DeadsetAce
Supporter
- May 31, 2004
- 107,240
- 53,425
checking in for what's going to be an "interesting" season
THE OFFICIAL GEORGETOWN BASKETBALL SEASON THREAD
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by lmbassclown,
- Start date
- Jan 3, 2008
- 12,102
- 1,410
Jeff, Roy and Greg will be there tonight. As well as both Ewing's, Sleepy Floyd and *possibly* Iverson. Amongst a lot of other alums.
kids visiting:
Troy Williams '13 (nephew of Coach Williams of the women's team)
Kennedy Meeks '13
Josh Hart '13
Shep Garner '14
JaQuan Newton '14
D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera is expected to announce for G'Town tomorrow.
I love this group of freshman, JTIII has to let them play. A lot.
kids visiting:
Troy Williams '13 (nephew of Coach Williams of the women's team)
Kennedy Meeks '13
Josh Hart '13
Shep Garner '14
JaQuan Newton '14
D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera is expected to announce for G'Town tomorrow.
I love this group of freshman, JTIII has to let them play. A lot.
- Oct 3, 2010
- 19,234
- 21,094
Can somebody fill me in to who we got coming up this year. Cuz otherwise we bouta suck
- Apr 17, 2003
- 293
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allen, how did the rumors of AI coming to MM start?
- Jan 3, 2008
- 12,102
- 1,410
there are A LOT of former players in town for tonight. His appearance seems to be 50/50. We'll see..hope he makes it.
- Apr 17, 2003
- 293
- 11
allen, do you know what day TJ warren is supposed to announce this week? any indication whether he's going to pick us over nc state?
- Jan 3, 2008
- 12,102
- 1,410
tomorrow.
NC St people seem to think he is theirs. The one or 2 G'Town people in the know still think we have a decent shot.
With Whittington and Porter he would be a luxury recruit. But a really, really, nice luxury to have.
NC St people seem to think he is theirs. The one or 2 G'Town people in the know still think we have a decent shot.
With Whittington and Porter he would be a luxury recruit. But a really, really, nice luxury to have.
- Oct 15, 2005
- 403
- 16
Georgetown Midnight Madness 2011: Dunk Contest Highlights
at the bottom of this link
http://www.themarsreel.co...s-midnight-madness-2011/
Follow: http://twitter.com/themarsreel Like: http://facebook.com/themarsree
at the bottom of this link
http://www.themarsreel.co...s-midnight-madness-2011/
Follow: http://twitter.com/themarsreel Like: http://facebook.com/themarsree
- Oct 3, 2010
- 19,234
- 21,094
I asked this before & nobody answered. WHO DO WE HAVE COMING UP ON THIS TEAM? IM NOT FAMILAR WITH THE FRESHMAN BUT IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A DOWN YEAR.
Thompson & Clark our two best players?
Thompson & Clark our two best players?
- Jan 3, 2008
- 12,102
- 1,410
Trawick, Whittington, Porter, Hopkins and Adams.
All 5 freshmen will play (they better), and collectively...they're damn good. As far as freshman classes go, by all accounts-- they were the most impressive team at Kenner since the Jon/Jeff/Roy group.
The great part about the class is they literally can play 1-5 and they go 6'5, 6'9, 6'9, 6'9, 6'8. Small ball is finally over.
Otto Porter probably makes the biggest impact right away. Hopkins actually showed a pulse in summer and III says he's started to understand how to compete (has all the tools). Whittington is a little rough around the edges not having played at a high level in HS or his limited AAU time but he's a 6'9 SG that can shoot it. Trawick has been a blessing for this program with his attitude and Adams will have to play with Moses out for the year just out of necessity. He needs to get in shape, out of the 5..he's probably the biggest project -- but he can fill a role pretty quickly with his size.
It'll be a down year (although I still see it as an 8-10 or 9-9 BE team, so won't be that bad), but W's and L's should be secondary, III has to let them work through the growing pains. If he does, he'll be rewarded.
The bad part going forward is numbers wise, this is going to end up being a 7 man class with Bowen having redshirted last year and Moses redshirting this year. I don't think Bowen is in the program come next year, but we'll see.
