Cam Long poised for big year

Don't be surprised if Cam Long is this year's team MVP. The sophomore showed flashes of brilliance and poise at times last season and looks to build on that this year. It's a shock to no one that he will be asked to step up by his coach and teammates this year and take over the duties of Folarin Campbell.

“What we’ve told Cam now is (he’s) got to step up and take Folarin’s job,” said Larranaga, entering his 12th season in Fairfax. “You’ve got to score, you’ve got to rebound, you’ve got to get assists, steals, you’ve got to defend. You’ve got to contribute in a lot of different ways and be a team leader even though you’re just a sophomore.”

Those are some pretty big shoes to fill for Long and the rest of this young Patriots squad. It's still John Vaughan and Dre Smith's team but leadership will be given by Long who ended the season averaging about 18 minutes a game. His progression could be the difference between Mason fighting for an NCAA or NIT bid.