WASHINGTON D.C. - It was the Colonial faithful first glimpse at George Washington under first year head coach Jamion Christian and GW didn't disappoint, blowing out Hood College 83-55 in a balanced attack. Freshman point guard Jameer Nelson Jr (pictured above) posted a game high 20 points and 6 assist, junior guard Maceo Jack added 17 points and sophomore forward Mezie Offurum contributed 13 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assist. Hood College was led by forward Tyler Evans 12 points and 3 rebounds. Below are some takeaways.
Jameer Nelson Jr: The buzz surrounding Nelson Jr has been strong all summer and in front of the Smith Center crowd for the first time and a familiar face, former St Joseph standout and NBA veteran Jameer Nelson Sr, Jr gave a strong preview of what's to come this season. Simply put he put on a show. 6'1 freshman displayed the poise of an upperclassman running the offense and playing efficient basketball on both ends. Nelson Jr shot 6-8 from the field, 5-7 from three while dishing out 6 assist and only turning it over twice. What a strong first impression from the freshman. Keep a lose eye on him moving forward.
Mezie Offurum: is a completely different player from a year ago as a freshman. I saw the signs of him making a jump in his individual game over the summer at DC Nike Pro City where he showcased his point-forward skill set. That carried over in tonight' s win over Hood College. Offurum finished with 13 points on 5-9 shooting from the field, 6 rebounds and 5 assist, displaying versatility that I feel will make him the x-factor for the Colonials moving forward. The 6'6 do everything forward is also noticeably stronger and more confident and looks ready to do major damage this season.
Arnaldo Toro: picked right back up where he left off last season before he went down with a hip injury. Senior forward looked completely healthy and on a mission tonight, dominating inside with 13 points (5-6 FG) and 14 rebounds. He was a man amongst boys against Hood and he gives the Colonials an inside presence they can always count on, especially on the boards. If Toro consistently knocks down mid range jumpers, an All Conference nod is definitely a possibility.
Full Court Press: will be a strength for GW as the season goes along due to the speed and length of the roster. At times, Christian had 6'9 Javier Langarica initiating the press defending Hood College point guards. The press also utilizes the depth of GW on the perimeter. Each guard can defend the opposing teams 1 through 3 with no issues. Once they get more game reps pressing, it could elevate into a tool that help the Colonials overwhelm opponents in a similar fashion as it did for VCU under Shaka Smart, who Jamion Christian was once an assistant coach under.
