GW Basketball

In a frightening scene, the Jumbotron at George Washington University's Charles E. Smith Center—which is used for the men's and women's basketball teams, among other sports—collapsed onto the floor Tuesday.

GW Television shared images of the accident:

BREAKING: The Charles E. Smith Center Jumbotron has collapsed onto the court. More information to come soon. pic.twitter.com/D9dIh3Ix3d

— GW Television (@GWTV) September 11, 2018

The university's official Twitter page relayed a message ensuring nobody was hurt during the incident: "The scoreboard was undergoing maintenance today and dropped unexpectedly from its lowered position just above the floor. Nobody was injured (thankfully) and the scene is being assessed for any damage."

George Washington hosted a WNBA playoff game for the Washington Mystics this season, but Raphielle Johnson of NBC Sports noted the fallen Jumbotron will not impact the WNBA Finals schedule because Games 3 and 4 are slated to take place at George Mason.

George Washington University announced Thursday that "it is bringing in outside counsel" to investigate accusations that men's basketball head coach Mike Lonergan emotionally and verbally abused his players, according to ESPN.com's Myron Medcalf.

The Washington Post's Adam Kilgore reported earlier Thursday that a basketball player went to a Title IX coordinator in April and said Lonergan had "created an offensive, intolerable environment."

Kilgore described instances in which Lonergan allegedly told one of his players that his child would always be on food stamps and another that he should be playing in a "transgender league."

The alleged abuse reportedly forced one player to attend therapy and mull over the possibility of quitting basketball altogether.

George Washington University released a statement on the investigation (via Medcalf): "The university expects full cooperation and will not tolerate retaliation during the course of the investigation. We will also continue to inform the student-athletes on our men's basketball team of the university's support and of the resources available to them."

Per Kilgore, Title IX coordinator Rory Muhammad told the student who lodged the complaint in April that the issue had been "handled."

"I don't think the guy should be in sports," one former player told Kilgore. "I don't think what he said should be tolerated. I would like to stay at GW. I will not play for Mike Lonergan." In fact, 13 players have transferred out in the past five years.

University officials spoke to Lonergan in 2015, and senior associate athletics director Ed Scott watched him during practice and on road trips throughout the season, per Kilgore.

Lonergan has coached at the school for five years, compiling a 97-70 record while making the NCAA tournament in 2014.

The Washington Post is reporting that former University of Vermont head coach Mike Lonergan has been hired by George Washington to coach their men's basketball team.

Lonergan is set to replace former head coach Karl Hobbs, who was "released from his contract" back on April 25th after GW performed an internal investigation of their athletic department led by New York Yankees president and GW alum Randy Levine.

Hobbs' time in Foggy Bottom saw a mixture of highs and lows including a top-10 ranking in the nation as well as the consecutive failures of not qualifying for the Atlantic 10 Tournament.  Hobbs and the Colonials ended their season this year with a home-court loss to St. Joseph's in OT in the first round of the Atlantic 10 Tournament, disqualifying them from further competition in Atlantic City.

GW is hoping that now with the addition of Lonergan, the Colonials can bring a winning tradition back to Foggy Bottom.

At Vermont, Lonergan compiled a 126-68 record over six seasons, appearing in the NCAA tournament once. Before his time in Burlington, Lonergan was the head coach of Catholic University, leading them to a Division III National Championship victory back in 2001.

Lonergan also spent a season as an assistant coach to Maryland's recently retired Gary Williams.

Lonergan inherits a team that went 17-14 last season without the help of their star guard and leading scorer, Lasan Kromah. With the expected return of four starters and the addition of top recruit Erik Copes, GW is hoping Lonergan can get right to work in the development of a winning program.

One of the only questions remaining for Lonergan and GW is the recruitment of Copes, who now has the option of backing out of his commitment to the Colonials. Copes is the nephew of Roland Houston, one of Karl Hobbs' former assistants.

Lonergan's first challenge will be to reach out to Copes and convince him into keeping his commitment.

The past few seasons have not exactly been the glory years for the George Washington University men’s basketball program.  After a strong run in the mid 2Ks that featured three consecutive NCAA bids and a brief stay in the top 10, the team has fallen on hard times in recent years.

Coach Karl Hobbs has a reputation as an excellent recruiter, but after allegations came out that the team had several graduates from “diploma mill” high schools, the school became much more discriminating in its admissions process.  As a result, the talent level on the team suffered.

Without superior talent, Hobbs’ poor in-game coaching skills were exposed.  The team recorded back-to-back losing seasons, where they did not even qualify for their conference’s postseason tournament.

Last year seemed to be a step in the right direction, as the team finished with a winning record and played a game in the postseason CBI tournament.  There was some hope that the team would continue its upward ascent this season.

Those hopes were quickly dashed as last season’s leading scorer, Lasan Kromah, suffered an injury in preseason that would keep him out all season. 

