Kryptonite Kids: The Final Four Basketball Players Then and Now
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Tony Skinn, #1
Communication, 2006
Guard/Forward
2006 GoMason.com Statistics: 6’1” 185 lb.
By Cody Norman
Tony Skinn was the quarterback of the Patriots’ run to the Final Four averaging more than 12.5 points a game, despite having to sit out the first game against Michigan State. He was suspended for one game due to an incident in which he punched a Hofstra player in the groin during the semifinals game of the Colonial Athletic Association conference tournament. He has since moved on to competing in the Euroleague for the Carmatic Pistoia in Italy, where he is pouring in over 18 points a night.
Prior to settling down in Italy, Skinn played for various teams including the Atlanta Krunk Wolverines in the Continental Basketball Association, KK Split in Croatia, and Stade Clermuntois Basket Auvergne and BCM Gravelines Dunkerque Grand Littoral in France.
Following the Final Four season, Skinn was expected to play for Chorale de Roanne Basket in France but elected to remain in Virginia to be with his girlfriend, Weyni Ghebremedhin, who was pregnant with the couple’s first child. Skinn’s son Isaiah was born Aug., 12, 2006.
Skinn will be competing in the FIBA World Championships as part of the Nigerian National Team this offseason where he will be matched up against some of the best players in the world.
Folarin Campbell, #42
Communication, 2008
Guard/Forward
2006 GoMason.com Statistics: 6’4” 200 lb.
By Hayley Roder
His first name means “walk with glory” in Nigerian, and after the 2006 season, there was no question that Folarin Campbell has lived up to his name. He made the decisive shot that took down Connecticut and sent the Patriots to the Final Four. “That’s probably the best shot I’ve shot,” Campbell said in a 2008 article by Washington Post sports columnist Mike Wise. During his sophomore year, Campbell started in 34 of 35 regular season games and received playing time in all of them. He finished in the CAA’s top 12 in scoring with an average of 13 points per game.
During that season, when he scored in double figures, led the team in assists, made at least half of his shots, and had four or more rebounds, Mason maintained a winning record. According to his player profile on gomason.com, he “scored in double figures in all five of Mason’s NCAA Tournament contest.”
Campbell entered his junior year among the all-time top 30 at Mason in career assists and went on to be selected for the Third-Team and Second-Team All-CAA teams his junior and senior years, respectively. By the end of his senior year, he was fourth all-time in career assists and was the only player in school history to have scored 1,500 points.
After graduating from George Mason, Campbell was offered the opportunity to play for Solsonica Rieti, an Italian League team, now known as NSB Napoli due to sponsorship changes. He played for that team during the 2008-09 season and now plays for the Artland Dragons Quakenbrueck, a team in Germany, as guard/forward. So far this season, he has scored 88 points out of a team total 892. He has made 80.6 percent of his free throws, swishing 25 out of 31 through the hoop.
Sammy Hernandez, #50
Business, Florida Atlantic, 2009
Forward
2006 GoMason.com Statistics: 6’5” 230 lb.
By Damien Sordelett
Sammy Hernandez was small for a post player, but played more like Jai Lewis when the husky forward subbed for the invaluable Mason center during the team’s dramatic run to the Final Four.
Hernandez scored Mason’s last points in the Patriots’ 73-58 national semifinal loss to eventual national champion Florida.
“He made a tremendous contribution in our run to the Final Four,” Mason coach Jim Larranaga told the Mason Gazette in 2007 when Hernandez decided to transfer.
Shortly after the Puerto Rico native began his sophomore season with the Patriots,
the 23-year-old transferred to Florida Atlantic University to be closer to home.
He attended high schools in Miami and Jacksonville, Fla.
Hernandez did not produce the numbers he gave Mason in one season during his two seasons with the Owls. He never averaged more than two points per game with Florida Atlantic.
Lamar Butler, #22
Communication, 2006
Guard
2006 GoMason.com Statistics: 6’2” 170 lb.
By Cody Norman
Lamar Butler became a symbol of the Cinderella story during Mason’s run through the NCAA tournament. He was one of only three senior players on the team and played a huge role in the team’s success.
In 2008, Butler played for the Colorado 14ers in the NBA Development League, then switched to the Reno Bighorns in 2009.
Today, Butler is continuing his basketball career in Turkey for Tofas Bursa.
“Basketball is still my life now” Butler said. “Instead of playing for free, though, I’m getting paid for it.” As more and more former Division-I athletes play for teams overseas, Butler runs across many familiar faces on the court.
“People still make jokes and call me ‘Final Four boy’ or something,” Butler said.
Though his days with the Patriots are over, Lamar holds on to the legacy that he helped leave at Mason.
