Post by DanMcQ on Feb 17, 2007 10:14:06 GMT -5
GUHoyas.com Recap / Photo Gallery Link
Box Score
GUHoyas.com Post-Game Notes
Wash Times - Barker Davis: Hoyas nick Wildcats in close shave
Wash Times: Hoyas Report
Wash Post - Camille Powell: Hoyas' Green Provides Best Shot
Photo of Jesse Sapp after half-court shot
Video of Sapp's half-court shot
ESPN Recap with link to post-game highlights / interviews with Green and Thompson
ESPN Photo Gallery
Photo of Jeff Green's Winner
Delco Times: ’Nova can’t dwell on this for long
Box Score
GUHoyas.com Post-Game Notes
Wash Times - Barker Davis: Hoyas nick Wildcats in close shave
"I just wanted the ball," Green said. "I was in one of those zones where I was very confident in my shot. I work on that part of my game in practice every day, because the mid-range game is a lost art."
Said Georgetown coach John Thompson III: "Jeff Green was pretty good today, huh?"
"There wasn't too much poetry going on out there today," Thompson said. "But that happens sometimes. I think we were put in situations where you have to make plays offensively and not worry about running plays. Our guys had to just come down and make plays, and Jessie was pretty good in that regard."
In the final 3:33 though, it was Sapp's defense that made the difference. After predominantly employing a zone on the Wildcats in the first half, Thompson switched almost exclusively to a man-to-man defense in the second half, sticking Sapp on Reynolds.
"I just wanted to stay in front of him -- sit down, spread out and force him to pick up his dribble without giving up an open jumper," said Sapp, who held Reynolds to just five points after intermission. "Locking him down was huge, because he was really hurting us in the first half."
Never was that defensive effort more apparent than on the Wildcats' final few possessions, when Villanova yielded a shot clock violation and a last-second desperation heave (from Reynolds) surrounding just one decent look -- a missed 3-pointer by Dan Cage from the right corner with eight seconds remaining.
"They were just outstanding [defensively]," Villanova coach Jay Wright said. "Scottie was trying to drive the ball and couldn't get by them. I thought they just did a great job clamping down on those last couple of possessions. We had the ball in the right people's hands; we had it in Scottie's hands, [senior forward Curtis Sumpter]'s hands. I just give them credit for great defense."
Said Georgetown coach John Thompson III: "Jeff Green was pretty good today, huh?"
"There wasn't too much poetry going on out there today," Thompson said. "But that happens sometimes. I think we were put in situations where you have to make plays offensively and not worry about running plays. Our guys had to just come down and make plays, and Jessie was pretty good in that regard."
In the final 3:33 though, it was Sapp's defense that made the difference. After predominantly employing a zone on the Wildcats in the first half, Thompson switched almost exclusively to a man-to-man defense in the second half, sticking Sapp on Reynolds.
"I just wanted to stay in front of him -- sit down, spread out and force him to pick up his dribble without giving up an open jumper," said Sapp, who held Reynolds to just five points after intermission. "Locking him down was huge, because he was really hurting us in the first half."
Never was that defensive effort more apparent than on the Wildcats' final few possessions, when Villanova yielded a shot clock violation and a last-second desperation heave (from Reynolds) surrounding just one decent look -- a missed 3-pointer by Dan Cage from the right corner with eight seconds remaining.
"They were just outstanding [defensively]," Villanova coach Jay Wright said. "Scottie was trying to drive the ball and couldn't get by them. I thought they just did a great job clamping down on those last couple of possessions. We had the ball in the right people's hands; we had it in Scottie's hands, [senior forward Curtis Sumpter]'s hands. I just give them credit for great defense."
Wash Times: Hoyas Report
Wash Post - Camille Powell: Hoyas' Green Provides Best Shot
It was a gritty win for the Hoyas, who were bested in several offensive categories by Villanova. Georgetown attempted five fewer shots, was outrebounded by a 35-31 margin and committed four more turnovers, leading Coach John Thompson III to ask, "Is that possible?" when the discrepancies were pointed out after the game.
When the final buzzer sounded, Thompson thrust both arms in the air.
"It's a tough, tough game," Thompson said. "Every possession in the second half was important. To come in here -- and that team has been playing extremely well, at a very high level -- to come in here in front of this crowd and win, is a very, very good win."
Georgetown closed the half on a 9-0 run, which was capped by Sapp's long shot. He grabbed a long rebound off a missed three-point attempt, took two dribbles and then sent the ball right through the basket to bring the Hoyas to within two at the break. It wasn't a lucky shot, Green said; he and Sapp take five half-court shots at the end of every practice.
"Jeff shouts 'Gilbert Arenas' and fires away," said Sapp, who is a career 30 percent three-point shooter. "Jeff always makes at least two, nothing but net. It's unbelievable. I'm usually good for one, but Jeff is the master."
Said Thompson: "The irony in that is, I fussed at him the other day after practice. I said, 'Hey, buddy, why don't you work on your normal shots that you get every day? You're not going to get that shot.' I guess I don't know everything."
"He's our go-to guy," Sapp said of Green. "I believe in him, but it could have gone to anybody, it could've gone to Jon or DaJuan [Summers] or Roy or it could've came to me. We called on Jeff, and he came through in the clutch."
When the final buzzer sounded, Thompson thrust both arms in the air.
"It's a tough, tough game," Thompson said. "Every possession in the second half was important. To come in here -- and that team has been playing extremely well, at a very high level -- to come in here in front of this crowd and win, is a very, very good win."
Georgetown closed the half on a 9-0 run, which was capped by Sapp's long shot. He grabbed a long rebound off a missed three-point attempt, took two dribbles and then sent the ball right through the basket to bring the Hoyas to within two at the break. It wasn't a lucky shot, Green said; he and Sapp take five half-court shots at the end of every practice.
"Jeff shouts 'Gilbert Arenas' and fires away," said Sapp, who is a career 30 percent three-point shooter. "Jeff always makes at least two, nothing but net. It's unbelievable. I'm usually good for one, but Jeff is the master."
Said Thompson: "The irony in that is, I fussed at him the other day after practice. I said, 'Hey, buddy, why don't you work on your normal shots that you get every day? You're not going to get that shot.' I guess I don't know everything."
"He's our go-to guy," Sapp said of Green. "I believe in him, but it could have gone to anybody, it could've gone to Jon or DaJuan [Summers] or Roy or it could've came to me. We called on Jeff, and he came through in the clutch."
Photo of Jesse Sapp after half-court shot
Video of Sapp's half-court shot
ESPN Recap with link to post-game highlights / interviews with Green and Thompson
ESPN Photo Gallery
Photo of Jeff Green's Winner
Delco Times: ’Nova can’t dwell on this for long
