Another reason to like what's going on with GW basketball

Poog, thanks for the post. congrats to John on his outstanding academic record. if he attacks BB with the same energy he does academics, i think he'll be a solid contributor to the team over the next 3 years.  he is working on getting stronger & has the fundamentals and the court sense to succeed.

The 6-foot-8, 215-pound Kopriva, who started 18 games last season, has been weight training, keeping his conditioning level high and working hard to improve his game, particularly his mid-range jumper.

“I’m trying to extend my game a little bit away from the post – while still working on my post moves – and really trying this offseason to put on weight so I can handle myself better in the A-10,” he said. “I also want to become more skilled in general, which involves working on anything 15 feet and in. Just trying to be automatic and gain a little more versatility.”

 He looks like a model student-athlete. However, he really needs that mid-range jumper and more strength to be an effective A-10 player.

 He looks to be a model student-athlete. However, he really needs to improve his mid-range jumper and add strength to be an effective A-10 player.

Also, he  appears capable of obtaining an academic scholarship on his academic ability alone wihout consideration of his basketball skills and maintain at least a cumulative 3.3 grade point average. Thus, if we secured two more recruits, he could continue playing at GW on an academic scholarship and not count against the NCAA 13 basketball scholarship limit.

SMF, I don't belive that it works like that.

 Dolphin Michael - Why does it not work like that?  Article 15.5.1.2.2  of the NCAA manual permits a basketball player with a one year residency at a shool to obtain an academic scholarship based solely on his academic record with no consideration of his basketball interests and not count against the team's 13 basketball scholarship limitation as long as the player maintains at least a cumulative 3.3 grade point average.

What is the problem? Is there a rule making this Article inapplicable to a player on a basketball scholarship in his first year? Is the problem the difficulty of convincing the NCAA that the academic scholarship is beig awarded solely on academic merit or the fact that the benefits of an available academic scholarship are much inferior to a basketball scholarship?