All 5 freshmen will play (they better), and collectively...they're damn good. As far as freshman classes go, by all accounts-- they were the most impressive team at Kenner since the Jon/Jeff/Roy group.
The great part about the class is they literally can play 1-5 and they go 6'5, 6'9, 6'9, 6'9, 6'8. Small ball is finally over.
Otto Porter probably makes the biggest impact right away. Hopkins actually showed a pulse in summer and III says he's started to understand how to compete (has all the tools). Whittington is a little rough around the edges not having played at a high level in HS or his limited AAU time but he's a 6'9 SG that can shoot it. Trawick has been a blessing for this program with his attitude and Adams will have to play with Moses out for the year just out of necessity. He needs to get in shape, out of the 5..he's probably the biggest project -- but he can fill a role pretty quickly with his size.
It'll be a down year (although I still see it as an 8-10 or 9-9 BE team, so won't be that bad), but W's and L's should be secondary, III has to let them work through the growing pains. If he does, he'll be rewarded.
The bad part going forward is numbers wise, this is going to end up being a 7 man class with Bowen having redshirted last year and Moses redshirting this year. I don't think Bowen is in the program come next year, but we'll see.
- Nov 18, 2000
- 12,404
- 6,834
[h1]John Thompson III was warned about getting arrested in China[/h1]
By Dan Steinberg
There have been plenty of stories and blog posts about the aftermath of Georgetown’s on-court fight in China, but I don’t remember hearing about any U.S. government officials warning John Thompson III that he might get arrested.
(If I simply missed this, apologies.)
Anyhow, Thompson was discussing the incident with the Junkies on 106.7 The Fan Thursday morning, when he was asked what happened after the Hoyas left the court.
“Now, that’s the fun part of the story,
By Dan Steinberg
There have been plenty of stories and blog posts about the aftermath of Georgetown’s on-court fight in China, but I don’t remember hearing about any U.S. government officials warning John Thompson III that he might get arrested.
(If I simply missed this, apologies.)
Anyhow, Thompson was discussing the incident with the Junkies on 106.7 The Fan Thursday morning, when he was asked what happened after the Hoyas left the court.
“Now, that’s the fun part of the story,
- Jan 3, 2008
- 12,102
- 1,410
starting lineup as expected:
Markel
Jason
Hollis
Nate
Henry
...
excited but have no idea what to expect. Hoping to see a lot of different things from the past 3 years. More size, more pressure. And more than anything.. intensity and effort.
I think Adams is questionable for today but on the stream I have, he's in the layup line right now.
Markel
Jason
Hollis
Nate
Henry
excited but have no idea what to expect. Hoping to see a lot of different things from the past 3 years. More size, more pressure. And more than anything.. intensity and effort.
I think Adams is questionable for today but on the stream I have, he's in the layup line right now.
- Apr 11, 2006
- 7,485
- 3,328
Originally Posted by Al3xis
starting lineup as expected:
Markel
Jason
Hollis
Nate
Henry
...
excited but have no idea what to expect. Hoping to see a lot of different things from the past 3 years. More size, more pressure. And more than anything.. intensity and effort.
I think Adams is questionable for today but on the stream I have, he's in the layup line right now.
good luck. how i feel about the Hoyas season this year...
DeadsetAce
Supporter
- May 31, 2004
- 107,240
- 53,425
not on tv for me
theres actually no college bball on tv here, it's all cfb
theres actually no college bball on tv here, it's all cfb
- Apr 17, 2003
- 293
- 11
allen, is this game available to watch on streaming? not seeing it on tv. don't get MASN here in ny. and lame uconn is on SNY.
- Jan 3, 2008
- 12,102
- 1,410
nope, I'm stuck, too. no luck tonight.
- Nov 18, 2000
- 12,404
- 6,834
Clark up to the same antics we disliked about the most recent generation, keep shooting even if you can take it to the bucket with ease. The younger guys are still a bit timid and don't want to shoot which seems to give Clark even more freedom to shoot.
