'You Gotta Love It'
2/22/2021 4:42:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Men's basketball makes spirited return to court
On the Smith Center court, GW men's basketball was locked into a key defensive possession late in Sunday's contest vs. Rhode Island, everyone working together to keep one of the Atlantic 10's most physical squads from getting a quality look.
On the team's socially distanced bench, the rest of the Buff and Blue were seemingly just as engaged. Brandon Leftwich, on his feet and tense with anticipation, raised his voice above the rest, imploring his teammates with all his might to remember the key to superior team defense.
"YOU GOTTA LOVE IT! YOU GOTTA LOVE IT!"
Against the odds, GW, in its first game action in 35 days following a pause due to COVID-19 protocols, found the closing kick to blow past the Rams for a 78-70 victory.
With just seven recruited scholarship student-athletes available, James Bishop, Jamison Battle and Ricky Lindo Jr. led the way, combining for 65 points on 23-of-37 shooting.
Ultimately, it took all five guys on the court and then some for the Buff and Blue to summon the inspired 15-2 game-ending burst that secured a memorable victory.
"I know I'm tired right now, but I think it was just all our energy," said Battle after scoring 26 points in 38 minutes. "I think the bench brought energy. The guys who weren't playing brought energy. I think it was the energy of the collective group, the coaches, too. They were all locked in as one unit and brought us energy."
It was hard for Head Coach Jamion Christian to know what to expect from his group Sunday after such a trying stretch during an unprecedented season.
Amid return-to-play protocols, the Buff and Blue had resumed preparations for game action best they could, with varying numbers day-to-day limiting what they could do. The coach said in those recent sessions they leaned into fundamentals, simplified their offensive concepts and genuinely, appreciated the chance to be back on the court together.
Sunday's results, from the offense's 1.22 points per possession to the contributions from across the available lineup to the spirited finish, reflected the success of that approach.
"Their energy today was special – it's been special all week, really," Christian said. "I was just happy we were able to come back here and stay locked into the process of what it takes to be a good team.
"Obviously, our conditioning is on a different level than maybe Rhode Island's was, but we were able to find enough inside of us today, and as a unit, to really dig deep and really close the game out strong."
GW's fantastic final minutes were a testament to the group's execution on both ends.
The Buff and Blue trailed by as many as eight points after halftime, and the URI lead was 68-63 when Ishmael Leggett answered a 3-pointer by Bishop with 4:30 to go.
From there, GW was nearly flawless, boosted by the encouragement of Leftwich and the home bench in the otherwise empty arena.
"In the huddles, everybody stayed focused," said Lindo, who posted 11 points and 10 rebounds over 36 minutes. "We made sure we kept our eyes on the prize."
Offensively, GW found success down the stretch running its offense through Lindo. That approach helped Bishop and Battle find more room to operate, and first-year big man Noel Brown provided an offensive boost with three of his career-high eight points in the final 3:29.
Stretching back to the 9:24 mark, the Buff and Blue scored on eight of their final 10 possessions, including a trio of 3-pointers, before the Rams started fouling in the final minute.
Bishop, Battle and Leftwich ensured a drama-free ending, combining to hit 7-of-8 free throws to seal a win in the team's home finale.
"I was just really encouraged with how well these guys were able to translate our practice tape into our game action today," Christian said. "I'm not sure we've closed a game out like that in our time here."
On the defensive end, GW played its best when it mattered most vs. the Rams, forcing tough shots and clearing the boards in crunch time.
After Leggett's long ball, URI missed its next six shots, plus the front end of a 1-and-1 opportunity, across six straight empty possessions as the Buff and Blue seized control.
"I think defensively we've still got a ways to go, but I just loved how connected we played today," Christian said. "I thought that was really important for us."
With trips to George Mason and St. Bonaventure coming this week before the A-10 Championship, Christian joked that he's adopting an "all gas, no brakes" philosophy for this season-ending sprint. That likely means a continued heavy workload for Bishop, Battle and Lindo and plenty of opportunities for the rest of the lineup to step up and make an impact.
Together, the Buff and Blue provided a strong indication that they're up for the challenge with their energized play – and their equally inspired support for one another – from start to finish vs. the Rams.
