Back in the day, if we wanted to see some incoming freshmen play, We’d go to Georgetown and watch a Kenner League game over the summer. Since Mason pulled out of that summer tradition, the only way to see incoming freshmen before our first game of the season is during our open practice held every October. By George was there and here are some notes:
Freshmen
Troy- here today gone -Tamara: Probably showed the most impressive performance by any player on our team during the scrimmage. Physically speaking, Troy looked complete. Great frame, tall, moved well for his stature (6’8). Troy attacked the rim at will and had a scorer’s instinct. After seeing Troy win the dunk contest and dominate the scrimmage in front of large crowds, it appears as if there’s no moment too great for Troy. He almost thrives off of pressure and attention.
Karmari-Hello… Newman: We’ve got another short shorts guy on the team. Karmaris’ frame while thin was still lean and long perfect for a SG in the A10. He was pegged as a deep threat coming out of high school and his performance on Saturday lived up to the hype. Not only did he sink a few three’s but his form left Mason fans salivating over the thought of finally addressing our need for a sharp shooter.
Justin-where there’s smoke, there’s Kier: Not much was known about Kier coming out of Spotswood VA. We may’ve known his high school stats and seen his mixtape on twitter but it was difficult to place his role on the team. I think it’s safe to say that he will be used a quasi- PG/SG type of player who actually may see some serious minutes. Paulsen placed him with our starters during the first scrimmage game (Most likely backing up Grayer who sat due to an ankle injury) and we could see why. Kier has some length to him and can also handle the ball pretty well. I think he’s one player to keep an eye on as the season progresses. He may be an under-the-radar type of kid that may end up starting at some point.
Ian –he’s definitely not a Boy-d: When By George arrived to practice early, most of the players were already warming up. I distinctly remember thinking, wow; I didn’t know we were bringing former players back for this scrimmage. Upon closer review, that former player was actually our freshman Ian Boyd. Already dawning a full beard and a more developed body than any senior we have, Ian appears to be ready to hit the ground running. His football athleticism seemingly creeps its way into his basketball game. He jumped so high for a rebound; I thought I was witnessing AJ Green pull down a Hail Mary pass. Even on a fast break he was able to stop on a button to allow his defenders to over pursue, leading to an easy bucket.
Daniel-Relv…ah..oh..fuck it: As a redshirt freshman, Daniels strength is his overall body build. He’s big, like built Ford tough big and Mason can certainly use that this year with the departure of Shevon. Rocking two knee braces throughout the scrimmage, it was difficult to notice any hitch in his step due to his tendentious. He displayed some solid low post moves and will provide some additional depth to an already depleted position.
Other notable standouts:
Otis-Living on a prayer-ston: Otis showed up and did Otis. He’s our clear captain and just did everything right during the scrimmage. Whether it was floor management, dribbling, getting to the hoop, shooting threes, wow this kid can do it all.
Dany- VCU can suck our Dix-on: The days of little skinny framed Dany are behind us. Say hello to a more built frame which led to more confidence on the court. Will Dany ever become a massive A10 bruiser? No, but he will set screens and light you up with some finesse game including some nice jumpers and an improved hook shot.
Marquise-Gimme some-Moore: Similar to Otis, Quise delivered what we know and love. He attacked the rim and at times just scored at will. I didn’t really see any issues with his previous injuries; he had some nice spring to his step. He also might still be one of our best rebounding guards of all time.
Paisano’s Delivery Guy: Dude straight delivered like 40 pizzas. You the real MVP.