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February 25, 2009 | AP Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Damian Hollis scored seven of his 25 points in overtime and George Washington defeated Charlotte 92-88 on Wednesday night.

Hollis opened the overtime period with five straight points to give George Washington (9-16, 3-10 Atlantic 10 Conference) an 84-79 lead with 2:21 left in the game.

Hollis also sent the game into overtime, tying the game at 79 on two free throws with 21 seconds left in regulation. The 49ers (10-17, 4-9) led 78-72, before Hollis hit a 3-pointer to bring the Colonials’ deficit to 78-75 with 45 seconds to go in regulation.

Rob Diggs added 22 points, Wynton Witherspoon scored 14 and Tony Taylor had 10 for George Washington.

Charlotte was led by Rashad Coleman with 22 points. DiJuan Harris scored 15 points and had 10 rebounds, Phil Jones added 12 points and Ian Anderson and Lamont Mack tallied 10 each for the 49ers.

February 19, 2009 | AP Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rob Diggs scored 26 points, and was one of five George Washington players in double figures in a 90-62 rout of St. Bonaventure on Thursday night.

Joseph Katuka added 13 points, Travis King and Damian Hollis had 12 apiece and Wynton Witherspoon chipped in with 10 for the Colonials (8-15, 2-9 Atlantic 10 Conference).

Michael Davenport led the Bonnies (13-12, 4-8) with 16 points and Malcolm Eleby added 11.

The Colonials opened the game on a 25-7 run, cruising to a 47-28 halftime lead. They put it away in the second, outscoring the Bonnies 43-34.

GW hit 10 of 12 from beyond the arc and 14 of 16 from the foul line in the win. The Bonnies were just 5 of 20 from 3-point range, while going 5-for-10 on free throws.

The Colonials have won two of their last four games after dropping 11 straight before this current streak.

February 7, 2009 | AP Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Damian Hollis scored 19 points and Rob Diggs scored 17 points as George Washington snapped an 11-game losing streak with a 87-62 win over Fordham on Saturday afternoon.

Wynton Witherspoon scored 13 points and Tony Taylor added 10 points for the Colonials (7-13, 1-7 Atlantic 10), who won their first conference game of the season and their first game overall since a Dec. 23 road win over Sacramento State.

Led by 16 points from Hollis, the Colonials scored a season-high 57 first-half points, shooting 63.9 percent (23-36) from the floor, for a commanding 57-24 halftime lead.

In the only meeting between schools this season, the Colonials led by as many as 41 points in the second half and held the Rams to 32.8 percent (20-61) shooting overall.

Jio Fontan scored a game-high 22 points for the Rams (3-17, 1-7), who dropped their second straight game and have lost 10 of 11 overall. Trey Blue scored 18 points and Mike Moore added 15 points.

Diggs passed the 1,000 point mark for his career for the Colonials, who have defeated the Rams in nine of their last 10 meetings.

January 22, 2009 | AP Press

WASHINGTON, DC – Chris Wright made three free throws — the first two after a technical foul on George Washington for having six players on the court — as Dayton escaped with a 63-61 victory on Thursday night.

The Colonials were assessed the technical when the Flyers (17-2, 3-1 Atlantic 10 Conference) attempted to inbound the ball at their own end with 21.9 seconds left.

Wright made both free throws for a 62-61 lead. He was fouled again when Dayton inbounded and made the first of two free throws with 21.3 seconds left.

Tony Taylor missed a 3-point attempt with 2.5 seconds left and Rob Diggs’ putback rimmed out as the horn sounded.

Marcus Johnson had 17 points to lead Dayton, which has won three straight and nine of its last 10.

Wynton Witherspoon had 19 points and seven rebounds to lead George Washington (6-10, 0-4), which lost its eighth straight.

January 17, 2009 | AP Press

ST. LOUIS, MO – Kevin Lisch scores 18 points to help Saint Louis to a 63-59 victory over slumping George Washington Saturday night in Atlantic 10 play.

Tommie Liddell III added 14 for the Billikens (11-6, 2-1), who have won nine straight at home.