Not sure why Adams played last night, he struggled to get up and down the court. Had a couple decent moves in the post, just seemed slow overall. Most likely due to the fact hes still not 100%.
How long does Bowen last?
Long shot, but maybe Sims can keep up his good play in Maui and the BE.
Not sure why Adams played last night, he struggled to get up and down the court. Had a couple decent moves in the post, just seemed slow overall. Most likely due to the fact hes still not 100%.
How long does Bowen last?
Long shot, but maybe Sims can keep up his good play in Maui and the BE.
DeadsetAce
Supporter
- May 31, 2004
- 107,240
- 53,425
- Jan 3, 2008
- 12,102
- 1,410
When I read that at one point we went 6'5, 6'9, 6'9, 6'9 and 6'10...I about passed out.
Hollis needs to be getting more shots than Jason.
HOPE III realizes he has the horses now to press consistently and doesn't shy away once we hit tougher competition.
This freshman (and sophomore) group is just a lot of fun. Going to take some lumps along the way, but should be exciting.
Hollis needs to be getting more shots than Jason.
HOPE III realizes he has the horses now to press consistently and doesn't shy away once we hit tougher competition.
This freshman (and sophomore) group is just a lot of fun. Going to take some lumps along the way, but should be exciting.
- Apr 17, 2003
- 293
- 11
haven't been able to see these guys for myself yet. our games aren't getting any love on the tube. can't wait to see us in action on monday night vs kansas though. should be a good test. excited to see what the freshmen have to offer. this season's about growing pains, i'm ready to be patient, good to see everyone's getting minutes on the floor. i think caprio is gonna be all big-east 1st team.
- Apr 17, 2003
- 293
- 11
2011-12 SEASON PREVIEW (courtesy of ESPN.com)
COACH AND PROGRAM
On one level, Austin Freeman and Chris Wright meant so much to Georgetown the last four years that coach John Thompson III refers to the upcoming season without the Freeman-Wright pairing as "a new chapter for us at Georgetown."
Freeman and Wright came to Georgetown as the program and its fans were still basking in the afterglow of the Hoyas' run to the 2007 Final Four.
The additions of Freeman and Wright signaled a big step for Thompson and his continued rebuilding of the program. Freeman and Wright were not only McDonald's All-Americans, they were local kids. Freeman had attended DeMatha High School in Hyattsville, Md., located just outside the Washington D.C. city limits. Wright had starred at D.C.'s St. John's High School.
But the Freeman-Wright era never quite fulfilled its promise. While the Hoyas averaged 22 wins the last four seasons, Georgetown managed just one NCAA Tournament victory during that time period. Freeman and Wright played in their final college game last March when Georgetown lost to VCU in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The previous year, Ohio had pulled off a first-round upset of the Hoyas.
But while the lack of NCAA Tournament success somewhat tarnished the Freeman-Wright era, the fact remains that those two players were key figures in Thompson's ability to keep the program among the nation's Top 25 for much of the last four years. They were fixtures in the starting lineup. Wright manned the point guard position for three seasons. Freeman led the Hoyas in scoring as a junior and a senior. No wonder Thompson felt as though a chapter had ended for the Hoyas with their departures.
"Both of them have been integral parts of what we've done over the last four years," Thompson said. "In college, you expect to lose guys. With guys like Chris and Austin, you're lucky to have them for four years. But while we're prepared to move on without them, we're still losing guys that have been very important parts to our program for quite a while."
PLAYERS
In addition to losing Freeman and Wright, Georgetown will also be without starting center Julian Vaughn, who graduated, and a pair of key reserves in Jerrelle Benimon and Vee Sanford, both of whom decided to transfer.
Georgetown Hoyas
Last Season 22-11 (.656)
Conference Record 10-8 (t-8th)
Starters Lost/Returning 3/2
Coach John Thompson III (Princeton '8
Record At School 160-71 (7 years)
Career Record 228-115 (11 years)
RPI Last 5 years 6-8-63-15-15
So a new chapter opens for the Hoyas this season and, despite returning just two starters and only three other players with any real experience, Thompson is excited about it.
