GW’s Elliott is doing it all

George Washington coach Karl Hobbs had a one word answer when he was asked before the season what this Colonials’ team would need from Carl Elliott.

“Everything,” he said.

That is exactly what he has been getting.

The lone returning starter from last season’s 27-3 team, Elliott became the first player in the 93-year history of the program to record a triple-double last Saturday when he tallied 17 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in a victory over Temple.

“All the coaches always say to me, ‘I am a triple-double guy,’ ” Elliott said, wearing his usual wide grin. “I just laugh. I’m like ‘I don’t know.’ ”

Not surprisingly, the Colonials are not having anywhere near the season of a year ago, when since-departed stars Pops Mensah-Bonsu, Mike Hall and Omar Williams led GW to an undefeated regular season in the Atlantic 10.

The Colonials have won two straight after losing four in a row, and enter tomorrow’s game at La Salle at 17-8 overall and 8-5 in the A-10. They are most likely not headed to a third consecutive NCAA tournament in what is regarded as a rebuilding season.

However, the Colonials are winning and considered a dark horse in next month’s conference tournament thanks to the 6-foot-2, 220-pound senior guard.

“Carl Elliott is the most valuable player in the Atlantic 10,” St. Joseph’s coach Phil Martelli said after Elliott totaled 20 points, seven assists, four rebounds and four steals in a win over the Hawks on Jan. 24. “That doesn’t mean he’s the best player in the conference, but I don’t know of another player whose team needs him as much as his needs him.”

It was not scripted to be that way.

Elliott was expected have an enhanced role with the graduation of Mensah-Bonsu, Hall and Williams, but was to form the league’s best backcourt with explosive scorer J.R. Pinnock. That was before Pinnock, the team’s leading scorer last season, left early to enter the NBA Draft. The junior was drafted in the second round before being cut by the Los Angeles Lakers and is now playing for Arkansas in the NBA Development League.

Suddenly, GW’s NCAA prospects took a major hit while Elliott’s role became paramount.

“It just put me more in the mind-set of not only being the leader by example, but also the vocal leader,” Elliott said matter-of-factly. “The younger guys came in and mixed in well with the team. It’s just that they are younger guys. I know how it is coming in as a freshman. I just try to take those guys under my wing and keep them focused.”

Elliott is averaging career highs in almost all categories with 13.0 points and 4.6 rebounds and is leading the league with 5.1 assists and 2.7 steals. The jovial guard is second on GW’s all-time list in assists and steals, trailing Shawnta Rogers in each category.

“He has that unique combination of size, strength and speed and quickness,” Hobbs said “People forget what a terrific defender he is. He has all the terrific attributes that separate him. Not a lot of guys can do a triple-double. It is the first time it happened in school history. Think of all the great players that have played here. And he followed it up with a double-double.”

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