Wynton Witherspoon led the Colonials (6-9, 0-3) with 15 points and seven rebounds. The loss was the seventh straight for George Washington.

Saint Louis trailed most of the way before making an 8-2 run midway through the second half. Brian Conklin scored seven points during the run, giving the Billikens their first lead since it was 4-2. The last of the points was when he put back a missed free throw to make if 46-44 Saint Louis with 9:08 left.

St. Louis led by 7 but George Washington cut it to 1 point when Witherspoon hit a floater with 40.2 seconds left.

Barry Eberhardt clinched it when he made a basket and a foul shot with 5 seconds left.

January 10, 2009 | AP Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Justin Harper scored 14 of his 19 points in the first half to lead Richmond to a 60-48 victory over George Washington on Saturday night.

David Gonzalvez added 13 points for the Spiders (9-6, 1-0 Atlantic 10), who had only seven turnovers and broke a six-game losing streak to George Washington.

The Colonials (6-7, 0-1), who trailed 37-14 early in the second half, lost their fifth straight game.

George Washington cut the lead to 56-48 on Noel Wilmore’s 3-pointer with 39.3 seconds left in the game.

But Richmond’s Kevin Anderson, who scored 12 points, was intentionally fouled by Damian Hollis with 36.8 to go, and made two free throws for a 58-48 lead.

Anderson hit two more free throws to make it 60-48 with 30 seconds to play.

Wynton Witherspoon had 15 points for George Washington and Rob Diggs added 10 points and seven rebounds.

January 6, 2009  by WH | A10CollegeHoops

Here are my final noncon rankings and comments. Per usual, I am unlikely to post again until the end of league play once conference games begin.

Even though some teams have outperformed or underperformed my expectations, I can’t say any team has truly surprised me with the exception of GW (just terrible lately). I didn’t anticipate such a slow start for Charlotte, and UMass struggled more than I expected, but both teams had obvious question marks before the season began.

As of now, we only have two schools that look like NCAA teams, but Rhody has a decent chance and I expect another team to make a big run in league play (Temple with a full roster?). I would be thrilled to get three teams in given the so-so noncon performance.

Speaking of which, looks like I will finish 5 games below my noncon forecast. Ironically, this is the first year in awhile that I did not automatically deduct five wins from my combined forecast. Had I done so, I might be perfect! (not that it would be a good thing). Too many damned near misses and blown leads late in games.

VALEDICTORIANS

1)XAVIER (unchanged). The Muskies (11-2). The Musketeers bounced back from a two-game losing skid with convincing wins over Robert Morris and at Virginia. Frosh PG Terrell Holloway has taken over the starting position, allowing Dante Jackson to play more at his natural position of off-guard. Two other touted frosh, Kenny Frease and long-range gunner Brad Redford, have come on strong. Upperclassmen Derrick Brown and BJ Raymond have also stepped up. If Holloway continues to mature rapidly, the Musketeers have to be considered the clear league favorite.

2)DAYTON (unchanged). The Flyers (13-1) have beaten all the teams they are supposed to beat and have a marquee win over Marquette to put themselves in line for an NCAA bid. Dayton does struggle at times to put the ball in the basket, but the team is very athletic and plays topnotch defense. With just a little better shooting and scoring, the Flyers have all the tools to battle archrival Xavier for the league title.

HONOR ROLL

3)RHODE ISLAND (+1). The Rams (10-4) are a few points away – agonizingly close losses at Duke and Oklahoma State – from being locked in for an at-large bid. The team is still well positioned, but URI needs to rack up 11 or 12 wins in conference play and advance deep into the league tourney to merit consideration. Seven-foot sophomore Will Martell has been a surprise contributor while Jimmy Baron Jr. and Keith Cothran have performed like All-Conference players. The defense is still a bit unreliable, but the Rams are deep and athletic and have the talent to make a run for the conference championship.