Prior to the 2005-06 season, Butler remembers Coach Jim Larranaga calling the three seniors into his office and asking them, “Do you want to be good? Or do you want to be great?”
Lamar, Jai Lewis and Tony Skinn responded to the coach’s challenge. One thing that Butler took from that experience was that hard work really does pay off.
Gabe Norwood, #5
Communication, 2007
Guard/Forward
2006 GoMason.com Statistics: 6’4” 185 lb.
By Cody Norman and Rachael Dickson
Gabe Norwood currently plays for Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the Philippine Basketball Association where he is in his second year in the league. He has gained the nickname “The President,” a term coined by Filipino sports journalist Quinito Henson in reference to his resemblance to President Barack Obama.
“I’m loving it out here,” Norwood said. “The country loves the game of basketball and treats its players with a lot of support and respect.”
Norwood in the Philippines was the first overall pick in the 2008 PBA draft, won the Slam Dunk Contest among locals during the 2009 PBA All-Star Week and was named 2008-09 PBA Rookie of the Year.
Norwood’s Final Four experience directly led to his continuing career.
“It just so happened that there were coaches from the Philippines in Indianapolis during the Final Four,” Norwood said. “I’m not sure how exactly they found out that I had Filipino blood (my mom is half Filipino), but I caught their eye there and they kept me on their radar and eventually got me over to play. Long story short, the Final Four run got me the opportunity to continue my career.”
One memory that stands out for Norwood is the constant media exposure he experienced during the Final Four run. “[We had] camera crews follow us around campus,” Norwood said. “I think that’s what got the country on our side. We were accessible.”
He also reminisced about the high level of attention the team got from the school.
“School spirit was at an all-time high,” Norwood said. “The sense of pride, not only at Mason but the whole area, was crazy. Pep rallies, send-off parties, banquets—you name it and we were there. I guess that run set the standard of how much respect the program got from everyone at the university. My senior year, expectations were high, and I’m pretty sure attendance almost doubled for the year.”
Will Thomas, #34
2008
Forward
2006 GoMason.com Statistics: 6’7” 220 lb.
By John Powell
WILL THOMAS is currently playing in Belgium for Belgacom Liege Basket, a team he has played with for two years.
“I do not think the Final Four run contributed anything to my career because during the run they always talked about how we played as a team and not as individuals,”
Thomas said. “With all the success we had that season, it didn’t turn me into a NBA lottery pick.”
Michael Huger, an assistant coach for the men’s basketball team at Mason who played for nine seasons for Belgacom Liege Basket, helped Thomas find his
place in Belgium.
Thomas has made more than 1,000 points, averaging nearly 13 points per game and 10 rebounds per game.
“My aspirations for the future [are] to continue to improve my basketball skills and have a successful basketball career,” Thomas said.
Chris Fleming, #40
Marketing, 2009
Forward
2006 GoMason.com Statistics: 6’8” 230 lb.
By Joe Beeton
Chris Fleming surprised many fans and opponents as a freshman on Mason’s illustrious 2005-06 roster. Although the six-foot-seven inch, 250 pound Forward
from Manassas, Va. averaged only five minutes per the 28 games he played during Mason’s standout season, he managed to score in 10 different contests and pulled down rebounds in 12. On seven occasions, he put both points on the scoreboard and grabbed at least one rebound. He added six points in just ten minutes of playing time in a win against William & Mary on Jan. 26, 2006. By the end of the season, Fleming had also blocked five shots and forced 10 turnovers, including four steals. The then freshman played in 10 out Mason’s last 12 games of the season, including all five of the NCAA Tournament games. In the following season, 2006-07, Fleming had three starts as a sophomore and played in 19 games. In just six minutes in a contest against James Madison, Fleming scored four points before an ankle injury forced him off the court.
As a junior, Fleming appeared in all of Mason’s 34 games in 2007-08, scoring Mason’s first point of the season against Villanova and blocking the first opponent shot of the season against Kent State. His best performance was against William & Mary in the CAA championship game, in which he was 4-of-5 shooting from the field, scoring eight points, grabbing two offensive boards, and putting up an assist. Fleming had 48 points to his name by the end of the season.
Last season, as a senior, Fleming remained a Manassas hometown hero, using his strong, physical style in the front court to grab 13 defensive boards and always provided a defensive spark when coming off the bench.
Fleming graduated in 2009 and is now working at Premium Distributors in Chantilly, Va.
Makan Konate, #3
Global Affairs, 2006
Guard
2006 GoMason.com Statistics: 6’7” 200 lb.
By Joe Beeton
Makan Konate, who came all the way from Bamako, Mali, was a fan-favorite during his basketball career at Mason. The six-foot-seven inch forward came to the United States from Western Africa hoping to use his size and athletic prowess to make a name for himself playing basketball. A family in Massachusetts helped Konate, who then spoke little English, by providing him a home and enrolling him at Worcester Academy, a school that regularly makes it to championship games and produces many collegiate stars. Konate played alongside fellow Patriot Tim Burns before they both came to Mason in 2003.
