GEORGETOWN BASKETBALL THREAD- Recap

[allen3xis]

Last Friday, Roy told reporters he would not cut his hair the rest of the season, explaining that he's trying to grow an afro"like Josh Childress."

Secondary Official Beat Writer Barker Davis asked if that was so he can claim to be 7-6, and Roy replied, "Yeah, you could say that."




If the results are like last year..

 

[petey yup]

Dude is so ugly...i have trouble watching gtown games honestly....

 

[DeadsetAce]

Originally Posted by petey yup

Dude is so ugly...i have trouble watching gtown games honestly....

suspect...sorry had to say it

nah but he seems pretty normal looking...doesnt look like he took a bat to the face or anything

 

[downyboy]

although we may be winning close games we cant forget that these are teams that aren't even ranked. true this is BE play, but that should be no excuse forthe fact that our offense and defense looks horrible for close to 60% of the time. and as allen said, we do have the bright spots of macklin and rivers. jt3hurt macklin by sitting him all year. I would love to see more macklin + hibbert line ups. rivers is amazing at defensives stops and eventhough his offensivegame has got better, he still hurts us on the offensive side. man i miss wright, him and freeman were getting a good rhythm between each other.

 

[giantsytigers]

Patrick Ewing JR had a sick block but i think it was goal tending

 

[allen3xis]

You think are defense hasn't look good? I've thought it's been great.

The offense hasn't clicked in a while though

 

[eb4president]

do ya really think Wright is that big of a loss this year. I mean dude can play, but i dont think he makes that big of a difference at this level with thisteam right now. Next year is probably best for him. He can shoot it, but i dont think he makes the hoyas THAT much better. This is still a good team. Freemandoes make a difference, and next year wit Crhis and austin in the back court look out. But right now I still like this team even with Wallace at the pg. He isproven and I know he will step up later in the year we will be praising him

Allen3..u go to gtown, or u from the area, or just a big hoya fan?

 

[lnmymind]

Originally Posted by EB4President

do ya really think Wright is that big of a loss this year. I mean dude can play, but i dont think he makes that big of a difference at this level with this team right now. Next year is probably best for him. He can shoot it, but i dont think he makes the hoyas THAT much better. This is still a good team. Freeman does make a difference, and next year wit Crhis and austin in the back court look out. But right now I still like this team even with Wallace at the pg. He is proven and I know he will step up later in the year we will be praising him

Allen3..u go to gtown, or u from the area, or just a big hoya fan?

It is that big of a loss...because he's the best individual talent at the point guard position on the team. As mentioned before...he has that extragear that no other guard on the team has. If this team ever had to break away from the princeton offense and just play straight up...wallace is not going tobeat most pgs off the dribble to the basket. Wright can.

 

[allen3xis]

No he's not, but the depth would help now that Dajuan is out.

Rivers is definitely capable of playin 25 minutes now, the big question is gettin 20 quality minutes out of Vern now and Crawford will get about 10 a game nowI would guess (which is fine with me, he has heart)


and, I'm just a big fan

 

[petey yup]

@ whining about losing that bum when other BE teams have been killedwith losses to some of they're actual best players.....

There's always gonna be injuries...be happy you didnt lose anyone significant.

 

[lnmymind]

Originally Posted by petey yup

@ whining about losing that bum when other BE teams have been killed with losses to some of they're actual best players.....

There's always gonna be injuries...be happy you didnt lose anyone significant.

Who you referring to as a bum? Chris Wright? If so you must be out your rabbit+%*% mind

 

[allen3xis]

We just did the other night, Summers has a high ankle sprain And I wouldn't call a McDonalds AA PG a bum. I know that means nothing, but the kid is goingto be good.

Wright does have an extra gear, and Wallace is playin like crap right now, that be said give me Sapp and Rivers in the backcourt at the end of games right now.

 

[DeadsetAce]

Originally Posted by lnMyMind

Originally Posted by petey yup

@ whining about losing that bum when other BE teams have been killed with losses to some of they're actual best players.....

There's always gonna be injuries...be happy you didnt lose anyone significant.

Who you referring to as a bum? Chris Wright? If so you must be out your rabbit+%*% mind

no one is really whining or making excuses....we're just saying itd be nice to have him since our guard play has been struggling. and wright a bum?damn....

 

[downyboy]

Originally Posted by lnMyMind

Originally Posted by EB4President

do ya really think Wright is that big of a loss this year. I mean dude can play, but i dont think he makes that big of a difference at this level with this team right now. Next year is probably best for him. He can shoot it, but i dont think he makes the hoyas THAT much better. This is still a good team. Freeman does make a difference, and next year wit Crhis and austin in the back court look out. But right now I still like this team even with Wallace at the pg. He is proven and I know he will step up later in the year we will be praising him

Allen3..u go to gtown, or u from the area, or just a big hoya fan?

It is that big of a loss...because he's the best individual talent at the point guard position on the team. As mentioned before...he has that extra gear that no other guard on the team has. If this team ever had to break away from the princeton offense and just play straight up...wallace is not going to beat most pgs off the dribble to the basket. Wright can.

