Winning Ways

In the afterglow of a second Atlantic 10 win in four days for GW men's basketball, Head Coach Jamion Christian summed up the 40 minutes of frenetic, back-and-forth action vs. La Salle at Smith Center in a contest that wasn't decided until the Explorers' final try from half court clanked iron.

"That's a great college basketball game to watch, kind of a tough college basketball game to coach, but it was good that our team was able to step up and play offensively at the level we needed to," Christian said of Wednesday's 89-87 triumph.

In improving to 4-4 in conference play, GW built a lead on La Salle with blistering shooting that included a 13-of-22 performance from 3-point range and then found a way down the stretch to close out the victory.

It was the latest winning effort from an improving group that has especially showcased its progress when it matters most. GW's four A-10 victories have come by a combined 14 points with three of them decided in the final seconds, a testament to their ability to learn from tough lessons learned during the non-conference slate.

Early on, Christian often reminded that a revamped group needed time together to learn to navigate new situations and for their tight bonds off the court to pay dividends between the lines. Now in the middle pack of the conference standings, the Buff and Blue are feeling confident and looking to keep building momentum as they prepare to welcome league leader Davidson to Foggy Bottom on Saturday afternoon.

"I think at this point we have a great level of trust," said Joe Bamisile, who hit five of his career-high seven 3s in the opening half en route to 24 points vs. La Salle. "I think that's something that we were lacking through the first seven games, but I feel like now everyone, top to bottom, offensively and defensively trusts that the next guy's going to do what he's supposed to do."

The winning formula has relied on James Bishop as an effective closer.

On Sunday, the junior guard scored 12 of his game-high 25 points over the final 5:50 as part of a decisive burst vs. Fordham that turned a five-point deficit into a 64-55 victory to the delight of the home crowd. He went 4-for-4 from the field and 2-for-3 from the foul line down the stretch.

Bishop came up clutch again Wednesday, carrying GW to the finish with 23 of his game-high 27 points after halftime. He found the ball in his hands in the most important moments and showcased strong dribbling, decision-making and free throw shooting to help keep the Explorers at bay.

Afterward, Bishop credited his supporting cast for putting him in position to succeed. Rookie point guard Brayon Freeman continues to protect the ball with a poise beyond his years, and Bamisile and Hunter Dean also delivered at the foul line over the final 62 seconds.

"It's just about building that trust up and knowing that when it comes down to it, we're all going to try to make the right plays and play as hard as we can," Bishop said. "I feel amazing in those type of situations with this team."

Wednesday's finish also provided a reminder of the room still left to grow.

A 4-point play with 4.9 seconds left opened the door for the Explorers to get the uncontested look from half court that would've won it at the buzzer.

Of the foul on the made 3, Christian said they'd worked on that end-of-game defensive situation just the day before, and he wasn't sure why no one stepped up to put any pressure on the final try, either.

Still, the Buff and Blue prevailed and then gleefully circled in front of the student section for their second victorious fight song of the week.

Bishop was front and center, wearing a giant smile as he jigged with Freeman and wrapped Bamisile in a hug.

"It feels good to be able to win, to celebrate with the teammates," said Bishop, who's now averaging 19.5 points per game in A-10 play. "There's a lot of excitement to pull out a tough victory vs. a good team like La Salle."

Those positive vibes are meaningful for a group aiming to continue its climb up the A-10 standings.

All season, Christian has continued to praise the Colonials for their resilience and ability to bring energy and enthusiasm in the face of the toughest moments. They've earned these joyful postgame scenes and hope to continue the party Saturday vs. Davidson with continued help from the Buff and Blue faithful.

"It's hard to put that work in every day and not get the result that you want," Christian said. "We've had some days here where we've worked really hard and we've had great days of practice for months at a time and didn't get the results that we wanted.

"It's just great for the guys to start getting the results that they want and just know that there's validation behind the stuff that they're doing, the sacrifices that they're making. The guys are really growing together, and I think that's what's really special. I think you can see that when we're playing, and that's exciting."

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Joe Bamisile

James Bishop IV

Hunter Dean

Brayon Freeman