AVERAGE STUDENTS

4)CHARLOTTE (+1). The 49ers (5-7) might be playing the best ball of any A-10 team outside of Xavier, Dayton and URI, but a rash of injuries has further depleted an already-thin roster. Sophomore forward An’juan Wilderness is out for a few weeks and sophomore Charles Dewhurst was lost for the year to a knee injury. Charlotte has no backup point guard and needs a few of its healthier players to step up. Hard to believe a 5-7 team might be the fourth best squad in the A-10, but every program in the conference has significant flaws.

5)RICHMOND (+1). The Spiders (8-6) are one of the most disappointing teams in the league despite eight wins. The team blew a late lead at Virginia Military Institute and has lost to all three in-state rivals (ODU and VCU are the others) even though the Spiders arguably have the most talent of the bunch. The defense has been soft and the offense mistake prone. Yet Richmond still has the size, athleticism and backcourt play to finish in the conference’s top four if the players learn how to close out games.

6) TEMPLE (-3). After beating Tennessee, the Owls (6-6) stumbled badly with three straight losses, including a whopper at Long Beach State. Temple rebounded Monday night with a win over Kent State. Sophomore forward Craig Williams had a career game (16 points) and touted Argentine PG Juan Fernandez (8 points, 4 assists) wowed the crowd in his debut. Temple’s problems have stemmed from poor point play – a concern of mine in my preseason review – and lethargic play among bigmen Lavoy Allen and Sergio Olmos. The addition of Fernandez and further contributions from Williams could make the Owls a big factor in conference play, however.

7)LASALLE (+2). The Explorers (8-5) beat several mediocre opponents to enter conference action with a three-game winning streak. Ruben Guillandeaux seems to be awaking from a season-long slumber while Rodney Green and Kimmani Barrett have stepped up their games. Defense and rebounding have kept LaSalle in most games, but postseason possibilities rest on whether the offense shows major improvement. The lack of consistent point play and outside shooting have been the team’s undoing.

*8*)ST. BONAVENTURE (unchanged). The Bonnies (7-3) recovered from a blowout loss at home to Niagara by topping Bucknell and Central Arkansas on the road. Granted, the competition wasn’t great, but two road wins of any sort is a big accomplishment for the rapidly recovering program. The 6-10 freshman sensation Andrew Nicholson looks like the program’s biggest recruiting find in a decade or more. Expect the Bonnies to be very competitive in most games, especially at home, and a winning record is by no means out of the question. The team now has enough talent to compete with almost any team in the A-10. Point play is just so-so, however, and the Bonnies lack outside shooting when Chris Matthews is cold.

9)DUQUESNE (+4). The Dukes (9-4) are one of the two big surprises in nonconference play, along with St. Bonaventure. They lost to the four best teams on their sked but have handled all the opponents from lesser conferences. Aaron Jackson, who’s playing like an A-10 First Teamer, is one of four “veterans” who have carried the program while the youngsters mature. Touted frosh Melquan Bolding has come on strong to join PG Eric Evans as top candidates for the league’s All-Rookie team. Shooter Jason Duty, formerly a recruited walk-on, has been a surprisingly big contributor. If only the Dukes had one legit bigman …

10) ST. LOUIS (+2). The Bills (9-5) have won seven of their last eight games against mostly weaker competition, though not without some struggles. Rick Majerus has his young squad playing solid defense and a controlled offense, but points sometimes are hard to come by. Frosh bigman Willie Reed looks like a future all-conference player and two other newcomers, PG Kwamain Mitchell and F Brian Conklin, have impressed. The Bills are a middle-of-the-pack team at best, but they will pull some upsets in league play.

BACK OF THE CLASS

11)ST. JOSEPH’S (-4). The Hawks (6-7) simply don’t have enough Division 1 players. Sophomore forward Idris Hilliard has shown marked improvement, but none of the reserves has contributed significantly. St. Joe’s has to rely on no more than 3-4 players, led by Ahmad Nivins, to do the scoring, but the core group doesn’t have tons of energy leftover for defense at the end of a game. The tank could run dry in late February unless Martelli develops a bench.

