It was a record-setting season for the George Mason Patriots last year. The Patriots totaled 27 wins, marking their best overall record in 25 years and tying the record for most wins in a single season in program history.
They also set a program record with 15 wins in the Atlantic 10 and captured their first A-10 regular-season championship in program history. The list goes on and on, but with only four returners, the Patriots will rely on third-year coach Tony Skinn to bring this team to the NCAA Tournament.
The Patriots lost numerous standout players from last season. A-10 Defensive Player of the Year, Jared Billups, and All-Conference members Jaylen Haynes and Darius Maddox have all graduated. Billups was the anchor of George Mason’s No. 23-ranked defense a season ago, offering 1.3 steals per game while holding opponents to a 28.9% shooting percentage.
Jaylen Haynes was the Patriots’ leading scorer last season – good enough for 14.1 points per game. Maddox acted as the sniper on the outside, hitting a team-high 68 3-pointers. While the loss of these players will exact a toll, fans have reason to believe that the new players can step up and shine.
Skinn and his staff had a busy offseason, recruiting four-star Mt. Zion High School standout Emmanuel Kanga and the No. 6 player in Pennsylvania, Devin Booker, to help enhance the roster after the departures from last season. George Mason also brought in seven transfers, including former Mount St. Mary’s player Dola Adebayo and Jermahri Hill, who spent last season at Ball State. It’ll be on the shoulders of these newcomers to fill the roles of the key starters from last season.
Kanga offers a unique skillset for George Mason. Listed at 6-foot-8, Kanga will most likely be playing a combo big role, where he can use his length and athleticism to guard some shiftier guys on the outside while still providing some strength down low. Kanga consistently plays with a motor that regularly outshines his competitors, which is undoubtedly what attracted Skinn to him as a prospect.
Booker, the other highly touted recruit for George Mason, could provide immediate aid on the defensive end as a freshman. Don’t let the 6-foot-4 frame fool you. The Philadelphia native possesses great instincts and control that will enable him to defend larger players on the floor, as long as he continues to add strength to his frame.
While the new additions figure to solidify the defensive side, questions remain on the offensive side. George Mason must replace 27.9 points per game with the departure of Haynes and Maddox. Hill averaged 15.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per game with Ball State last season. Skinn commented on his ability to get to the cup, calling it elite.
“He’s dynamic and a guy that gives us flexibility to not only throw the ball inside but also being able to iso,” Skinn said.
On the other hand, Adebayo comes off a season with Mount St. Mary’s where he started all 36 games and averaged a team-high 13.2 points per game. Skinn said Adebayo is a winner, explaining that he’s a similar archetype for what the team has looked for in a stretch four in the past.
George Mason is eyeing another Atlantic 10 Tournament birth with hopes of obtaining the ring they missed out on last year. Skinn has built a championship-caliber program through a winning culture and a strong defensive presence, and he hopes to showcase the team’s capabilities in a team scrimmage during Mason Madness on Oct. 17.
George Mason begins its season at home against Alfred University on Oct. 25.