"Chris and Austin's presence was so significant, people forget we have good players coming back," Thompson said. "We lost a lot, but we have pieces coming back also."
One of the most important pieces will be Jason Clark (12.0 ppg, 4.1 rpg). The 6-2 senior guard has been a starter for two years. Last season, Clark's 12.0 points per game ranked behind only Freeman (17.6 ppg) and Wright (12.9 ppg), but his three-point shooting percentage fell from 42.4 percent to 34.7 percent. Without Wright and Freeman, Clark will shoulder even more of the scoring load, so he must find a way to push his three-point percentage back up in the face of more defensive attention.
Georgetown's other returning starter is 6-7 junior Hollis Thompson (8.6 ppg, 4.4 rpg), who started 22 games a year ago. Thompson owns a sweet shooting touch; he knocked down 45 percent (42-of-92) of his three-pointers last season and also shot .519 from the field and .720 from the free-throw line. He figures to fill Freeman's role as a small forward who can pull his defender away from the basket, but Thompson also has the strength to mix it up inside at either end of the court.
"Most people think in terms of point guards, wings and bigs," Thompson said. "We've got versatility. We've got guys that can slide around. In Jason and Hollis, we have experienced guys who can not only score but they can move around on the floor."
In a sense, Thompson can count on the return of a third starter. Nate Lubick (4.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg), a 6-9, 227-pound sophomore, started 13 games as a freshman, gaining Thompson's trust as a gritty, hard-nosed front-line guy who contributed in ways that aren't as easily measured as points and rebounds.
"Nate Lubick does not mind doing the things that need to be done to win basketball games," Thompson said. "He's a prototypical blue-collar player. That said we're expecting a significant jump from Nate this year. He's expecting a big jump. Just being out there is not going to be enough this year."
Markel Starks (1.5 ppg, 0.6 rpg) will get the first opportunity to replace Wright at the point guard position. Starks, a slight 6-0, 157-pound sophomore, played sporadically behind Wright last year, averaging 9.7 minutes per game. When Wright missed three games late in the season because of a wrist injury, Starks struggled and so did the Hoyas -- Georgetown lost all three games.
"We had three very good guards last year with Chris, Austin and Jason Clark," Thompson said. "Markel was caught behind that group. He got some exposure and got a feel for what we're doing. This year, he'll be thrown into the fire. He is a quote-unquote lead guard, but he can score and put pressure on the defense."
In the wake of Vaughn's graduation at center, the only veteran is Henry Sims (3.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg), a 6-11, 220-pound senior who has never quite played up to the potential tag bestowed on him coming out of Baltimore's Mt. St. Joseph High School. Last season, Sims averaged just 14.0 minutes per game. He's gotten stronger over the last couple of years, but he's a limited offensive player.
Moses Ayegba, a 6-9 sophomore from Nigeria, could have been another option at center, but he tore his anterior cruciate ligament during a summer league game and will miss the entire 2011-12 season.
While Starks and Sims will get the first look at the point and center positions, respectively, their relative inexperience despite being veteran players means they will have to fight off challenges from members of Georgetown's talented incoming freshman class that consists of five players, three of whom made ESPN's Top 100 list.
Georgetown
Jason Clark will be expected to lead the Hoyas in 2011-12.
A couple of the recruits -- Mikael Hopkins and Tyler Adams -- could challenge Sims for time at center. Adams, a 6-9, 280-pound post presence, averaged 18 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks as a senior at Brandon (Miss.) High School. He was voted all-state as both a sophomore and a senior.
Hopkins (6-8, 222) played at DeMatha Catholic in Hyattsville, Md., where he led the Stags to three consecutive conference and city titles.
"Hopkins and Adams will be in there, fighting and scrapping for time," Thompson said.
In the backcourt, Jabril Trawick and Aaron Bowen will give Georgetown depth, and maybe more. Bowen, a 6-5 shooting guard, redshirted last season. Two years ago, the Jacksonville, Fla., native averaged 17.5 points as a senior at Quality Education Academy in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Trawick is a 6-5, 200-pound combo guard. He averaged 20 points per game at Abington Friends School, located just outside Philadelphia. He's a slashing, scoring type who has the size to be a good rebounder from the guard position.