Without Kromah, the team looked lost on offense in the early going.  They seemed to have no direction, and it was painful to watch their offensive futility.

It looked like it was going to be another bad season for the Colonials, but surprisingly, the team turned things around. 

Early in the season, point guard Tony Taylor looked to be conflicted between trying to distribute the ball and looking for his own shot.  He finally began to assert himself more as a scorer, and as a result, the offense began to fall into sync. 

After a horrendous start to the season, the team played strong in the final two months and finished the regular season at 17-13.  Their reward was a home game in the first round of the Atlantic 10 tournament.  Their opponents would be the St. Joseph’s Hawks led by coach Phil Martelli.

Martelli has a good reputation nationally, which is a result of knowing how to work the media.  He uses his unattractive appearance (I’m not trying to insult him here – well, maybe I am a little bit – but he definitely tries to use his looks to his advantage) and St. Joseph’s small size to portray him and his team as lovable underdogs.

The truth is, Martelli is somewhat of a bully who becomes especially nasty when things don’t go his way.  For examples of this, see how he reacted to Billy Packer in 2004 or John Chaney in 2005.

In 2004, St. Joseph’s became a national sensation as they reached No. 1 in the country behind point guard Jameer Nelson.  Since that season, the Hawks have gone on a steady downward spiral. 

This season, they had a 9-21 regular season record, and there have been rumblings that Martelli’s job was in danger.

This looked like the perfect opportunity for GW to earn its first postseason win since the 2007 A-10 championship game. 

Surprisingly, the Charles E. Smith Center had a lively crowd.  I’ve been critical of the GW student population in recent years, but apparently they realized that there was an important, nationally televised (CBS College Sports) game last night, and they came out in force.

The crowd didn’t help GW much in the early going.  The Hawks were on a mission to slow the pace of the game down, and it was working well. 

St. Joseph’s would work the shot clock down to single digits before getting off a good shot.  The Hawks were also clamping down defensively, preventing the Colonials from getting out on a break. 

In addition, the Hawks were coming up with just about every loose ball, and every bounce seemed to be going their way.  There were several plays in which a scramble for the ball resulted in an easy basket for the Hawks.

The Colonials didn’t seem to be able to do much right in the first half.  There were multiple easy opportunities near the basket that they didn’t convert.  There were also several poor decisions (most notably by center Joseph Katuka) and fundamental breakdowns.

Particularly galling was a sequence at the end of the first half when GW turned the ball over, and after making a defensive stop, failed to secure the rebound, allowing the Hawks to make a three-pointer, giving them an 11-point lead at the half.

The crowd’s energy had effectively been killed.  They continued to chant “air ball” at Hawks point guard Carl Jones (he missed the rim on an early three-point attempt), but that chant seems hollow when the visitors are ahead by double digits. 

I guess I shouldn’t be too critical of the students, as most of them have never experienced a meaningful game in their time at the school.

Early in the second half, GW seemed determined not to make a comeback.  There were more poor decisions near the hoop, more turnovers, and on multiple times, they fouled a Hawks player with less than five seconds left on the shot clock.

Midway through the second half, with the deficit still in double digits, Tony Taylor came to life.  He had been stymied for most of the game, but he began to assert himself, and the offense began to show signs of improvement.  More importantly, the defense tightened and kept the Hawks from extending their lead.

With the crowd re-energized, the Colonials furiously fought their way back and tied the game with less than two minutes remaining.  Sadly, despite some excellent opportunities, they were never able to take the lead.  

On the last possession of regulation, Taylor missed a makable shot, but Colonials forward Jabari Edwards grabbed the offensive rebound.  Edwards was in perfect position for the putback, but appeared to not realize how much time he had.  His rushed attempt missed, and the game headed to overtime.

While it seemed like GW had all of the momentum heading into the overtime, I was a bit nervous.  Many times, when a team makes a huge comeback, they relax a bit once the score is tied, losing the intensity that fueled the comeback in the first place.

I also was wary of the Hawks getting off to a quick start in overtime.  In most overtime games that I’ve seen, the team that jumps off to an early lead is usually the winner of the game.  That proved correct as the Hawks scored on their first two possessions, and didn’t look back.

Taylor attempted to lead another comeback, but he was clearly worn down, as his shots were coming up well short.  On the other end, St. Joseph’s didn’t seem to be missing anything in overtime, especially from the free-throw line, where they sealed the game.

This was a very disappointing end to an encouraging season.  While St. Joseph’s played well (shooting over 50 percent from the field and 87.5 percent at the free throw line) and had a solid game plan, they were still a nine-win team coming into the game. 

If the Colonials had simply played solid, fundamental basketball, they would have won the game.

Still, there are reasons to be encouraged for next season.  With the expected return of Kromah, he and Taylor should make up an excellent backcourt. 

The team will also have highly touted center recruit Erik Copes join the team.  It is certainly reasonable to expect the team to be a factor in the Atlantic 10 and to earn a bid to the NIT.