"It felt great," said Bishop, whose career-high 28-point performance pushed his A-10 leading scoring average to 20.5 points per game. "We've been talking about this for a while, everybody wanting to get back on the court and just get to playing again. We were super-excited."
On the team's socially distanced bench, the rest of the Buff and Blue were seemingly just as engaged. Brandon Leftwich, on his feet and tense with anticipation, raised his voice above the rest, imploring his teammates with all his might to remember the key to superior team defense.
"YOU GOTTA LOVE IT! YOU GOTTA LOVE IT!"
Against the odds, GW, in its first game action in 35 days following a pause due to COVID-19 protocols, found the closing kick to blow past the Rams for a 78-70 victory.
With just seven recruited scholarship student-athletes available, James Bishop, Jamison Battle and Ricky Lindo Jr. led the way, combining for 65 points on 23-of-37 shooting.
Ultimately, it took all five guys on the court and then some for the Buff and Blue to summon the inspired 15-2 game-ending burst that secured a memorable victory.
"I know I'm tired right now, but I think it was just all our energy," said Battle after scoring 26 points in 38 minutes. "I think the bench brought energy. The guys who weren't playing brought energy. I think it was the energy of the collective group, the coaches, too. They were all locked in as one unit and brought us energy."
It was hard for Head Coach Jamion Christian to know what to expect from his group Sunday after such a trying stretch during an unprecedented season.
Amid return-to-play protocols, the Buff and Blue had resumed preparations for game action best they could, with varying numbers day-to-day limiting what they could do. The coach said in those recent sessions they leaned into fundamentals, simplified their offensive concepts and genuinely, appreciated the chance to be back on the court together.
Sunday's results, from the offense's 1.22 points per possession to the contributions from across the available lineup to the spirited finish, reflected the success of that approach.
"Their energy today was special – it's been special all week, really," Christian said. "I was just happy we were able to come back here and stay locked into the process of what it takes to be a good team.
"Obviously, our conditioning is on a different level than maybe Rhode Island's was, but we were able to find enough inside of us today, and as a unit, to really dig deep and really close the game out strong."
GW's fantastic final minutes were a testament to the group's execution on both ends.
The Buff and Blue trailed by as many as eight points after halftime, and the URI lead was 68-63 when Ishmael Leggett answered a 3-pointer by Bishop with 4:30 to go.
From there, GW was nearly flawless, boosted by the encouragement of Leftwich and the home bench in the otherwise empty arena.
"In the huddles, everybody stayed focused," said Lindo, who posted 11 points and 10 rebounds over 36 minutes. "We made sure we kept our eyes on the prize."
Offensively, GW found success down the stretch running its offense through Lindo. That approach helped Bishop and Battle find more room to operate, and first-year big man Noel Brown provided an offensive boost with three of his career-high eight points in the final 3:29.
Stretching back to the 9:24 mark, the Buff and Blue scored on eight of their final 10 possessions, including a trio of 3-pointers, before the Rams started fouling in the final minute.
Bishop, Battle and Leftwich ensured a drama-free ending, combining to hit 7-of-8 free throws to seal a win in the team's home finale.
"I was just really encouraged with how well these guys were able to translate our practice tape into our game action today," Christian said. "I'm not sure we've closed a game out like that in our time here."
On the defensive end, GW played its best when it mattered most vs. the Rams, forcing tough shots and clearing the boards in crunch time.
After Leggett's long ball, URI missed its next six shots, plus the front end of a 1-and-1 opportunity, across six straight empty possessions as the Buff and Blue seized control.
"I think defensively we've still got a ways to go, but I just loved how connected we played today," Christian said. "I thought that was really important for us."
With trips to George Mason and St. Bonaventure coming this week before the A-10 Championship, Christian joked that he's adopting an "all gas, no brakes" philosophy for this season-ending sprint. That likely means a continued heavy workload for Bishop, Battle and Lindo and plenty of opportunities for the rest of the lineup to step up and make an impact.
Together, the Buff and Blue provided a strong indication that they're up for the challenge with their energized play – and their equally inspired support for one another – from start to finish vs. the Rams.
"It felt great," said Bishop, whose career-high 28-point performance pushed his A-10 leading scoring average to 20.5 points per game. "We've been talking about this for a while, everybody wanting to get back on the court and just get to playing again. We were super-excited."
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