Rounding out Georgetown's recruiting class is a pair of forwards with vastly different high school pedigrees. Greg Whittington came from completely off the radar to earn the Washington Post's All-Met Player of the Year honor. Whittington, a 6-8, 209-pound forward, grew three inches from the end of his junior year to the beginning of his senior season. As a senior, he led Oakland Mills (Md.) High to an undefeated season and a state title while averaging 23.5 points and 11.6 rebounds.
"He can really score and he can defend three or four positions," Thompson said. "We're expecting impact at both ends of the court."
Then there's the most highly rated player of the incoming freshmen -- Otto Porter. The 6-8, 200-pound Porter was ranked the No. 28 player in the country by ESPN.com. As a senior, he helped Scott County Central of Sikeston, Mo., to the state title game, where he put up 29 points and 35 rebounds.
"He's a basketball player," said Thompson. "I say that to say I believe we'll be able to put Otto anywhere on the court. He's a person who at 6-9 can do things that guards and wings can do. He brings to the table an energy level that's similar to Nate Lubick. The kid's in perpetual motion. His effort is infectious."
BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
BACKCOURT: B-
BENCH/DEPTH: B
FRONTCOURT: B+
INTANGIBLES: B
Losing three starters, including two as prominent as Wright and Freeman, means a lot of new roles for the holdovers and a lot of responsibility heaped upon the younger players. It's a difficult puzzle to put together, but Thompson got a jump on the process as the Hoyas took a trip to China in August.
"It's not an accident that we're taking a foreign trip this year," Thompson said. "The chemistry and makeup of this team will be significantly different than we've had in the past few years. This team will quickly get their identity. We have five freshmen who are being thrown into the fire. This will give those guys a chance to get acclimated to what's expected of them in the No. 1 conference in the country."
COACH AND PROGRAM
On one level, Austin Freeman and Chris Wright meant so much to Georgetown the last four years that coach John Thompson III refers to the upcoming season without the Freeman-Wright pairing as "a new chapter for us at Georgetown."
Freeman and Wright came to Georgetown as the program and its fans were still basking in the afterglow of the Hoyas' run to the 2007 Final Four.
The additions of Freeman and Wright signaled a big step for Thompson and his continued rebuilding of the program. Freeman and Wright were not only McDonald's All-Americans, they were local kids. Freeman had attended DeMatha High School in Hyattsville, Md., located just outside the Washington D.C. city limits. Wright had starred at D.C.'s St. John's High School.
But the Freeman-Wright era never quite fulfilled its promise. While the Hoyas averaged 22 wins the last four seasons, Georgetown managed just one NCAA Tournament victory during that time period. Freeman and Wright played in their final college game last March when Georgetown lost to VCU in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The previous year, Ohio had pulled off a first-round upset of the Hoyas.
But while the lack of NCAA Tournament success somewhat tarnished the Freeman-Wright era, the fact remains that those two players were key figures in Thompson's ability to keep the program among the nation's Top 25 for much of the last four years. They were fixtures in the starting lineup. Wright manned the point guard position for three seasons. Freeman led the Hoyas in scoring as a junior and a senior. No wonder Thompson felt as though a chapter had ended for the Hoyas with their departures.
"Both of them have been integral parts of what we've done over the last four years," Thompson said. "In college, you expect to lose guys. With guys like Chris and Austin, you're lucky to have them for four years. But while we're prepared to move on without them, we're still losing guys that have been very important parts to our program for quite a while."
PLAYERS
In addition to losing Freeman and Wright, Georgetown will also be without starting center Julian Vaughn, who graduated, and a pair of key reserves in Jerrelle Benimon and Vee Sanford, both of whom decided to transfer.
Georgetown Hoyas
Last Season 22-11 (.656)
Conference Record 10-8 (t-8th)
Starters Lost/Returning 3/2
Coach John Thompson III (Princeton '8
Record At School 160-71 (7 years)
Career Record 228-115 (11 years)
RPI Last 5 years 6-8-63-15-15
So a new chapter opens for the Hoyas this season and, despite returning just two starters and only three other players with any real experience, Thompson is excited about it.