12)MASSACHUSETTS (-1). The Minutemen (5-8) followed a four-game win streak with a two-game skid in which the team lost by a combined 56 points to Houston and Vanderbilt. What to make? Impossible to say. Rookie coach Derek Kellogg sure looks green and senior point guard Chris Lowe is struggling mightily to run the new offense. Yet UMass is still capable of beating virtually any team in the A-10, as the win at Kansas attests. The first game in league play vs. Dayton could be telling.

CLASS CLOWNS

13)FORDHAM (+1). The Rams (2-10) have gotten a boost from 6-9 West Virginia transfer Jacob Green, but this team is headed for 20-plus losses. Much too young and much too small (-10 rebounding margin). Coach ain’t all that great, either.

14)GEORGE WASHINGTON (-4). The Colonials (6-6) aren’t worse than Fordham, but while the Rams are getting better, the Colonials have badly regressed. The team lost four straight to Vermont, Hawaii, Coppin State and … Longwood! Travis King is still not his old self, but at least he has an excuse. The same cannot be said for Rob Diggs, Wynton Witherspoon, Damian Hollis – or Karl Hobbs. GW is near the bottom of the league in scoring, shooting, rebounding and assists. Call the Coast Guard.

ALL-CONFERENCE PROJECTIONS (based on current performance)

POY

Dionte Christmas

FIRST TEAM

Dionte Christmas, Temple
Ahmad Nivins, St. Joseph’s
Derrick Brown, Xavier
Aaron Jackson, Duquesne
Chris Wright, Dayton

SECOND TEAM

Tony Gaffney, UMass
Jimmy Baron Jr., Rhode Island
Damian Saunders, Duquesne
Ricky Harris, UMass
Keith Cothran, Rhode Island

THIRD TEAM

Jonathan Hall, St. Bonaventure
David Gonzalvez, Richmond
Tommie Liddell, St. Louis
Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure
Dijuan Harris, Charlotte

DEFENSIVE POY

Tony Gaffney, UMass

ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM

Tony Gaffney, UMass
Garrett Williamson, St. Josephs
Aaron Jackson, Duquesne
Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure
Ahmad Nivins, St. Josephs

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure

ALL-NEWCOMER TEAM

Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure
Eric Evans, Duquesne
Terrell Holloway, Xavier
Jio Fontan, Fordham
Brian Conklin, St. Louis

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER

Tony Gaffney

November 14, 2008 | AP Press

BOSTON, MA — Damian Hollis scored five straight points as George Washington overcame an overtime deficit to defeat Boston University 63-58 Friday night.

The Colonials blew an early 10-point lead and trailed by as many as six in the second half, but they led by two in the closing seconds. BU’s Corey Lowe, who suffered through a 2-for-15 shooting night, forced overtime on a layup with 2.1 seconds left.

Lowe then hit two free throws and John Holland nailed a 3-pointer to put BU ahead, 56-51, with 3:45 left in overtime.

But Wynton Witherspoon cut the lead to three and Herman Opoku tied it on a 3-pointer with 2:04 left. Hollis then hit a free throw and two baskets for the Colonials.

Witherspoon had 13 points and six rebounds.  Rob Diggs got 12 points and 14 rebounds.

Holland led BU with a game-high 23 points and had 8 rebounds.

Location: Washington, D.C.

Enrollment: 20,220

Founded: 1821

President: Steven Knapp

Athletic Director: Jack Kvancz

Athletic Web Sites: gwsports.cstv.com, gwhoops.com, colonialhoops.blogspot.com

Nickname: Colonials

Colors: Buff and Blue

Arena: Smith Center

Capacity: 5,000

Average Attendance: 3,019

Head Coach: Karl Hobbs

Overall Record: 123-82 (60% Winning Percentage)