Makan averaged a little less than two minutes on the court per game during his four years as a Patriot from 2003 to 2007. Despite the small amount of playing time, the soft-spoken substitute still stirred up emotion from Mason’s fans and teammates just by knocking down a fadeaway jump shot on Jan. 26, 2006, during the final two minutes of Mason’s blowout win over William & Mary. In what Mason guard and former high-school teammate Tim Burns called “one of the highlights of our season,” fans roared his name from the stands, coaches ignited in excitement on the sidelines, and teammates jumped on Konate’s back on the court.
While those unfamiliar with Konate may have considered the shot insignificant, those who knew of his journey may have measured it as a miniature metaphor for Mason’s Cinderella success as a team during their monumental run to the Final Four. Like Mason in 2006, Konate was an underdog who came from behind to put a smile on people’s faces and create a lasting memory. The Global Affairs major told ESPN in a March 31, 2006 interview that he planned to go back to Mali aftergraduation. He spoke of his father who passed away while on an aid mission in Mali. “I only wish my dad were here to see me right now,” Konate said. “He’s my idol. I just want to fill his footsteps and get the same job he did. I want to be an aid worker.”
Tim Burns, #12
Communication, 2007
Guard
2006 GoMason.com Statistics: 6’3” 185 lb.
By Hayley Roder
Tim Burns comes from a basketball family. His brother, Ross, played for the University of Massachusetts in 1996 during their Final Four run; Tim was a junior during Mason’s Final Four run a decade later in 2006.
During the 20 games in which he played, Burns was often recognized for his ability to make 3 pointers, leading the team in three-point shooting percentage at .400. He had 10 rebounds, seven assists, and six steals, averaging six minutes and 1.8 points per game. Since graduating, Burns has done work with Pro Hoops, Inc., a basketball training organization based in Long Island, N.Y. It is designed to help players of all ages develop their skills through training DVDs and camps. Tim works as a basketball trainer alongside his brother, Ross, who also works as a trainer and as the director of the Pro Hoops Academy, a camp designed for college students. Pro basketball players who have benefitted from the training include Wally Szcerbiak formerly of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Jameer Nelson of the Orlando Magic, among others.
Jordan Carter, #2
Internet and New Media Studies, 2008
Guard
2006 GoMason.com Statistics: 6’0” 170 lb.
By Joe Beeton
Jordan Carter, a sophomore during the Final Four run, found success in his following two seasons at Mason. The Indianapolis native broke his personal career high in the 2006-07 season, finishing with 58 points, 95 total rebounds, 74 assists and 34 steals.
Despite being hindered by an ankle injury for part of the 2007-08 season, Carter put up solid numbers, coming out just one rebound and one assist short of a triple-double against nationally ranked Kansas State. He also helped set Mason’s single game free-throw record of 21-for-21 in a contest against the Dayton Flyers—knocking out a third of that record single-handedly by sinking seven of his seven attempts at the charity stripe.
The Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School graduate was a vital aspect off the bench as a sophomore during the 2005-06 season, playing four out of the five games in the NCAA Tournament and a total of 28 games in the season. With an average of 6.5 minutes per game, Carter put up 19 assists on the season.
The 24-year old point guard, who enjoys video games and working on cars, plays professionally in Bluefield, West Virginia for the West Virginia Blazers, a team that entered into the American Basketball Association last season.
Charles Makings, #24
Public Administration, 2007
Guard
2006 GoMason.com Statistics: 6’2” 180 lb.
By Joe Beeton
For Makings who appeared in 13 games for the Patriots in 2005-06, it’s easy to look back and recall the paramount experience of the season. “It was after the Connecticut game, looking up at family members in the stands when everybody was rushing the floor. Makings remembers being in the packed stadiums and shaking hands with people wearing NCAA championship rings, warmly referring to it as “an experience; something you dream about growing up.”
Makings believes that the team’s best game was against Wake Forest, just the second game of the season. Although the Patriots lost 83-78 in over time, Makings says that this was when the team realized just how strong they were. He said, “It was a good measuring stick” that set the pace for the rest of the season.
Makings, now a legislative correspondent in the House of Representatives, says that the Final Four run was a once in a lifetime experience that he’ll never forget.
The memories Makings has of Mason’s incredible season are inspirational. He commends the team’s coaches and trainers and recollects the team’s work ethic.
The run had an extremely positive effect on his life because “it proved what you can achieve with hard work and dedication. Waking up early, spending extra hours in the weight room—a lot of people didn’t see the hard work and dedication that it took, but they saw the results.”