Maybe I should have posted that I've never been a huge fan of wallace. I understand that he has been a great asset to the team and prolly the onlyconsitent guy on the team for the past four years, but just imagine how much better we could be if we had a pg that could run a fast break. wright is that kindof pg. i dont think wright will ever shoot as well from 3pt as wallace but he will allow the players around him to get easier buckets by starting fast breaksand getting into the paint and causing trouble for defenses. this is the first year that wallace has really tried to get to the bucket, which is also proven tobe the best way to break down a zone defense...the same zone that people try to throw at us to cut down on our cutting and backdoor passing. not only that buthes a great defender as you can tell by JT3 subbing wright in earlier this yr when wallace just couldnt cut it on the defensive end. i've been lucky enoughto go to most home games this year (missed fordham and american), and its amazing to watch a PG that looks to push the ball. plus you can see it in the eyes offreeman and wright, theres a connection there.

 

[allen3xis]

One thing has become obvious...Wallace can't create his own shot.

He is missing Jeff the most out of anybody

 

[allen3xis]

Onto the Johnnies....they have two players, literally.

But no game can be taken for granted.


..............

What a difference four years can make.

Six months removed from the respective tenures of Craig Esherick and Kevin Clark, Georgetown and St. John's were picked for the bottom two places in the2004-05 Big East polls. The two teams combined for one national TV appearance in 2004-05 compared to 13 for Connecticut alone. With a pair of young coaches atthe beginning of their Big East careers, expectations were upbeat for both schools to make the long trek up the Big East standings where each had once enjoyedfame and honor.

In just four years, Georgetown went from the worst in the Big East to first, entering Wednesday's game at the Garden as the #6 team in the nation with afirm hold on 1st place in America's toughest basketball conference. Though not without its flaws, Georgetown enters the game as a clear favorite over a St.John's team that has lost five straight and 11 of its last 14. With just one Big East tournament game in the last five years, and staring at 1-6 in theleague to date, the recent past has not been kind to St. John's basketball, and neither is the present.

Disgruntled St. John's fans are seeing red over fourth year coach Norm Roberts, but it's not coaching per se that leaves the Redmen on the sidelines.St. John's has struggled to build the depth and recruiting muscle that has been the hallmark of the super-sized Big East. As such, St. John's has beencompetitive in many conference games this year, only to fall behind late.

If St. John's is going to make a run Wednesday, it begins with Anthony Mason, Jr. Since returning to the team from injury on Dec. 15, Mason has been theteam's best scorer, particularly in recent games. Mason scored 29 points in consecutive games against Pitt and Louisville, accounting for more than halfthe Johnnies' points against Louisville alone. His 43 percent shooting average leads the team, which reluctantly says that the rest of the team justisn't getting it done from the offensive side of things.

Eugene Lawrence returns as the St. John's point guard. While a good passer and assist set-up man, his shooting has tailed off in Big East play, and he isaveraging under four points a game. 6-6 D.J. Kennedy has shifted over to guard, with inconsistent results. Kennedy is shooting 35 percent from the field,struggles from outside, and has a 0.54 assist to turnover ratio. Better suited as a small forward, Kennedy is evidence of St. John's depth issues at guardwhich hurts the Redmen in games with smaller and quicker backcourt players.

An encouraging development for St. John's has been freshman Justin Burrell. A candidate for all-freshman honors this season, his 13.7 points and 6.7rebounds have been solid, but his recent games have proven less so. Burrell was 3-9 in a loss to Pitt, 2-10 at Louisville. Burrell is not an outside shooterand figures to score on second chance points.

St. John's weaknesses are evident: poor shooting, inconsistent rebounding, and a reliance on Mason to carry the load against teams that can otherwise shuthim down. In last years's game between the two schools, Mason was 3-4 with six points in a first half where GU led by one at the break. In the second half,Mason finished 1-5 from the field and the Hoyas won by 24. Without an Avery Patterson or a Lamont Hamilton as he had last year, Mason doesn't have asupporting cast that has risen to the occasion as games have developed.

The Redmen have been a poor second half team. Against West Virginia, tied at the half, lost by nine. Against Pitt, tied at the half, lost by 24. AgainstLouisville, St. John's trailed by 15 at the half and could not close to fewer than seven. As it was able to do in the last two games in this series,Georgetown's ability to get an early run and punish St. John's via the outside shot (something it has lacked in recent weeks) could help set thedistance early between these two teams.

Here's a look at some potential matchups:

Jonathan Wallace vs. Eugene Lawrence. Wallace has been getting his points of late, though not from outside. The school's all-time three point shooter is adeflating 6-20 (.300) in his last three games, including a pair of 0-3 games against Notre Dame and West Virginia. Wallace needs to spot up for the three andnot take it on the run.

Jessie Sapp vs. D.J. Kennedy. Sapp continues to impress on both ends of the court--his shooting in the first 35 minutes has been up and down, but his defenseis 40 minutes strong. Kennedy is turnover prone and Sapp may be able to get some breaks off turnovers.

Austin Freeman vs. Anthony Mason, Jr.. Freeman gives up size to Mason but not intensity. Georgetown may experiment with different matchups other than Freemenon Mason to keep him off stride, but in the likely absence of DeJuan Summers its options are limited to holding Mason under his average in the game.