Record at George Washington: 123-82

2007-2008 Record: 9-17 (5-11) No Post Season

Assistant Coaches: Darrell Brooks, Roland Houston, Greg Collucci

ROSTER

1 Travis King R-SO PG 6-2 215 New Haven, CT/South Kent (CT) Prep
*2 Xavier Alexander SO G/F 6-6 215 Forest Park, OK
3 Tony Taylor FR PG 5-11 165 Sleepy Hollow, NY
*5 Robert Diggs SR WF 6-8 202 Brandywine, MD
*11 Wynton Witherspoon R-SR WF 6-7 197 Duluth, GA/Virginia Tech
12 Johnny Lee JR PG 5-8 166 Nashville, TN
13 Jabari Edwards R-FR F 6-9 200 Brooklyn, NY/St. Benedict’s (NJ)
15 Aaron Ware FR WF 6-4 190 Los Angeles
21 Hermann Opoku JR C/F 6-9 225 Vienna, Austria/South Kent (CT) Prep
*22 Damian Hollis JR G/F 6-8 205 Fort Lauderdale, FL
31 Noel Wilmore SR WG 6-3 190 Chester, PA
33 Matt Allbritton FR WG 6-4 180 Dallas
42 Joseph Katuka SO C 6-10 205 Nigeria/Montverde Academy (FL)

*Returning starters

OVERVIEW

For the Colonials, the upcoming season can be billed as the Return of the King.

Travis King, one of the best young guards in the league, injured his knee and missed his sophomore season. Minus its point guard, the GW backcourt fell into disarray – as did the team. The Colonials staggered to a 9-17 record and were one of two schools not invited to the league tournament.

It was a shocking reversal for program that earned three straight NCAA invitations and averaged more than 22 wins annually over the preceding four years.

Even with the return of King, the Colonials are unlikely to reach those lofty heights soon. Recruiting has been uneven lately and GW still has plenty of holes – mediocre outside shooting, a “weak” interior, a short bench.

What a healthy King will do is make the school far more competitive. The Colonials struggled most of last season, but the team began to jell by mid-February. GW went 4-4 and gave league heavyweights Xavier and Massachusetts all they could handle. And GW did it with a 5-8 walk-on, Johnny Lee, running the show.

Lee won’t be forgotten. He’ll get the chance to back up King. The Colonials also return Robb Diggs, one of the best frontcourt players in the A-10, and a pair of talented bookend forwards in Wynton Witherspoon and Damian Hollis.

The task for the Master Hobbit, err, Hobbs is to build a worthy supporting cast. If he can extract solid production from the bench, GW’s sequel to a disastrous 2007-08 season will be much easier to watch. A league championship ring is not in the offing, but certainly a trip to Atlantic City.

DEPARTED PLAYERS

Maureece Rice (9.2 ppg, 2.7 apg, 32.4% 3PG). The former league tournament MVP and Third Team All-Conference performer pulled a Houdini as a senior. Rice feuded with the coach, resisted his conversion to point and disappeared for long stretches. Suspended twice, he was kicked off the team with one week left. Although Rice still scored 9 points a game – down from 16 as a junior – most of his baskets came after the outcome was decided. It was a puzzling end to what had been a terrific career.

Cheyenne Moore (5.6 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 34% FG, 35% 3PG). Clemson transfer, a tantalizing 6-5 athlete with skills, was dismissed after two disappointing seasons. Moore’s problems appeared mostly mental. He took questionable shots, was careless with the ball and never really seemed to fit in.

Miles Beauty (4.8 ppg, 38% FG, 15 assists, 16 turnovers). Prized recruit from the famed St. Anthony’s in New Jersey failed to meet expectations. Beauty was given a chance to run the offense after King went down, but he did a poor job and was removed from the rotation. He was suspended in mid-February and later told he could not return.

RETURNING PLAYERS

Rob Diggs (14 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 49.6% FG, 31 blocks). Slender 6-8 senior is one of the best post players in the A-10 but didn’t get much recognition because of GW’s poor record. Although he’s usually defended by stronger players, Diggs uses his long arms to shoot over them or his quick feet to get around them. He sports the basic low-post moves, attacks the offensive glass and will knock down an occasional faceup jumper. Diggs topped the 20-point mark six times, including a career high 29 in a win over Dayton. Unlike many bigmen, he doesn’t hold the ball too long or commit many turnovers.

