It is going to be here before you know it. The college basketball season is right around the corner and Phenom Hoops wants to take their shot at previewing teams around the country for this upcoming season. All throughout the upcoming weeks, we will be previewing teams for this upcoming season, so be sure to check out all the latest talk.
George Mason Patriots
2020-21 Season:
Record: 13-9 (8-6)
Points per game: 71.3
Rebounds per game: 37.9
Assists per game: 13.0
Points allowed: 69/9
Top Performers 2020-21:
Points per game: Jordan Miller (15.8
Assists per game: Tyler Kolek (2.3)
Field goal percentage: Josh Oduro (50.8)
Coach English looking to make a splash
George Mason was one of several programs that brought in a new head coach this past offseason, as Director of Athletics named Kim English as the 11th head coach in the history of the program. English was the assistant coach at Tennessee under Rick Barnes and will now have a chance to kick off his career as a head coach at George Mason. Coach English has the pedigree of developing young prospects and also helped Tennessee be one of the better defensive teams in the country. What changes will he be looking to make with this program' That will be the question everyone will be looking to answer, as Coach English has a terrific resume with him.
Who steps up next'/ Key transfers coming in to help
Jordan Miller, who led the team in scoring last year, transferred to Miami. A-10 Rookie of the Year Tyler Kolek transferred to Marquette. And Javon Greene, the second-leading scorer, is also now gone, as George Mason will have to replace their three top scorers along with a few others. The Patriots do return Josh Oduro who was a productive forward, averaging 23 minutes, 10 points, and six rebounds per game. Guards Jamal Hartwell II could help replace after seeing a dip in his numbers last year from his previous season (averaged 5.4 points compared to 9.6 in 19-20). Now, Coach English was able to secure some talent with a few transfers, that he hopes can step up and be an immediate impact. Guard D'Shawn Schwartz comes from Colorado and brings a tremendous ability in knocking down shots from three, shooting 40 percent last season from three and averaging 9.3 points. Devon Cooper brings in a ton of experience to the table. He played in all 31 games last year, averaging 12.5 points and earning 2nd Team All-OVC last season at Morehead State. Davonte Gaines is another that English will be familiar with, coming from Tennessee and bring a 6'7 long frame as a guard.
Can freshmen make an impact this upcoming season'
The Patriots have five freshmen on the team in guard Sam Shelton, guard Mike Gray, guard Chase Tucker, forward Blake Jones, and guard TJ Gadsden. It will be interesting to see who will step up and make their presence known early on in their career. One player that Phenom Hoops is quite familiar with is guard Mike Gray from Blue Ridge School. He is a terrific get for the program, as Gray brings a toughness to the court. We had this to say about his game when we viewed him a few years ago.
'Getting the first glance at Gray, once certainly came away impressed with the junior guard. He absolutely screams toughness as a point guard, with his ability to break down defenders one-on-one, play through contact, and score from each level. His recruitment should certainly be on the rise, as a program will be getting a physical guard that plays with a determination.'
