CCT's 'Five Questions' Series: Greg Collucci, Asst. Coach - George Washington
Photo Courtesy of The George Washington University Sports Information
What incoming players have you inked for this fall? A brief rundown on the skill sets of each...
Greg Collucci: We have three incoming Freshmen this season and one redshirt freshman.
First, Daniel Guest is a 6-foot-2 point guard from the Masters School in West Simsbury, CT. He is a physically strong and athletic guard who specializes in getting in the paint and setting up his teammates for easy baskets. GW fans will be excited by Daniel's passion for the game and his heart and determination on the defensive end of the floor.
Next is 6-8, 230 lb, Chris Fitzgerald. Chris is a step out on the perimeter power forward. He is an accurate three point shooter and has a very good feel for the game. He comes from a prestigious basketball program in Northfield / Mount Hermon, in Massachusetts and was coached by an exceptional teacher of the game in John Carroll.
Lastly, fans will get to know Nemanja Mikic, a 6-8 native of Serbia who played his high school basketball at power United Faith Christian Academy in Charlotte, NC. Nemanja is a terrific student and a very skilled basketball player. He has the ability to stretch a defense with his three-point shooting.
You entered A-10 play in 2009-2010 with a 10-3 record, and were playing quality basketball particularly when considering the youth of your team. Winning six league games, did your staff consider that a success, or did you feel you fell short after such a promising start?
GC: Winning six games in the A-10 was bittersweet. One aspect of being a young basketball team is dealing with new situations. Potentially, we could have won four or five more games if we did just two "simple" things: protect home court and finish games better. Both of those things come with experience and an understanding of how good everyone is in our league. We want to improve our home record first and foremost, and with that, we believe our performance in the league will improve.
With six of the top seven scorers on the roster returning (though top scorer Damian Hollis has graduated), how confident are you about your roster heading into this fall? What expectations do you have for individual growth and are there a couple of players in particular you're ready to see take a significant step forward?
GC: We have the potential to have a different player lead us in scoring going into pretty much every game. As coaches, we all root for senior center Joseph Katuka to succeed and be a dominant force in the paint. He is a wonderful person, and truly the heart and soul of our basketball team. In addition, Tony Taylor, Lasan Kromah, Aaron Ware and Dwayne Smith are all guys who have a chance to show people they can really play at a high level in our league.
Speaking of steps, Tony Taylor played well for your squad last season - posting over nine points, four assists and shooting a respectable 37% from three point range. Your thoughts on Tony's development as a floor leader?
GC: Tony is the floor general and the extension of Coach Hobbs on the floor. His production increased and his statistical output has improved as he has gotten more comfortable with the system he has been chosen to lead. Tony has a very high basketball IQ and should continue to see even more results with the great amount of experience he has gained from the past two seasons running our basketball team.
The Colonials had just two road wins in league play (St. Bonaventure and Fordham). Winning on the road, specifically in league play, is never easy. So how do you make that leap to winning more consistently in those hostile environments?
GC: As you said, winning on the road is difficult across college basketball. Youth and inexperience are truly factors in doing so. Hopefully, the difficulties we faced last year can prove to be beneficial whenever we encounter the same situations and pressure this season. We have to be confident in our system and execute as a team in hostile environments as we potentially face one of our most difficult road schedules in years.
**** Bonus Question **** President Obama attended your game against Oregon State back in November of 2009. Was there any talk of the visit before the game within your locker room, was it a surprise visit... and did he speak with your team? Any stories behind his trip to Foggy Bottom?
GC: We were not informed of President Obama being scheduled to attend our game until the morning of the game. However, once word came down, it was clear the day would not follow a normal pattern. Players, coaches, and staff, all had to go through security searches and designated entryways for shootaround. The President was kind enough to shake every player's and coach's hand and say a kind word or two. It was a once in a lifetime moment that no one involved will soon forget.
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