That’s not all. Diggs is the second returning rebounder in the A-10, and even if he isn’t a great one-on-one defender, opponents watch out for him because of his shot-blocking ability. He can affect a game in a number of ways.

Since he’s gotten better every year, there’s no reason to believe Diggs won’t improve as a senior. Yes, he could use a little meat on his bones, and he sometimes gets overpowered on defense, but Diggs more than holds his own. He’s a sure-fire All-Conference pick and perhaps even a darkhorse for player of the year.

Damian Hollis (9.1 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 42.4% FG, 31.4% 3PG, 81% FT). Versatile 6-8 forward was in a long funk until snapping out of it in mid-February. Hollis scored in double figures in four of the last six games, including a 22-point outburst vs. Rhode Island. One of the top rebounders in the A-10, he also grabbed 10 or more boards in seven games.

Blessed with excellent athleticism and an impressive set of skills, Hollis should be one of the best forwards in the league. Whether he lives up to his potential remains to be seen, though his late-season performance offers hope. He handles the ball well for his size, has 3-point range and is not unfamiliar with the finer points of post play. Smaller defenders have trouble guarding him down low and bigger ones can’t keep up with him outside.

What Hollis has to do is make quicker decisions and assert himself. He seemed to get discouraged easily and take a passive role at times. As a junior on a young team, it’s his job now to help lead the way. GW is unlikely to escape from the bottom third of the league unless Hollis plays to his considerable potential.

Travis King (5.7 ppg, 78 assists, 47 steals in 2007). The halt to GW’s winning ways can be directly traced to the absence of King, viewed as one of the best young point guards in the A-10. The redshirt sophomore was expected to start, but his absence forced Mo Rice to handle the ball and disaster ensued. Shaky point play hurt GW the entire year and the Colonials scored under 70 points a game (63.4 ppg) for the first time in the Hobbs era.

The return of King to full health is crucial to the restoration of GW among the league’s elites. As a freshman, he showed good floor vision and smart decision making on the fast break, both essential to Hobbs’ preferred uptempo offense that he was forced to jettison for much of last season. If given room, King can make open shots (41.7% 3PG) or take the ball to the rack. Though big and strong for point guard, he’s quick for his size and not easy to defend. Those physical attributes also make him a good defender (47 steals).

Recovering from a major injury and a one-year layoff, however, is no small thing, and it’s unclear if King has lost any mobility. Hobbs has a lot riding on his health.

Wynton Witherspoon (11 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.2 apg, 43% FG, 27% 3PG). The Virginia Tech transfer was terrific in the first half of the season to keep the struggling Colonials afloat. He reached double figures in 11 of the first 16 games and played with the poise expected of upperclassmen. Witherspoon faded down the stretch, scoring in double figures just twice in February and March, but that’s partly because teammates stepped up. Even as his scoring waned, Witherspoon contributed with his passing, ball-handling and boardwork.

A fifth-year senior, Witherspoon can be expected to play with more consistency, especially if King takes care of ball-handling duties. The 6-7 swingman often bore the responsibility to direct the offense when GW’s point guards failed to produce. Left to his own devices, Witherspoon is a triple threat on offense. Quick and wiry strong, he can shoot, drive or pass and pressure opposing defenses. He’s not a great defender himself, but Witherspoon does a reasonably good job when matched up with players his own size.

Noel Wilmore (6 ppg, 42% 3PG, 80% FT). Although his production yo-yoed all season, Wilmore finally began to justify his scholarship during league play. On a team desperate for outside shooting, Wilmore scored 24 points vs. URI (7 treys), 18 vs. Temple (6 treys) and 16 vs. St. Bonaventure (5 treys). Mixed in during the same stretch of games, however, were three goose eggs.

Wilmore will be in line for more minutes if he ceases with the disappearing acts. He knows his role now and is playing with confidence, a required state of mind for any good shooter. Wilmore better keep it that way. He’s just an average defender and doesn’t help the team much in other areas.

