Catching up with the Tribe at the Seven Cities Pro-Am

Jazmon

A Sunday afternoon at Norfolk's Maury High School allowed LadySwish to catch up with the Tribe -- at least part of William and Mary, as we watched senior Jazmon Boone and sophomores Brooke Stewart and Alexis Hofstaedter play in the Seven Cities Pro Am Hampton Roads (apologies, Latrice Hunter. We saw you play a nice game, but did not get a chance to chat).

Anyway, always good to see some of our favorite players in action and hear their thoughts. Here's what we learned.

On second-year coach Ed Swanson:

"He's pretty intense," Boone said. "Those are the best words to describe him. He gets the most out of us."

And his mantra?

"Energy and effort."

Most coaches have a few lines they say over and over again, and the Tribe leader is no different. Among his pet Swanson-isms:

Brooke

"In my 22 years of basketball, never have I had ....(fill in the blank)."

Boone also does a keen impression of him in a crouched position.

While we asked the W&M players what was going to be different this coming season (Tribe finished 8-21 last season), we knew one
thing already. This is the first time Tribe players have been regular participants in the summer league (Marlena Tremba, Kyla Kerstetter and Alex Masaquel are others on rosters). All seem confident the offseason action will help.

"We play pickup as a team all the time, but it's against each other, so there's only so much you can do because you learn how everyone plays," Stewart said. "You cheat the game in a way, so this kind of keeps you honest. For me we had our end-of-year meetings and gave us assignments on what we need to do and mine was to play."

We quizzed them each about the best part of W&M (not necessarily a basketball question).....

"Southern hospitality," offered Hofstaedter, from Richboro, Pa., just outside of Philadelphia (and by the way, she prefers Pat's to Geno's).

"I love my teammates," Stewart said. "They're my best friends. I've been on teams when it's not like that."

"The academics," Boone said. "I appreciate the academics. It keeps you on your toes for staying disciplined and prepares you for life. You don't just go to school and play basketball. You have to manage the rigorous schedule."

By the way, she says Intermediate Economics has been the toughest, and Stewart, who grew up outside of Boston, gives a thumbs up to the off-campus housing. "If I were to live in the house I live in now in Boston, it would be a zillion dollars."

We also learned what a TWAMP is (that'd be a Typical William and Mary Person).

Moving on ..... their summer guilty pleasure is....

"Ice cream," Boone said. "It's so hot. I like FroYo."

Alexis

"I like wings,"Hofstaedter admitted.

"Lay by the pool," chimed in Stewart.

Last question -- a frivolous one, we admit. Where's LeBron gonna go?

"I don't like LeBron," Stewart said, whose loyalties lie with the Celtics and upside-rich forward/center Kelly Olynyk.

Hofstaedter?

Spurs fan.

Never leaving Miami, Boone says.

"No doubt."