And who knows, maybe the CBI or one of the other lesser postseason tournaments will deem the Colonials worthy of an invite.  They might get another chance at ending an encouraging season on a high note.

Originally published on my blog: Stranger in a Strange Land

Who Is Kye Allums?

Kye Allums needs your support. As a member of George Washington's Women's Basketball team, Kyle has asked to be identified as a male. Such a request would make him the NCAA's first openly transgender athlete in a Division I sport.

Allums needs your support because, undoubtedly, there will be those who harass him for making his controversial decision. This does not refer to those who simply disagree with Kye's lifestyle; rather, it is a warning that those who are most intolerant may look at him with hatred for being who he feels most comfortable being. Because of this factor, Allums needs the support of all who accept his choice, especially those who disagree with it but wish him well nonetheless.

In a world where gay athletes are still frightened to come out while active, Allums stands as a beacon of hope for sexual liberation and acceptance.

A quick glance at his player profile on George Washington's website shows that the 5'11" guard is a Junior who has played on the team for the past two seasons.

Anatomically, Allums is still female and will withhold from medical and drug protocols until after his playing career in order to maintain his eligibility. 

The only difference now is his name and the pronouns he'd like people to identify him with.

Previously, Kye Allums' player profile sported the name Kay-Kay Allums. But for Kye, the name made him feel uncomfortable and as if he were somebody that he wasn't. The truth is that he is a man playing a woman's sport and he doesn't want to hide that anymore.

Luckily for Allums, those closest to him are supportive of his wish to be identified as a male. On a page for athletic news on George Washington's website, statements from Woman's Basketball Head Coach Mike Bozeman and Senior Vice Provost and Senior Vice President for Student Academic and Support Services Robert Chernak express support for Kye.

Both Chernak and Bozeman stop short of saying they agree with Kye's decision, only saying "they support Kye's right to make this decision."

That's OK; as mentioned above, one need not agree with Kye's decision, they only need to accept it and not maliciously attack him for it.

An Important and Difficult Question

Naturally, some questions are raised by this peculiar situation.

Prime among them is why Kye Allums is allowed to play for George Washington's female team if he is going to be considered a male?

Chernak addresses Kye's status with the NCAA in his statement, remarking that "Kye has informed the university that he will not begin any medical or drug protocols while a student-athlete. The University consulted the NCAA regarding his competitive status. Kye will continue to be a member of the women's basketball team."

It might seem like a small matter for some to say Kye should not play for the woman's team if he wants to be a male, but it is a large matter for Kye, who needs his scholarship to continue his education. That scholarship is to play for the woman's basketball team, not the men's team.

This case blurs lines for sure; but no matter what Kye chooses to identify himself as, he does have a right to be a student-athlete.

These issues remain a hot-button issue for some. On OutSports.com, the site that first reported Allums decision. An article presents an opinion from a coach who "said he might have a problem if a team in his conference had a player who identified themselves as a man. The reasoning: Because Allums identifies as a man, everyone should treat him as such and he should be playing men’s sports."

It's a tricky situation for sure. That coach has a right to his opinion, and the opinions of those who feel Kye has surrendered his right to play for the woman's team by choosing to be identified as a man cannot be summarily dismissed.

However, no matter what position you take regarding Allums' eligibility, the NCAA has ruled in his favor. This is a major victory for those who identify themselves as transgender and for sexual equality in the world of sports, an often precarious subject given the macho nature of the sports world.

When Ironic Taunts Become Bigoted Vitriol

Case in point is the often derogatory way in which female basketball players are often regarded. Because they play a sport dominated by men and are not ideally feminine—whatever society deems that to be, if anything at all—it is commonplace for them to be regarded as lesbians.

In fact, even before this announcement, Kay-Kay Allums was subject to taunts from opposing fans because of her masculine physique.

Now fully embracing his masculinity, perhaps only Kye can appreciate the irony of just how comfortable those taunts made Kay-Kay feel.

But rocky roads lie ahead. Taunts that once secretly made Kye feel comfortable with his sexuality may now morph into something more vicious than anything he's experienced before. Whereas people may have been mocking Kay-Kay's appearance before, they will now be insulting Kye's decision with a vitriol that goes beyond mocking and highlights the lack of acceptance for differences in both the world of sports and our society.

Kye has the support of his teammates and school. On the same page where Chernak and Bozeman's statements are located, Kye has his own statement expressing how much it means to have the support of George Washington and stating, " My teammates have embraced me as the big brother of the team. They have been my family, and I love them all."

However, Kye needs more support than that. He needs the support of everybody who stands in the face of the bigotry he may face, regardless of what you feel about his decision or his eligibility for the woman's team.

We can accept no less because the sports world lags behind in sexual equality. After all, to everybody other than Kye it's just a name and a bunch of pronouns.