"Chris and Austin's presence was so significant, people forget we have good players coming back," Thompson said. "We lost a lot, but we have pieces coming back also."
One of the most important pieces will be Jason Clark (12.0 ppg, 4.1 rpg). The 6-2 senior guard has been a starter for two years. Last season, Clark's 12.0 points per game ranked behind only Freeman (17.6 ppg) and Wright (12.9 ppg), but his three-point shooting percentage fell from 42.4 percent to 34.7 percent. Without Wright and Freeman, Clark will shoulder even more of the scoring load, so he must find a way to push his three-point percentage back up in the face of more defensive attention.
Georgetown's other returning starter is 6-7 junior Hollis Thompson (8.6 ppg, 4.4 rpg), who started 22 games a year ago. Thompson owns a sweet shooting touch; he knocked down 45 percent (42-of-92) of his three-pointers last season and also shot .519 from the field and .720 from the free-throw line. He figures to fill Freeman's role as a small forward who can pull his defender away from the basket, but Thompson also has the strength to mix it up inside at either end of the court.
"Most people think in terms of point guards, wings and bigs," Thompson said. "We've got versatility. We've got guys that can slide around. In Jason and Hollis, we have experienced guys who can not only score but they can move around on the floor."
In a sense, Thompson can count on the return of a third starter. Nate Lubick (4.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg), a 6-9, 227-pound sophomore, started 13 games as a freshman, gaining Thompson's trust as a gritty, hard-nosed front-line guy who contributed in ways that aren't as easily measured as points and rebounds.
"Nate Lubick does not mind doing the things that need to be done to win basketball games," Thompson said. "He's a prototypical blue-collar player. That said we're expecting a significant jump from Nate this year. He's expecting a big jump. Just being out there is not going to be enough this year."
Markel Starks (1.5 ppg, 0.6 rpg) will get the first opportunity to replace Wright at the point guard position. Starks, a slight 6-0, 157-pound sophomore, played sporadically behind Wright last year, averaging 9.7 minutes per game. When Wright missed three games late in the season because of a wrist injury, Starks struggled and so did the Hoyas -- Georgetown lost all three games.
"We had three very good guards last year with Chris, Austin and Jason Clark," Thompson said. "Markel was caught behind that group. He got some exposure and got a feel for what we're doing. This year, he'll be thrown into the fire. He is a quote-unquote lead guard, but he can score and put pressure on the defense."
In the wake of Vaughn's graduation at center, the only veteran is Henry Sims (3.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg), a 6-11, 220-pound senior who has never quite played up to the potential tag bestowed on him coming out of Baltimore's Mt. St. Joseph High School. Last season, Sims averaged just 14.0 minutes per game. He's gotten stronger over the last couple of years, but he's a limited offensive player.
Moses Ayegba, a 6-9 sophomore from Nigeria, could have been another option at center, but he tore his anterior cruciate ligament during a summer league game and will miss the entire 2011-12 season.
While Starks and Sims will get the first look at the point and center positions, respectively, their relative inexperience despite being veteran players means they will have to fight off challenges from members of Georgetown's talented incoming freshman class that consists of five players, three of whom made ESPN's Top 100 list.
Georgetown
Jason Clark will be expected to lead the Hoyas in 2011-12.
A couple of the recruits -- Mikael Hopkins and Tyler Adams -- could challenge Sims for time at center. Adams, a 6-9, 280-pound post presence, averaged 18 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks as a senior at Brandon (Miss.) High School. He was voted all-state as both a sophomore and a senior.
Hopkins (6-8, 222) played at DeMatha Catholic in Hyattsville, Md., where he led the Stags to three consecutive conference and city titles.
"Hopkins and Adams will be in there, fighting and scrapping for time," Thompson said.
