Bilas on Hoyas' Win Over UConn

I'll try to post some original thoughts later today, but I wanted to get something on the board about last night's win over the Huskies.

Maybe I was wrong. Maybe we really are a top 10 team.

I think we'll know more after Saturday's game at home against Pitt.

Anyway, here are the thoughts of Jay Bilas (who has consistently been one of the Georgetown's biggest fans over the last few years), who covered last night's game.

Rankings, Memphis, and Where For Art Thou VBB?

I admit it. We've been pathetic. Georgetown not only played cross-town "rival" Maryland, but whooped them, and The VBB are silent. The Hoyas rip off one of the most lopsided victories in school history against Savannah State and what do you get, adoring public? That's right. More silence.

What can I say? We suck. Much like this year's Hoyas, The VBB do not seem to have the same kind of depth that they've had in year's past. Imagine this. They Hoyas are deep in Big East play and Greg Monroe finds himself in serious foul trouble. JTIII has to sit him. Where does that leave you? Can you rely on Sims to pound it down low? No, you can't. All he wants to do is shoot three pointers (and he is likely to continue to want to shoot three pointers after finally hitting one against Savannah State). That's how The VBB have been this season. Greg Monroe has been in foul trouble and there's no one else to turn to. But, never fear, I'm coming off the bench with four fouls and I am ready to make an impact!

Yes, you read that right. I just compared myself to Greg Monroe.

And with that done, here are some thoughts.

Second, the rankings. With that victory over Memphis the Hoyas have climbed to 13 and 15 in the ESPN/USAToday and AP polls, respectively. I am a very pleased with the Hoyas play this year, but I am still not convinced that we are a top-15 team. Those 90 points that Tennessee hung on us in Orlando are still leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. Especially, after Tennessee got beat by unheralded Temple.

Memphis Win

First, what a great win this weekend. It was an ugly win, but a great win. I think that the three most important games that the Hoyas are going to play this year are their out-of-conference match ups against Tennessee, Memphis, and Duke. The teams in the Big East are going to bloody up each other in conference play. Even the elite teams will likely have several losses. So, when it comes time to "dance," how you performed in non-conference games are going to be real important. The Duke game is at Cameron. That's tough. Tennessee was a neutral floor and Memphis was at home. Escaping the Tennessee-Memphis stretch with a least one with was very important.

It was also important in what it showed us about our team. First, after a slow start, DaJuan Summers is really starting to assert himself more. If he plays every game with the intensity and physicality he showed against Memphis the Hoyas will be just fine this year. The problem with DaJuan has always been that he tends to disappear some games. He needs to bring that intensity night-in and night-out during Big East play.

The next big point I took from Saturday's game is that Chris Wright is the man! He is the same kind of steadying force on the floor that we used to have in Jonathan Wallace, except that he about ten times quicker. He also showed some serious defensive intensity against Tyreke Evans in overtime. That was huge.

Finally, I am officially worried about our depth down low. Henry Sims got Z-E-R-O minutes. Thompson obviously does not trust him when it counts. Vaughn also got very limited time--only three minutes. Monroe played 42 minutes. I don't think he'll ever make it through the Big East scheduled playing that much. I really hope Vaughn and Sims step up in our two primer games before our trip to Connecticut.

Rankings

Still, that is nothing compared to what I found today. I love Ken Pomeroy. I, like many, have found his rankings to be one of the greatest barometers of a team's actually talent and chances of winning. Well, today I checked kenpom.com and he has the Hoyas ranked number one. What? I know that Ken has been tweaking his formula. But I'm pretty sure he must have forgotten to carry a number, or misplaced the decimal point, or something. Still, I hope that the Hoyas prove me wrong!

The Old Spice Classic Bracket

Click the image to enlarge.

Alonzo Mourning at the Hoyas-Dragons Match-up

Another highlight at the Georgetown game yesterday--besides the drubbing that the Hoyas gave Drexel--was the appearance of former Hoyas' great, and seven-time NBA All Star, Alonzo Mourning. When the in-arena announced Alonzo's pressence to the crowd, he got the hearty standing ovation that a great like him deserves. It was good to have him back.

'Zo was at the Verizon Center to sign copies of his new book, Resilience. In fact, Mourning was set up right outside the section where I sit. Unfortunately, however, the line was crazy long. I would have love to get a signed copy, but it would have meant missing pretty much the entire game. So, I'll have to be content with the photo I took on my cell phone.

Some Good Tid-Bits from The Washington Times

The times provides some good information about two things that were bothering me at yesterday's Georgetown Hoyas' game. First, I was wondering what happened to Julian Vaughan. Second, I was wondering whether I had been pronouncing Nikita's name wrong, seeing as the name on the back of his jersey ended in an "ou."

The Washington Times has come to the rescue.

Georgetown sophomore forward Julian Vaughn didn't practice all week or play in yesterday's game because of a minor sprain just above his left Achilles. The 6-foot-9 reserve is expected to be available for the Old Spice Classic (Nov. 27-30). ...

For those who might have noticed the disparity between the way Nikita Mescheriakov's name is spelled in box scores and official releases compared with his jersey (Meshcharakou), the forward explained that the former is the anglicized Russian spelling while the latter is the official Belarusian spelling.

Greg Monroe = Awesome

I suppose the jury will remain out on any freshman who has yet to see Big East action. With that caveat, let me at least tentatively proclaim that Greg Monroe is very, very good. Seeing him today felt similar to the first time I saw Jeff Green play. Like Green, there is not a single facet of his game that stands out. And yet, he rarely makes mistakes and simply makes those around him better. Monroe made a very good choice by selecting Georgetown. Our offense highlights his outstanding passing and frequently has him at the top of the key with the ball in his hands. Now, I love Roy Hibbert, but what a difference from last year! Greg can drive down the lane; he can fire a pass to a cutting guard; he can step back and hit the outside shot. And I don't cringe when he chases an opponent's guard on the perimeter!

Greg also showed great discipline on defense by keeping his feet planted against smaller players. We'll have to see how he stacks up against bigger teams in the Big East, but I would doubt there was anyone watching today who honestly expected him to be this good. The offense today looked as smooth as I can recall seeing it in recent years. Of course, Drexel was not a fearsome foe, but they aren't terrible either. We may all have to adjust our expectations for this season upwards.

I'm not sure much needs to be said about the game. It was a blowout from whistle to whistle. The most interesting aspect was watching the players. Here are my initial thoughts.

The Good (Greg Monroe aside)

• Chris Wright had an outstanding game; lots of assists and drives to the hoop; knocked down a three. I don't recall a turnover.
• Austin Freeman was also great. He hit a nice three and exhibited his upper body strength taking the ball to the hole.
• Jesse Sapp was solid as always. His shot looks just as good as it did last year and he made no mistakes.
• Omar Wattad was a pleasant surprise. Sure, he made some unforced errors, but he showed poise and confidence and even hit a three. Omar will be a serviceable sub for years to come.
• Jason Clark showed some nice things. He is quick; his shot looks good; and his arms are freakishly long--should make him a very effective defender.

The Bad

• Dajuan Summers simply wasn't having a good day. He disappeared for stretches, missed fairly open outside shots, and didn't take the ball inside. Not his best performance.
• Nikita! Wow. Not. Good. At. All. And I loved this kid when I saw him play in Kenner. His outside shot--which looked automatic at that point--was not falling, and he made some very bad decisions on offense. That said, if I were JTIII, I'd keep him out there and tell him to keep shooting. Let's see how much of this is a dearth of confidence.

The Questions

• I don't know what to make of Henry Sims. He had some nice blocks, but seems content to flit around the perimeter jacking up shots. He also looks too skinny to me to bang down low in the Big East. I'm not sure what we can really expect from him this year, but he is someone I could see blossoming under JTIII's tutelage.
• Julian Vaughn must be injured. I can't think of why he would have been the only player to sit on the bench today.

All in all, this game has gotten me excited and optimistic for the 2009 campaign.

Former Hoya Baller as National Security Advisor?

Former 6-5 Hoyas forward Jim Jones (SFS' 66) may get the nod to serve as President Obama's first National Security Advisor. General Jones has served as the head of the Marine Corps and as the Supreme Allied Commander of NATO.

Jones is the leading candidate to be Obama's national security advisor.

CHICAGO, Illinois (CNN) – Two sources close to the Obama transition team tell CNN retired Marine Gen. Jim Jones has emerged as President-elect's leading choice to become national security adviser in the White House.

The sources said Jones has been given the impression by the President-elect that the job is his if he wants it. But the officials said there are still private discussions underway and no final decision has been made. The discussions are focused on precisely how much power Jones will have in the staff job since he is used to being in a command role. Among his many posts, Jones served for several years as the operational commander for NATO. In the third and final presidential debate, Obama noted that he deeply values advice from Jones, who has four decades of military service.

One person close to the transition noted Jones is a bipartisan figure who has warm relationships with both current Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who may stay on the job for at least a brief period, as well as Sen. Hillary Clinton, who is now on track to be nominated as Secretary of State after Thanksgiving.CNN first reported last week that Jones was getting serious consideration for either national security adviser or Energy Secretary.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/11/21/sources-jones-leading-choice-for-national-security-advisor/

Dash Riley, We Hardley Knew Ye

After rumors flying for several days, Barker has retracted his report that Dashonte Riley signed with the Hoyas. He has instead decided to reopen his recruitment. Hollis Thompson has indeed signed, though.

Riley retracts commitment from Georgetown

Georgetown recruit DaShonte Riley informed coach John Thompson earlier this week that he will decommit from the Hoyas. The 6-foot-11, 220-pound center from Detroit Country Day (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) gave the Hoyas an oral commitment last summer but changed his mind after taking his official visit to Georgetown earlier this fall. "[Riley] just said after he returned from his official visit that he didn't feel like it was the right fit for him," Detroit Country Day coach Kurt Keener said. "I know his mother felt that he had committed a little too early in the process. They discussed the situation after he returned from his official visit, and he called the staff at Georgetown recently and informed them he would be reopening his recruitment.

http://washingtontimes.com/news/2008/nov/21/riley-retracts-commitment-from-georgetown/

I have a few thoughts on this:

(1) We clearly don't want any player who has serious questions about whether he will fit in on the team or on campus. Transfers have been far too common under the JTIII era--although, unlike during the Esherick error, our best players are staying(!). If Dash was not going to fit in, then it is better he figured that out sooner rather than later.

(2) I wonder if the staff communicated to him in any way that he was not going to be getting immediate playing time. If Monroe doesn't leave after one year, Riley would have been third string, after Sims, presumably.

(3) Riley is clearly a talent and may have had a very productive career at Georgetown, but he is a top 150-type, not a top 25-type, so we Hoyas fans should not lose an inordinate amount of sleep over this. The coaches, however, will have to find some another big man to get up in the mix for 2010. Assuming Monroe only stays two years, we will be very thin up front at that point. If Summers leaves after this year, next year we will probably see a three man rotation in the 4 and 5 spots--Vaughn, Monroe, and Sims. If both Summers and Monroe jump, JTIII will have to start scanning the juco ranks or hope for coaching changes lead to de-commits.

Geogetown-Jacksonville: An Introduction To The 2008-2009 Hoyas

First, of all, The VBB sincerely apologize for the pathetic state of the blog. It seems that we have all let our real lives get in the way of our collective cyber-life. How selfish of us! We also have been neglectful of all of those emails we have received from our readership. Again, shame on us. But worry not. A new day is upon us, for it is November and the college basketball season has begun. We shall make amends for our previous silence.

Last night the Hoyas took on the Jacksonville Dolphins, a team they beat by over 30 last season. This year was a little closer--and a little too close for comfort. Nonetheless, it gave us the opportunity to see what this year’s Georgetown team has to offer. Though the Hoyas are young, last night showed that they have lots of potential. Here are some initial thoughts.

THE GOOD:

First, Greg Monroe may be the real deal. I was very down on Greg based on the few previous games I saw him play in during high school. Last night he looked polished and smooth on the court. His post moves are very refined for a freshman. And he showed some real promise as a blocking threat. That being said…

He was playing against a team that did not have any starters over 6’-7”. And he began to drag fairly early on in the game. He definitely has to work on his conditioning. He also seemed soft on defense. That could be a major problem when we get into Big East play.

Chris Wright was very impressive last night. He showed flashes of brilliance last year, but the injured foot kept him from fulfilling it. Last night, he was healthy and he was great. He was quick, and he was aggressive. He slashed to the basket at will and, as a result, ended up leading all scorers last night. He will definitely help us to be more up-tempo this year.

THE BAD:

DaJuan was still too passive. He ended up putting up good numbers, but it was not because he wanted to. If the Hoyas are going to succeed this year—especially given the Big East’s incredible depth—Summers is going to have to step-up and provide some leadership. He didn’t show me that last night. It’s early, but count me officially worried.

Outside shooting. It was horrible. We couldn’t hit the broadside of a barn…and trust me were trying. Thompson actually scolded the team for taking too many outside shots. He was right to. Their shot selection was troubling. But more troubling was their inability to hit those shots. While our young big men will become a force to be reckoned with, they aren’t there yet. Plus, it is relatively easy to defend against a one-dimensional team. If Georgetown is going to be successful, they have to solve this problem. The report on Nikita is that he is supposed to be an outside shooter. He was not last night (he was just awkward). Hopefully, that was just an aberration.

Free throw shooting. They’re free shots. No one is in your face. You are relatively close to the basket. You are supposed to make them. The Hoyas, as a rule, had trouble with this simple concept last night. This is something else they will have to work on.

THE QUESTIONS:

Henry Sims only played two minutes. I am not sure why. It looked like Monroe could have used more of a blow. But JTIII was obviously reluctant to but him in, opting for Vaughn instead. Since Vaughn was not overly impressive, I am guessing that Sims is still really raw. We’ll have to watch to see how this plays out.

No Respect

The Hoyas aren't getting much love from the Big East coaches. Don't get me wrong, I don't think that we deserve to be in the top 3. Heck, maybe we're not even in the top 5. But you're honestly trying to tell me that we only deserved to be seventh? Really?!?!?

2008-09 Preseason BIG EAST Coaches' Poll

1. Connecticut (9) 214
2. Louisville (3) 205
3. Pittsburgh (3) 200
4. Notre Dame (1) 195
5. Villanova 153
6. Marquette 146
7. Georgetown 141
8. Syracuse 139
9. West Virginia 121
10. Providence 99
11. Cincinnati 91
12. Rutgers 53
13. Seton Hall 50
14. St. John’s 44
15. DePaul 43
16. USF 26

* * *

Georgetown Picked Seventh in Big East
Connecticut Is the Preseason Favorite

By Liz Clarke
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, October 23, 2008; Page E02

NEW YORK, Oct. 22 -- On the heels of back-to-back regular season Big East championships and a third consecutive NCAA tournament appearance, the Georgetown Hoyas were picked Wednesday to finish a humble seventh in the annual preseason coaches' poll.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/22/AR2008102203139.html

Midnight Madness

I don't have ESPNU and did not, therefore, get a chance to catch the coverage of the Hoyas' midnight madness celebration this past Friday. If anyone else did, I would love to hear what they thought.

I found these clips on YouTube, which give a sense of the atmosphere inside McDonough. It appears like it was pretty electrifying. I love Sims's enthusiasm. Monroe seemed rather reserved, as usual. Hopefully, he finds some enthusiasm when he hits the hardwood for the Blue and Gray.

JTIII beats out Beilein for Lubick

2010 is shaping up with Nate Lubick now hopping on board the Hoya bandwagon. The versatile 6'8, 215 lb forward picked Georgetown over John Beilein's Michigan squad. Lubick, who hails from Southborough, MA, is rated as a 4-star recruit by both Scout and Rivals. Rivals has him as #62 nationally.

Here's a scouting report that included video of Lubick. http://www.newenglandrecruitingreport.com/recruits/player/222/Nate-Lubick.php

Lubick looks like the versatile big men that both JTIII and Beilein love. Here's to hoping he can pittsnoggle a few teams for us while donning the blue and grey.

Of course, somebody has to jump all over the race issue. Is this not getting tiresome? JTIII has never coached an all-black team at Georgetown, nor did he ever coach one at Princeton. I mean all anyone has to do is look at the team photos each year. Hopefully, this is the death-rattle of that unfair (and untrue) smear on the Georgetown program.

LUBICK NOT WORRIED ABOUT RACE ISSUE

It’s been more than four years since Georgetown has had an American-born Caucasion [sic] on their team. That was before Matt Causey transferred out of the program and ultimately landed at Georgia Tech. John Thompson III and the Hoyas landed highly regarded junior forward Nate Lubick last night. He isn’t set to arrive on campus until the fall of 2010. ``At first, after Georgetown offered, it was like, `Georgetown doesn’t offer white kids,’” Lubick said. “I thought about it a little bit and after I visited the second time and was with their players, I just said, ‘Who cares.’” ``I went on a bunch of visits and none of the teams were anywhere nearly as close as Georgetown,” Lubick added. “It’s crazy. They all hang out together like a family and couldn’t care less about the white-black thing and that’s what made me so comfortable. I didn’t even pay attention to it.” The Hoyas do have 6-foot-8 Nikita Mescheriakov on the team, who hails from Belarus.

http://community.foxsports.com/blogs/goodmanonfox

(I suppose Kenny Izzo and Bryon Jansen don't count.)

Markel Starks picks Georgetown

Georgetown Prep's Markel Starks has verballed to the Hoyas, reportedly choosing Georgetown over Stanford, Maryland, and others. The 6-1, 180 lb guard graduates high school in 2010. Both Rivals and Scout rank his as a 4-star recruit; #35 nationally on Rivals.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/25/AR2008092504524.html

Here's some video: http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1659850664/bclid1659879241/bctid1662474871

Hoya Hoops Ads on Orioles Games

I know that Hoya hoops season is a long way off, but due to health circumstances, the Stallion has been watching a TON of sports TV. Not sure if my fellow Beltway VBB have seen, but everytime I see an Oriolems game or highlights, there is a huge ad behind home plate for Hoya Hoops tickets for the upcoming season. I'm pretty sure that it's image inserted for TV. But, I thought it was cool that Hoya Hoops frenzy is starting already. Especially cool to see it on TV here in NYC.

SI names Ewing all-time greatest Georgetown athlete

Check out the whole list (spoiler: Jeff Green is #7).

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/0807/campus.georgetown.top10/content.1.html

Now it all makes sense....

The Julian Vaughn transfer came into sharper focus today. Not that Julian wouldn't be a great pick-up for the Hoyas, but it seemed a little strange with Macklin and Sims and Braswell and Monroe all upfront. Then Macklin left and Braswell didn't qualify. But we will have Braswell next year, along with Vaughn. Well, today we learn that Vaughn will be eligible THIS year. Obviously, JTIII didn't know whether he would or would not be eligible this year, but clearly he and the staff thought it was a possibility and that, I'm sure, made him even more attractive for the Hoyas. Now, I don't imagine we will ever learn WHY Vaughn is suddenly eligible, as this is almost unheard of, but I'll take it. Kenner starts this weekend and the Hoyas are suddenly much deeper up front. Happy Fourth of July everyone!

Waiver Allows Transfer Julian Vaughn to Play Next Season for the Hoyas
NCAA rules Vaughn need not sit out

July 3, 2008
Washington DC -

Georgetown University Head Men's Basketball Coach John Thompson III announced today that Julian Vaughn, a transfer student from Florida State University, has been granted a waiver by the NCAA and will not have to sit out a year before playing at Georgetown. "Julian transferred to be closer to his home for personal reasons which he wishes to keep private. This was considered by the NCAA along with his good academic standing and the lack of objection from FSU. They granted him a waver from the usual transfer rules and we're very pleased that Julian will be part of our program and have the opportunity to lend support to his family." At Florida State University, Vaughn, a 6-10, 245-pound freshman averaged 3.0 points and 2.3 rebounds per game and was second on the team with 21 blocked shots. Vaughn connected on 51.5 percent of his field goals (35-of-68) and 68.8 percent of his free throws (22-of-32). He played in 31 of the Seminoles' 34 games as a freshman, averaged 13.3 minutes played per game and reached double figure minutes in 13 of the team's final 15 games of the season. A native of Vienna, Va., Vaughn was named Mr. Basketball in the state of Virginia following his senior season by the Roanoke Times and World News. He played at South Lakes High School and at Oak Hill Academy. While at South Lakes, he averaged a double-double of 20.1 points and 12.5 rebounds while making 32 three-point field goals and shooting 36.4 percent from outside the arc as a junior, when he earned All-Met Second Team honors from The Washington Post. He led South Lakes to a 17-9 record in 2006.

http://guhoyas.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/070308aac.html

Congatulations, Roy and Pat!!!!!

I couldn't be happier for these two. They will continue to represent the blue & gray well in the NBA.

From the Post:

"I'm happy," Hibbert said. "People said I was going to parachute, that I was going to go late in the draft. But I ended up with a good organization. . . . I think Indiana is a good fit for me. I mix well with the guys in the front office and mesh well with guys on the team." Hibbert is the 11th Hoya to be selected in the first round of the NBA draft, and the second in two years. Former teammate Jeff Green was the fifth overall pick last year before being traded to Seattle, where he was named to the NBA all-rookie first team. "It's an exciting day, without a doubt," his former coach, John Thompson III, said. "Who knows what would've happened last year; conceivably he went one, two, three, four spots [lower] than he would have last year. But then you have your degree, back-to-back Big East championships, and you go to an organization headed by Larry Bird. If there's anyone in basketball that understands that you can be a terrific player and not be a runner and jumper, it's Larry Bird."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/26/AR2008062603696.html

Ewing Jr. watched the draft from the home of Georgetown head coach John Thompson III with Hibbert. After Singletary was selected, Ewing's father, former NBA star Patrick Ewing, called to congratulate his son on getting drafted. The pick had not yet been announced, but the elder Ewing found out from a third party. "People were saying I wasn't going to get drafted," Ewing Jr. said. "Just to get picked, it's like a weight off you. It's like, 'Man, I finally made it.' "

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/27/AR2008062700070.html?hpid=topnews

Desert News Reports Georgetown's Hibbert To Work Out With Jazz

The Desert News is reporting that former Georgetown Hoya Roy Hibbert is scheduled to work out with the Utah Jazz today. This adds credence to the speculation of a variety of NBA mock draft sites that the Jazz could select Hibbert in this year's draft. The Jazz hold the 23rd overall pick.

http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,700231614,00.html

Rivers to Indiana - Maybe Not?

This morning's Boston Globe is reporting that the Jeremiah Rivers-Indiana transfer may not be a lock. Marc Spears of the Globe states:


"While Indiana seems to be the favorite to land Rivers's son, Jeremiah, Georgia Tech and Central Florida are also possibilities. Jeremiah will have to redshirt a year before using his two years of eligibility after transferring from Georgetown."

Hoyas' JTIII To Coach Team USA U-18s

All I've got to say is that I hope that this helps Georgetown with recruiting. I would think that it could.

Georgetown's John Thompson III to Serve as Assistant Coach for USA
Basketball U-18 National Team

May 21, 2008

Washington, D.C. - Georgetown University Head Men's Basketball Coach John Thompson III has been selected to serve as an assistant coach with the 2008 USA Basketball Men's U18 National Team that will compete in the 2008 FIBA Americas U18 Championship scheduled for July 14-18 in Formosa, Argentina.

The 2008 USA Basketball Men's U18 National will be coached by Bob McKillop from Davidson College and Thompson III will serve as an assistant coach along with Anthony Grant from Virginia Commonwealth. The coaching staff selections were made by the USA Basketball Men's College Committee, chairedby USA Men's Senior National Team assistant and Syracuse University Head Coach Jim Boeheim, and approved by USA Basketball's Executive Committee.

For the rest of the story, click here.