Cornelius is back after 10-game suspension As his players ran drills against a full-court trap Monday, George Mason coach Paul Hewitt became increasingly exasperated. They weren’t getting it.
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“Nobody move,” yelled the usually placid Hewitt, who proceeded to show the Patriots where they should have been after an inbounds pass.
With only two players available who averaged double-digit minutes last season, and none in the backcourt, there have been more Patriots out of position than Hewitt would like in his first five weeks at George Mason.
| Up next |
| Duquesne at George Mason |
| When » Wednesday, 7 p.m. |
| Where » Patriot Center |
| TV » MASN |
But Wednesday night when the Patriots (7-3) host Duquesne (6-5), Hewitt will have a welcome addition in three-year starting guard Andre Cornelius, back after serving a 10-game suspension.
“To add a guy like that,” Hewitt said. “He can have a big impact on our team.”
Cornelius, a senior who pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge of credit card fraud in November, has been practicing with George Mason, anxiously awaiting Dec. 21. He averaged 9.5 points a game last season. But statistics can’t quantify his value as a perimeter defender and fast-break weapon.
Cornelius is quick to add a few more attributes and says he’s improved.
“Toughness, my shooting ability, my quickness, my leadership,” Cornelius said. “My jumper is better. My ball handling is better. My 3-point shot is good. My defense is way better. I’m talking more, vocally. I’m being a better leader on the court, off the court too.”
In the absence of Cornelius, sophomore guard Sherrod Wright (11.1 ppg) has emerged as George Mason’s top backcourt threat, hitting 56.5 percent from the floor and 42.1 from behind the arc. But sophomores Vertrail Vaughns (11.1 ppg) and Bryon Allen (7.3 ppg, 3.5 apg) and freshmen Corey Edwards (2.9 ppg, 3.3 apg) and Vaughn Gray (2.9 ppg), while flashing promise, have been inconsistent.
While happy with the individual development of many of the players, Hewitt wants to see more cohesion. He said that George Mason “slightly underachieved” in its first 10 games. The return of Cornelius gives the Patriots a better chance to gel and to run Hewitt’s preferred up-tempo style.
“It should allow us to put more pressure on the ball — both full and half court,” Hewitt said. “Hopefully our defense will be good enough where we can force some turnovers, some bad shots and will lead to run-out baskets.”
For now, Hewitt would like to see the Patriots run a successful press break. They’ll need it Wednesday night against guard-oriented Duquesne. George Mason beat the Dukes in double overtime last December in Pittsburgh 85-79.
Coming after exams, this begins a critical stretch in the Patriots’ development, according to Hewitt. After Duquesne, George Mason has a quick turnaround, with a game Friday at home against Manhattan (7-4).
“These middle third games you really get to see who you are as a team,” Hewitt said. “Our youth on the perimeter, the development of [center] Mike Morrison as an offensive player, and the return of Andre — there are a lot of things going on that could really make us a much better basketball team.”
