and put together a good A-10 run."
Indeed, GW has made the most of that reset, playing its best basketball of the season to earn its first 2-1 start to conference play in five years behind the strong play of Bishop and Jamison Battle.
Bishop averaged 20.0 points and 5.0 assists in that stretch, highlighted by a game-winning 3-pointer last time out in a 75-73 victory over Duquesne, while Battle was named the conference Player of the Week in recognition of averaging 23.3 points and 5.0 rebounds over the first three contests after welcoming his mother Darcy to the nation's capital to celebrate the holiday.
Those sparkling stat lines following a slight roster reshuffle are a testament to the pair's continued growth into featured roles.
Together, Bishop and Battle make up the A-10's highest scoring duo this season at a combined 38.1 points per game, nearly three points better than second-place Jalen Crutcher and Ibi Watson of Dayton (35.5).
With the talented sophomores leading the way, the Buff and Blue aim to build on that momentum following back-to-back postponements as they enter a challenging week that brings VCU (Wednesday) and Dayton (Sunday) to the Charles E. Smith Center.
"We just believe in those guys so much," Head Coach Jamion Christian said. "They both put the work in, and because they put the work in every day and they have a great mindset about trying to improve, you feel like they have the ability to meet the moment."
For Bishop, it's meant learning a new position.
An accomplished scorer during his prep and AAU career thanks to a potent jumper and an array of crafty moves around the rim, the Charm City native has taken on the challenge of becoming a distributor in Christian's attack following his transfer from LSU.
The continued COVID-19 pandemic eliminated important summer practice time, but since August, he's honed his craft day-by-day, crunching the film with Christian and assistant coach Graham Bousley to better understand the reads required in the offense.
At the beginning, Bishop particularly struggled hitting the roll pass on the screen and roll, but he finally got the hang of the angle and touch required by drilling it time and again.
Every step of the way, Bishop has been lifted by Christian's trust to run the show.
"It means everything," said Bishop, who ranks second in the conference at 19.7 points and 6.1 assists per game. "When your head coach is believing in you almost the same as you believe in yourself, it makes the game a lot easier. It gives you the confidence to go out there and try to make big plays and take chances and just be the leader of the team."
Bishop has rewarded that confidence with consistent production, netting at least 20 points in eight of 10 games and at least five assists nine times.
In a short time, he's secured a spot among the A-10's top point guards, and Christian is eager to see how he continues to develop with more time to grow.
"A large part of this year he's been learning how to pass," Christian said. "At some point here, he's going to really show the world how he can score. I think he's scoring at a high level right now, but in some regard, he's passing before scoring, and I think he's going to really learn how to do both here pretty soon and it's going to be really scary."
Bishop displayed that ability with his game-winner vs. the Dukes, swishing through a fallaway 3-ball off an in-bounds play with 13 seconds remaining. After a timeout, the Colonials got the stop they needed on the other end to claim the victory and flip the script on a series of close calls in non-conference play.
Bishop was glad to have the ball in his hand in that spot once again with the chance to show what he's learned from the earlier failed final possessions.
"I think it's just taught us the importance of execution," Bishop said. "Leading down the stretch, we've got to be able to take what Coach puts on the board and get it onto the court. I think that's the biggest thing. When you get into those positions, it's about making the right decision, knowing when to shoot, knowing when to pass, knowing time and score, all of those different things."
Battle, meantime, put the Buff and Blue in position to beat the Dukes with his career-high 29-point effort that showcased his increasingly well-rounded skillset.
Last season, the 6-foot-7 forward burst onto the scene with an All-Rookie campaign highlighted by a GW-record 89 3-pointers, but a majority of his scoring came via catch-and-shoot deep balls.
Training at home in Minnesota in the offseason amid the pandemic, Battle set to work to become more of an all-around threat.
With the help of a personal trainer and an assist from his sister Amaya as a workout partner, he dropped 15 pounds while refining his game.
"I knew that my role was going to change," Battle said. "I knew that I had to use the spring and summer during quarantine to get better if I wanted to be ready to succeed doing everything Coach was expecting from me."
The proof is on the stat sheet: As a sophomore, Battle has increased his scoring from 11.6 to 17.3 points per game while upping his field goal percentage from 39.9 percent to 47.8.
And via the eye test: His defensive improvements have made just as big of a difference for this new-look squad.
"He got the Player of the Week award because of his point total, but defensively, he was outstanding for us the way he was guarding and rebounding," Christian said. "I thought it was really his best week as far as playing both ends of the floor. I think he's just kind of scratching the surface as he's learning how good of a player he can be."
Battle's newfound versatility allows Christian to get more creative with the offensive gameplan, and his budding chemistry with Bishop makes him optimistic about the future for the group.
"He just knows how to play," Battle said of the other left-handed JB on the roster. "It brings us confidence as a team. It brings me confidence as a player, as someone who he's passing to. It brings me confidence that he trusts me to hit those shots, as well."
To be sure, both Bishop and Battle have proven plenty capable of knocking down shots. They've combined to score 130 of the team's 209 points in conference play so far (62.2 percent).
Add in Matt Moyer's stat-stuffing excellence and some timely contributions from the rest, plus improved team defense, and the Buff and Blue seem to have hit on a formula for success at the right time.
"We have a lot of trust in our team, and we're building trust as we speak," Battle said. "Connectivity is a big thing that Coach preaches, being connected with each other and knowing your role and accepting your role.
"I think that everyone is starting to figure out what their role is. Everyone believes in each other. I think that's the biggest thing – the belief in each other. Everyone believes in me. Everyone believes in Bishop. Everyone believes in everyone."
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