In the backcourt, Jabril Trawick and Aaron Bowen will give Georgetown depth, and maybe more. Bowen, a 6-5 shooting guard, redshirted last season. Two years ago, the Jacksonville, Fla., native averaged 17.5 points as a senior at Quality Education Academy in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Trawick is a 6-5, 200-pound combo guard. He averaged 20 points per game at Abington Friends School, located just outside Philadelphia. He's a slashing, scoring type who has the size to be a good rebounder from the guard position.
Rounding out Georgetown's recruiting class is a pair of forwards with vastly different high school pedigrees. Greg Whittington came from completely off the radar to earn the Washington Post's All-Met Player of the Year honor. Whittington, a 6-8, 209-pound forward, grew three inches from the end of his junior year to the beginning of his senior season. As a senior, he led Oakland Mills (Md.) High to an undefeated season and a state title while averaging 23.5 points and 11.6 rebounds.
"He can really score and he can defend three or four positions," Thompson said. "We're expecting impact at both ends of the court."
Then there's the most highly rated player of the incoming freshmen -- Otto Porter. The 6-8, 200-pound Porter was ranked the No. 28 player in the country by ESPN.com. As a senior, he helped Scott County Central of Sikeston, Mo., to the state title game, where he put up 29 points and 35 rebounds.
"He's a basketball player," said Thompson. "I say that to say I believe we'll be able to put Otto anywhere on the court. He's a person who at 6-9 can do things that guards and wings can do. He brings to the table an energy level that's similar to Nate Lubick. The kid's in perpetual motion. His effort is infectious."
BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
BACKCOURT: B-
BENCH/DEPTH: B
FRONTCOURT: B+
INTANGIBLES: B
Losing three starters, including two as prominent as Wright and Freeman, means a lot of new roles for the holdovers and a lot of responsibility heaped upon the younger players. It's a difficult puzzle to put together, but Thompson got a jump on the process as the Hoyas took a trip to China in August.
"It's not an accident that we're taking a foreign trip this year," Thompson said. "The chemistry and makeup of this team will be significantly different than we've had in the past few years. This team will quickly get their identity. We have five freshmen who are being thrown into the fire. This will give those guys a chance to get acclimated to what's expected of them in the No. 1 conference in the country."
- Oct 3, 2010
- 19,234
- 21,094
I just hope we can keep it competitive tonight
- Jan 3, 2008
- 12,102
- 1,410
hope III doesn't shy away from the 1-2-2 press that has looked like it can/should be a really valuable tool. Use the depth.
Just play loose and see what can happen. Nate's going to have to play big tonight, Mikael too. I like how we match up every where outside of the 4 spot.
Just play loose and see what can happen. Nate's going to have to play big tonight, Mikael too. I like how we match up every where outside of the 4 spot.
DeadsetAce
Supporter
- May 31, 2004
- 107,240
- 53,425
midnight, huh.
between pats/chiefs, bruins/canadiens, and hoyas/jhawks, going to be a zombie like day tomorrow...
between pats/chiefs, bruins/canadiens, and hoyas/jhawks, going to be a zombie like day tomorrow...
- Apr 17, 2003
- 293
- 11
Game Preview (ESPN.com)
Kansas coach Bill Self has bad memories of the last time he took a team to the Maui Invitational.
Georgetown coach John Thompson III has never been to this event, but is eagerly looking forward to it after an offseason trip that caused headlines for the wrong reason.
The No. 14 Jayhawks and Hoyas meet for the second time Monday night in the final quarterfinal at the Lahaina Civic Center.
This year's event features what is considered one of the strongest fields, with four ranked teams along with perennial powerhouses UCLA and Georgetown (2-0). It's reminiscent of what Kansas (1-1) faced in the 2005 tournament when it finished seventh with losses to Arizona and Arkansas.
"I don't know what that trip particularly did for us because we weren't very good on that trip, but also we weren't ready to be good," Self said.
The long-distance trip is something the Hoyas are accustomed to after traveling to China in the offseason, but that journey was more notorious for a brawl that occurred during one of the games. Thompson is taking this one much more seriously.
"We have to remember that this is very much a business trip and that while it's nice to see, this is almost the antithesis of the China trip, where we were sight-seeing and taking part in the culture, and here we have to focus on three games in three days," he told the Hoyas' official website.
Self's team has four new starters from last season's squad that went 35-3. The Jayhawks haven't played since shooting 33.9 percent and falling 75-65 to No. 2 Kentucky on Tuesday in New York.
"The great thing about playing Kentucky in the second game of the season with a bunch of inexperienced guys is you find out where you're at and what your deficiencies are and if they're magnified," Self said. "There are some things that were magnified that I believe are correctable."
Tyshawn Taylor scored a team-high 22 points, making 15 free throws and missing 10 of 13 shots from the floor.
The Jayhawks' defense is also a concern after letting the Wildcats shoot 51.0 percent. Georgetown led the Big East last season at 47.5 percent, and is at 54.2 percent this season.
"They run that variation of the Princeton stuff, so they get a lot of easy baskets off back-cutting," Self said. "We're going to have to do a good job of eliminating lay-ups and 3s, which has always been a strategy of ours whenever we play somebody that runs a similar-type offense."
The Hoyas have opened with routs by an average of 35.0 points. They are adjusting after losing their top two scorers from last season -- Austin Freeman and Chris Wright.
"We have to get precise, regardless of who's in the game," Thompson said. "We have to get that precision at both ends of the court regardless of who coach has in and what we have to get quickly."
Kansas won the only previous meeting, 70-57 in the 1987 NCAA tournament. The winner will play UCLA or Chaminade in Tuesday's semifinals, with No. 6 Duke, No. 10 Memphis and No. 17 Michigan looming in the other side of the bracket.
Kansas coach Bill Self has bad memories of the last time he took a team to the Maui Invitational.
Georgetown coach John Thompson III has never been to this event, but is eagerly looking forward to it after an offseason trip that caused headlines for the wrong reason.
The No. 14 Jayhawks and Hoyas meet for the second time Monday night in the final quarterfinal at the Lahaina Civic Center.
This year's event features what is considered one of the strongest fields, with four ranked teams along with perennial powerhouses UCLA and Georgetown (2-0). It's reminiscent of what Kansas (1-1) faced in the 2005 tournament when it finished seventh with losses to Arizona and Arkansas.
"I don't know what that trip particularly did for us because we weren't very good on that trip, but also we weren't ready to be good," Self said.
The long-distance trip is something the Hoyas are accustomed to after traveling to China in the offseason, but that journey was more notorious for a brawl that occurred during one of the games. Thompson is taking this one much more seriously.
"We have to remember that this is very much a business trip and that while it's nice to see, this is almost the antithesis of the China trip, where we were sight-seeing and taking part in the culture, and here we have to focus on three games in three days," he told the Hoyas' official website.
Self's team has four new starters from last season's squad that went 35-3. The Jayhawks haven't played since shooting 33.9 percent and falling 75-65 to No. 2 Kentucky on Tuesday in New York.
"The great thing about playing Kentucky in the second game of the season with a bunch of inexperienced guys is you find out where you're at and what your deficiencies are and if they're magnified," Self said. "There are some things that were magnified that I believe are correctable."
Tyshawn Taylor scored a team-high 22 points, making 15 free throws and missing 10 of 13 shots from the floor.
The Jayhawks' defense is also a concern after letting the Wildcats shoot 51.0 percent. Georgetown led the Big East last season at 47.5 percent, and is at 54.2 percent this season.
"They run that variation of the Princeton stuff, so they get a lot of easy baskets off back-cutting," Self said. "We're going to have to do a good job of eliminating lay-ups and 3s, which has always been a strategy of ours whenever we play somebody that runs a similar-type offense."
The Hoyas have opened with routs by an average of 35.0 points. They are adjusting after losing their top two scorers from last season -- Austin Freeman and Chris Wright.
"We have to get precise, regardless of who's in the game," Thompson said. "We have to get that precision at both ends of the court regardless of who coach has in and what we have to get quickly."
Kansas won the only previous meeting, 70-57 in the 1987 NCAA tournament. The winner will play UCLA or Chaminade in Tuesday's semifinals, with No. 6 Duke, No. 10 Memphis and No. 17 Michigan looming in the other side of the bracket.