John Vaughan, #23
Business Management, 2009
Guard
2006 GoMason.com Statistics: 6’3” 170 lb.
By Nicole Demmel
John Vaughan is currently living at home trying to figure out his next move. He isn’t playing basketball for a team but basketball is still a part of his life.
“Right now I’m just working out and staying active with basketball around my community,” Vaughan said “[I am] currently still waiting on an opportunity to pursue my career”.
He still keeps in contact with his teammates. “We were a band of brothers from
different states, cultures, and opportunities,” he said. “The intensity of the college game and competition is sorely missed! Off the court, the locker room, bus rides, team dinners are what I miss the most.”
As Vaughan red shirted the year Mason went to the Final Four, he regrets not being able to play. However, even without stepping on the court that year he still learned a lot. “The Final Four allowed me to value the game of basketball so much more...and to realize that effort allows dreams to come true,” said Vaughan.
Mason basketball helped develop him as a person on and off the court. “[I feel] like a much more mature person,” Vaughan said. “I also learned how to overcome numerous adversities throughout the years.”
He reminisces about the game daily and thinks a reunion game would be “competitive and exciting.”
Jesus Urbina, #13
Communication, 2007
Forward
2006 GoMason.com Statistics: 6’7” 225 lb.
By Damien Sordelett
Jesus Urbina did not step foot on the floor during George Mason’s miraculous run to the Final Four, but the experience and exposure has allowed him to be one of the many from the team who have made the jump to the professional ranks.
The Venezuelan native, who missed the 2005-06 season due to an injury, played every game for the Patriots the following season, but chose to skip his final year of eligibility to pursue a professional career after Spanish-based professional teams expressed interest following his appearance in the FIBA Americas Olympic qualifying tournament during the summer of 2007. Urbina had the opportunity to play against the U.S. team, where he competed in the post against NBA all-star center Dwight Howard.
He plays for Toros de Aragua in Venezuela of Liga Profesional de Baloncesto (LPB), which is known as is the Venezuelan National Basketball League. Urbina is averaging five points and four rebounds per game during the current season.
“I miss the atmosphere, the people and my teammates,” Urbina said when he visited George Mason for Midnight Madness in late 2007. “These people here are just great and they helped me out a lot.”
Jai Lewis, #55
Sports Management, 2006
Forward/Center
2006 GoMason.com Statistics: 6’7” 275 lb.
By Damien Sordelett and Cody Norman
Jai Lewis joined the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the Philippine Basketball Association during the 2008-09 Fiesta Conference tournament where he teamed with former Mason teammate Gabe Norwood to lead the team to its first semifinal appearance.
Following his 2005-06 season at Mason, the Aberdeen, Md., native flirted with the National Football League when the New York Giants signed him as an undrafted free agent. Hoping to have the same success former basketball player-turned-NFL star Antonio Gates has had with the San Diego Chargers, Lewis attended training camp before leaving and pursuing his basketball career. In two separate stints with teams in Israel, Lewis averaged more than 12 points and four rebounds per contest while becoming accustomed to walking around the streets of the war-torn country and seeing automatic weapons everywhere.
His stints playing in France and Bosnia were cut short because the teams felt he was too small to play power forward.
“It’s not the size of the dog in the fight. It’s the size of the fight in the dog,” Lewis said in a March 27, 2007 article by Josh Peter of Yahoo! Sports. “Anything is possible as long as you keep working hard. That’s one thing the Final Four has taught me.”
Joining Rain or Shine, where head coach Caloy Garcia has positively expressed his desire to have Lewis in the post, could add some stability for the soon-to-be father after bouncing around three countries and playing for four teams following his tenure at Mason.
During his !rst stint with Rain or Shine, the 28-year-old averaged 20.3 points and 15.6 rebounds per game, providing the same type of production in his professional career that he did while at Mason. The biggest thing he learned from the 2006 experience was to not underestimate his performance.
Lewis’ fondest memory of the team’s Final Four run is how quickly the entire nation rallied behind the Patriots.
“It was fun to have everyone cheering on the underdog,” Lewis said. “The school spirit and atmosphere definitely changed during our run. Of course we had support from our fans and the student body, but when we started our run, things just went to another level.”
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The above piece was published in Mason Nation: Four Years After Final Four, a magazine released this April documenting and analyzing the university's development since the Patriots' historic run in 2006, aiming to shed light on what's connected to the Cinderella story--and additionally, what's not.
Led by senior history major and Student Media veteran Rachael Dickson, the magazine's other topics include changes in men's basketball to effects on other athletics, and from player profiles of the Final Four team to the rise of the Chesapeake residential neighborhood. Gunston and the pep band also receive shout-outs.
Student Media Group: