Kolek ready to return
Cumberland native will play at URI today
In high school, Tyler Kolek endured the kind of Ryan Center memories that one would rather forget.
On Saturday afternoon, the Cumberland native will once again set foot on URI’s home court for the first time since losing a 2018 Final Four game by a 74-49 count to that year’s eventual state champion (Bishop Hendricken). It was a contest that marked Kolek’s final game in a Cumberland High uniform.
Kolek has come a long way since that unceremonious ending as a R.I. Interscholastic League competitor. From winning R.I. Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year honors during his two-year stay at St. George’s, to earning a Division I scholarship to an Atlantic 10 school, he’s succeeded in raising his profile to the point where he’s emerged as a vital piece to George Mason’s puzzle.
Did we mention that Kolek is merely a freshman? Lately, he hasn’t looked the part of a wet-behind-the-ears neophyte who receives token minutes here and there. The Tyler Kolek that hits the hardwood against the Rams figures to be high up on Rhode Island’s scouting report when it comes to prioritizing who to slow down.
It won’t be a homecoming in the sense that Kolek can expect his own cheering section at the Ryan Center. Nonetheless, the local lad will be back on Ocean State soil for the first time since mid-August when he departed for George Mason.
“It will be a special moment being back in Rhode Island, but it’s too bad my family can’t come,” said Kolek, expressing a wistful thought that was no doubt directed towards his parents Kevin and Lynn.
Kolek might be 11 games into his George Mason career, yet he’s already seen and experienced plenty. With COVID-19 delaying his arrival, he didn’t reap the benefits of a traditional summer that’s experienced by most college basketball players around the country – take a few classes and practice as a group. Nonetheless, Kolek wasn’t going to use the late start to impede his desire to hit the ground running.
“I came in with the mindset of trying to work hard every day and work my way up. There was so much uncertainty, but you just had to be ready for what was coming,” said Kolek. “Coming in, the coaches gave me confidence in my game. I had the feeling I would get the opportunity to prove myself to the other guys.”
The preseason allowed Kolek to settle into a routine. The day would start at 6 a.m. with a lifting session followed by practice.
“After that, we would have yoga sessions in the middle of the day to get the body right after practice,” said Kolek.
There’s also the hittingthe-books aspect followed by optional workouts at night along with study hall.
“It’s definitely a fullcourse meal as some would say,” said Kolek.
George Mason was three games into an unprecedented season when the Patriots on Dec. 2 hit an unwanted break in the schedule. A positive COVID-19 test within the program led to a lengthy stay in isolation along with the cancellation of five games.
“The players were on the same floor of a hotel-style dorm, but we couldn’t leave our rooms and see each other,” said Kolek. “It was definitely hard as far as the mental health aspect … a lot of WebEx and Zoom calls. There was so much uncertainty as to when we would be getting out. Was anyone else positive? You just had to stay focused on what the goal was.”
Eventually, the Patriots emerged from the quarantine cocoon. For Kolek and his teammates, it felt like the first day of practice all over again.
“Fourteen days without basketball is a really long time. I don’t think I’ve gone more than a day or two without touching a basketball,” said Kolek. “It definitely took a while to get our wind back. After that, it was about fine-tuning the basketball aspect. It took two or three games before jelling again like we did during the preseason and the first couple of games of the year.”
George Mason pieced together a three-game stretch that guided the Patriots out of self-isolation and getting them ready for the Atlantic 10 opener. On Dec. 27, Kolek played 43 minutes and scored a still-career-high 19 points as George Mason outlasted UMass in double overtime on the Minutemen’s floor. Kolek’s biggest sequence came in the second extra session when he stole the ball and fed a teammate for a go-ahead three-pointer with 26 seconds remaining.
“Our coach [Dave Paulsen] always says, ‘Pound the rock.’ That was a pound-the-rock game from top to bottom for the whole team,” said Kolek. “It was good to get into the win column for the first game of conference play. Overall for our season, it was a really good team win.”
Adjusting to the speed of the game took some getting used to. As always, Kolek has proven to be a quick study when it comes to accelerating his learning curve. He’s started the last eight games and hasn’t played fewer than 30 minutes over that same stretch.
“It’s all about getting comfortable. Every shot I took during the first few games, I may have shortarmed it or was nervous to touch the ball,” said Kolek, named a A-10 Rookie of the Week recipient a few days prior to the thrilling win over UMass. “Now that I have more experience under my belt, it’s just coming more naturally where I’m just trying to play my game.”
Kolek isn’t just impacting games with his trademark 3-point shooting. Lately, he’s been serving as one of his team’s primary ballhandlers. On the season, he’s shooting 35 percent from beyond the arc and has posted eight games where he’s made two or more threes.
One of Kolek’s better all-around games came just this week. On Wednesday, he delivered five points, six rebounds, three assists, and four steals as George Mason snapped a three-game losing streak with a 75-42 thumping of La Salle.
“The cat is out of the bag. Teams know I can shoot the ball. If they’re closing in and not giving me much space, I’ve got to find other ways to impact the game … move the ball around and set up my teammates where they’re in a position to score,” said Kolek, currently second on the Patriots in scoring (10.7 ppg) and tied for first in assists (24).
If the unpredictable nature of Kolek’s first college season has taught him anything … treat each day that the team is able to come together as a gift.
“We always try to stay ready no matter what is happening. You never know if you’re going to play one day or not practice,” he said. ‘You never really know what’s going to happen. You just have to be thankful for every day that you do it.”