Patrick Ewing, Jr. vs.Justin Burrell . Ewing's defense poses problems for Burrell off the ball, but this is Ewing's first test as an inside PF sincehis days at Indiana and he could struggle early.

Roy Hibbert vs. Tomas Jasiulionis. Maybe the biggest mismatch Roy Hibbert will face in the conference this year, Jasiulionis has scored only nine points in hislast seven games and averages less than one offensive rebound per game. With interior passing, Hibbert should be able to establish himself early and often.

GU bench vs. SJU bench. The Redmen figure to get contributions from 6-2 guard Larry Wright (9.4 ppg), the team's best outside shooter and an excellent freethrow shooter; unfortunately for St. John's, Wright is in a major slump, with a combined 1-11 in his last two games. The Redmen will need Wright if theyare to challenge, as its bench is generally not producing points in games this season.

Keys to the game:
1. An early knockdown. Connecticut's ability to shut down St. John's down early was vital to a comfortable win. Though St. John's has lost fivestraight, many were winnable in the second half before things fell apart. Georgetown must establish the tone early and ensure St. John's harbors no falsehopes of a upset.

2. Better outside shooting.. Over the last four games, Georgetown has shot only 28 percent from outside. It must improve those totals.

3. Austin Freeman. The steady play of Freeman is due for a big game against a defensively challenged St. John's lineup.

For St. John's to win, it follows the playbook not of the 2004 Garden debacle (where it won with four scholarship players), but a game a year later againstJohn Thompson III's rookie year team. The Redmen jumped ahead early, shut the Hoyas down from outside (4-21), and caught a gift at the line, where it went28-33 in a 76-67 win. Other than those unlikely set of circumstances, Georgetown owns an advantage across every other statistic, and despite the question marksaround DaJuan Summers' return, has enough firepower to put the Redmen to rest in this one.

 

[DeadsetAce]

Hoyas get big, do work...beat them johnnies

 

[typerpinoy]

Originally Posted by petey yup

@ whining about losing that bum when other BE teams have been killed with losses to some of they're actual best players.....

There's always gonna be injuries...be happy you didnt lose anyone significant.

i knew we were about due for a salty cuse fan check in

 

[allen3xis]

Yall got the game on MASN right?

I'm seein it doesn't come on in NY until 12:30 am.....not good

 

[allen3xis]

Good news

"As of right now, I don't think Chris is going to be back this season," Thompson said. "But the prognosis on DaJuan is much better than weinitially expected. It looks like minor sprain. There's nothing broken or torn, no ligament damage. We'll make a game-time decision on him tomorrow,but he's been moving around pretty well, and I'm pretty sure he's going to play."

 

[downyboy]

Originally Posted by allen3xis

Good news

"As of right now, I don't think Chris is going to be back this season," Thompson said. "But the prognosis on DaJuan is much better than we initially expected. It looks like minor sprain. There's nothing broken or torn, no ligament damage. We'll make a game-time decision on him tomorrow, but he's been moving around pretty well, and I'm pretty sure he's going to play."

Yup its on MASN, still bummed about wright being out for the rest of the season. good to hear dajuan will be back, now we just need him to get his strokeback.

 

[doublejs07]

You all get to see one of the worst PG's in america in Eugene Lawrence....Norm Roberts has to go. He has had plenty of time to get the ship straight, andthings have just not gotten any better. We get no recruits, we lose recruits, and whatever forumla Norm is trying to use just isn't working. We might havebeen better off if they hired Matt Dougherty back in the day instead. You look at a program like Baylor and what they went through, and NOW they have a legitsquad. SJU went through some BS, but not on Baylor's level. Unbelievable how this storied program is a joke in the Big East. Changes have to be made. IMO,it all starts with the coach....

Here's to G'Town and the win.....

 

[allen3xis]

Yeah I'm with you...he just hasn't got the job done. Seems like a class guy tho

I was readin the St Johns boards the other day and it's just sad, I always want St. John's to be good, it makes the Big East so much better

I honestly don't know how you can't recruit in NYC. All it takes is the right hire though.

Too bad the timing of Bobby Gonzalez leaving Manhattan didn't happen at a better time, he'd be the perfect fit, but now he's doing great at SetonHall.

They're fans always talk about Calipari, and that would be

....what he would do with that program would be incredible.....I don't knowhow much of a chance there is for that though

 

[doublejs07]

Too bad the timing of Bobby Gonzalez leaving Manhattan didn't happen at a better time, he'd be the perfect fit, but now he's doing great at Seton Hall.


that's the truth...Bobby G would have been a perfect fit at SJU....Norm is a Queens guy, so like you, I just don't understand how he isn't gettingrecruits at SJU who can help turn the program around. There have been nice players in his era like Hamilton and Mason, but none of those guys are the type ofplayer who turns a program around.

Mike Jarvis burned a lot of bridges during his time at SJU with different people around NYC, but I just don't get how Norm hasn't gotten this programgoing in the right direction

 

[downyboy]

go st. johns!