Xavier Alexander (4.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 37.7% FG, 43% FT, 30 assists). Sophomore forward is a fine athlete, but his offense has more holes than a teenager’s old jeans. He only hit double figures twice, in his second and third games, topping out at 11 points. Alexander is not much of an outside shooter (5-17 3PG) and had trouble scoring in close against bigger defenders. In time he can be expected to improve his jumper and learn to finish, but Alexander won’t be counted on for offense. He’s a key cog in GW’s press (26 steals) and excels on the fast break when opponents are forced into turnovers. Physically stronger than GW’s trio of slender forwards – Diggs, Hollis and Witherspoon – the 6-6 Alexander can also be counted to do the dirty work. In a late-season loss to Charlotte, he grabbed 14 rebounds.

Johnny Lee (1.8 ppg, 29% 3PG, 55 assists, 34 turnovers, 16 steals). Unheralded walk-on played a big role in GW’s late surge, starting nine games at point and giving the offense direction. In a loss at Xavier, he scored a career high 14 points (3-4 treys). He also notched 8 assists in a loss to Massachusetts. Just don’t expect numbers like that regularly. Lee is not a great shooter and his 5-8 frame is a handicap. What he does is take care of the ball and makes solid decisions. His sudden emergence gives Hobbs a capable backup to spell King and allow GW to maintain an uptempo pace.

Hermann Opoku (1.0 ppg, 10-20 FG, 6.3 mpg, 8 blocks). Junior forward is a tremendous athlete, but his basketball skills are anything but. Opoku is extremely undeveloped offensively. He doesn’t have great hands or react well to defensive pressure when he has the ball. GW clearly needs help at the center position, but Opoku does not appear to be the answer

Joseph Katuka (2 ppg, 48% FG, 67% FT, 7.7 mpg). Oft-injured 6-10 center displayed flashes of talent as a frosh, scoring 8 points vs. Maryland-Eastern Shore and 9 points vs. Duquesne. He’s long, agile and mobile. He’s also plenty raw and needs lots of work in the weight room and on the blocks. Katuka has a funny-looking shot and was easily pushed around in the paint. He didn’t offer much resistance defensively (just 5 blocks), either. Like most young bigmen, he’d do well to focus on defense and rebounding and lets his more skilled teammates carry the offensive load.

NEWCOMERS

Jabari Edwards –The 6-10 center (No. 240 PrepStars, 2006) played in two games before arthroscopic knee surgery sent his to the bench. The redshirt freshman spent the rest of the year trying to fatten up, with modest success. Edwards is a typical Hobbs frontcourt recruit. He’s long and athletic, but physically unimposing and challenged offensively. Yet with a big hole in GW’s middle, Edwards will compete for regular minutes. He’s a bigtime leaper with good shot-blocking potential and a better understanding of the game than teammates Opoku and Katuka. Sitting out last season also gave him a chance to develop without all the pressure.

Tony Taylor – Fast 5-11 point guard, who attracted attention from Big East schools, is said to have a high basketball IQ but his most notable asset is his ability to score. He’s a streaky 3-point marksman who averaged 30 points a game as a senior, a number helped by 90% free-throw shooting. GW needs outside shooting. Taylor will play as a freshman if he can provide some.

Matt Albritton – Well-traveled son of missionaries played his senior year at a small private school in Texas, and before that, in Palm Beach, Florida, where he’s been a prolific scorer at least since his sophomore year. Albritton is supposed to be an excellent 3-point shooter, though he’s big enough at 6-4 to score in other ways.

Aaron Ware – Little known 6-5 small forward is a quick leaper with long arms who’s supposed to be a good defender and a “glue” player. One scout said he plays with a “warrior’s mentality.” Since Ware is used to playing close to the basket, he’ll need to expand his range to become a major contributor in the A-10. Ware likes to attack the rim and is active on the glass, though his shot is suspect.

SCOUTING REPORT

The Colonials have a solid foundation on which to build and some carryover momentum from last season’s strong finish. The team ended with a positive rebounding margin and the defense buckled down after A-10 play began. GW finished second behind Xavier in both field-goal percentage defense and 3-point field goal percentage defense. Hobbs has lots of long, quick players who cover plenty of space.

The offense, meanwhile, is certain to improve if King resumes where he left off. His return helps in a number of ways. The Colonials can play at a faster tempo and they won’t finish last again in the A-10 in assists. GW is likely to press more to create turnovers, another steady source of offense in the Hobbs era. King will also help stretch defenses or create baskets for his teammates with his shooting and penetration.

Finding a suitable partner in the backcourt is critical. Hobbs needs a player who can shoot the trey and won’t turn the ball over much. GW finished last in assist-to-turnover margin and 14th in the number of 3-pointers made – just 169 compared to 331 for A-10 leader Massachusetts.

Wilmore came on strong in his third year and is GW’s best shooter, but he’s not a prototype Hobbs defender. Witherspoon might fit the bill, but he’s not a great 3-point shooter and has a hard time defending smaller guards. Alexander can handle the defensive part, but he’s one of the worst shooters on the squad. The frosh Taylor can shoot, but he’s probably not strong enough to play major minutes.

The frontcourt is in good shape, with one caveat.

Diggs is tough to defend inside because of his quickness and length while Hollis and Witherspoon are both versatile outside-in scorers. Yet none of the three is physically imposing and bigger frontcourts can push them around. Young centers Katuka and Edwards have potential, but they aren’t beefeaters either and lack the offensive skills of their older teammates. It’s an old story, but GW might take a pounding at times.

Hobbs can count on five or six players. Getting bigger contributions from several others will dictate whether the Colonials achieve a middle-of-the-pack finish or higher.

Assuming, of course, King is truly ready to return to his rightful place in the pantheon of A-10 guards. He’s as important to his team as any other player in the league. If he’s hobbled, GW will be, too.

PREDICTION

The Colonials field a much-improved team, evidence of which emerged late last season. While it may be too soon to suggest GW is ready to return to its winning ways, it’s not out of the question. GW has the starting five and overall talent to compete with any team in the league and is sure to beat a few of the perceived favorites. Cracking the top half of the conference is within reach.

Yet climbing the ladder in an increasingly tough A-10 is not as easy as it might have been a few years ago. Another weak nonconference schedule won’t help matters. The Colonials appear to have too many question marks to vault into a discussion of the league’s top teams.

WH’s

NONCON PREDICTION: 8-4

L – At Boston University
W – BINGHAMTON
L – At Auburn
W – UMBC
L – vs. Maryland (MCI Center, Washington DC)
W – HARVARD
W – AMERICAN
W – At Sacramento State
W – vs. Vermont (Rainbow Classic, Hawaii)
W – TBA, but likely Hawaii (Rainbow Classic, Hawaii)
L – TBA
W – At Longwood

GW has loaded up on beatable opponents. Every single one is beatable, with the exception of perhaps Auburn. I first had GW at 10-2 but that just seems too good, so I changed the BU game to a loss as well as a game in the Rainbow Classic.

The Colonials have beaten BU regularly in the Hobbs era because their length bothers the Terriers. Yet this BU team has a fine backcourt and enough muscle up front to deal with GW’s thin-sters. Should be a win but …

I think GW gets payback at home vs. Binghamton and UMBC, both of which beat the Colonials last year. Harvard should be much improved with all five starters back and a good freshman class. American has a dynamite backcourt and is the favorite to win the Patriot League. I could see a loss in one of these two games, but I call it a sweep at home.

GW flies to California and Hawaii in late December. Sacramento State won just 4 games last year and turned over its roster, adding a bunch of jucos. The field in the Rainbow is so weak GW might be the most talented team among the eight invitees.

The Colonials could get a tough test in the first game vs. Vermont, which has three of the best players in the America East conference, including a Michigan State transfer (Maurice Joseph). If GW wins, Hawaii would likely be next. The Rainbows lost almost all their best players from last year. Not sure who the third opponent would be.