|
Post by strummer8526 on Mar 23, 2008 17:01:55 GMT -5
That was sad. It was just sad to see Jon and Roy sit at that press conference, having done SO much for this program only to let a HUGE lead slip away to a very beatable team.
But will anyone else, just a little bit, think that this senior class leaving could be an important step forward for the program? I absolutely love these guys, don't get me wrong. They will always be the Founders of this Hoya generation. And they created a framework and a foundation to build on. But to some extent, it seemed like too much of this team revolved around "doing it for the seniors" and not just DOING IT. The story-lines got rehashed day after day: Roy was lanky in HS, Jon was a walk-on now going to GU Law, Pat stepping into his father's shoes, and so on.
These seniors BECAME THE TEAM because for the last 4 years, they've been the ones who really did put Georgetown on their backs. I think that with the amazing young talent (Jessie, Vernon, Austin, Chris) and the incredible freshmen we have coming in, this may be a sort of turning point.
While not at all the same, I always felt that about certain student groups. When appreciating the seniors and the significance of one class becomes the focus, it's kind of time to move on and allow fresh voices and fresh talent to go farther. I have a lot of faith in the young talent we're going to have.
That being said, I wish these seniors had accomplished what they wanted to. They'll be missed. But whether now or in 3 weeks, it was getting to be time that they hand the reins. As long as future Hoyas have the character that these 4 did, the on-the-court skills will be there, even more so than this year.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 23, 2008 17:06:26 GMT -5
Next year?
9-seed at best.
|
|
hoyaLS05
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
Posts: 1,652
|
Post by hoyaLS05 on Mar 23, 2008 17:09:40 GMT -5
What an absurd prediction? Let's wait till the day is out before we predict the SEED for next year's team.
|
|
|
Post by strummer8526 on Mar 23, 2008 17:13:07 GMT -5
Next year? 9-seed at best. We're a lot of fans of a 2-seed wishing we were the 10.
|
|
SaxaCD
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Posts: 4,402
|
Post by SaxaCD on Mar 23, 2008 17:15:53 GMT -5
I do understand what Buf means, though -- I think next year will be a year to rebuild a bit, but still be good. I think the next year could be rockin'. But that will make next year interesting and a great season very gratifying, if it happens. Thanks to all the seniors on this year's team (sorry for not waiting for a more "appropriate" day). The chemistry seemed off a bit all year, and I think our system will always work better with a Point Forward setup. Once Monroe learns the system, I think the offense will run much more smoothly.
|
|
|
Post by bronxhoya87 on Mar 23, 2008 17:16:10 GMT -5
I actually think we will be better next year in March but not in January. We need to open up the offense. For whatever reason we were never really able to use Hibbert. A lot depends next year if we can get tougher on the boards and opening up the offense a little more. We need to get more easy baskets so we are not stuck on 48 points forever like we were today. Sadly we peaked in the 1st half of the Memphis game.
|
|
|
Post by gsurus1 on Mar 23, 2008 17:19:45 GMT -5
Agreed - in fact, I think that all else being equal (i.e., everyone at the other BE schools stays - granted that's highly unlikely) we are probably about a 9th seed in the Big East next year. I see us next year as a somewhat better version (maybe 10-8) of Villanova this year. WV, Villanova, Syracuse, Pitt, Uconn, ND, Marquette, and Louisville will clearly be better than us going into next season (again all else beign equal), and we'll have a hellacious time dealing with Arinze/Green, Blair/Young, Alexander, Thabeet/Adrien, Harangody and Caracter if they all come back - even Koshawal at DePaul and Burrell at St. John's. For the first time in a long time we're going to have to outscore teams next year, and trade a lot of 2s on their end for 3s on ours) to win games. At least it should actually be a lot more fun to watch than this year, when our offense rarely clicked once BE season started, and was often painful to watch. I say give Chris Wright the ball all year and have him either penetrate and score or penetrate and dish to 3 good dpot-up shooters (Freeman, Sapp and Summers) and run as much as we can to exploit the athleticism of the team (including especially Macklin) because our halfcourt offense next year is going to be torture.
|
|
hoopsmccan
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
Posts: 1,433
|
Post by hoopsmccan on Mar 23, 2008 17:33:35 GMT -5
For the first time in years, I will have to pay attention to bubble watch articles well into February. The new guys coming in may very well be great, but our offense was terrible when Wallace slumped and he was just such a huge part of the program since day 1. Roy was a matchup that we never fully exploited, but still made a huge difference, especially on the defensive end. Summers may return to form after being back at SF, but I thought he was unbelievably frustrating this year. The team was almost always better off with Ewing on the court. As for the returners: Sapp is solid. Love Freeman. Wright has great potential. Rivers is okay (good defense, absolutely brutal on offense..added inbound plays on his list of ways to turn the ball over). Macklin had his best game but the best I can say is that he is okay for limited things, but the idea of him getting solid minutes at the same time as Rivers. I just threw up some easter ham.
|
|
|
Post by gojeffgoroyunder7 on Mar 23, 2008 17:44:10 GMT -5
a 9 seed? Absurd is right.
We are trading Wallace for Wright. I love Wallace just as much as the next one, but Chris Wright is a special special player. He played great today. The kid has barely played all year, is asked to step in on a huge stage, and produces. He can be a lights out shooter and is fast. We will miss Wallace because he is Wallace and is so clutch. Chris Wright is not Wallace, but that's fine. He is a special player and I expect him and Freeman to be monsters next year.
We lose Roy. See the Nova BIG EAST tourney game where we played without Roy for the whole game essentially. Roy is also a great player, but for all of the reasons already mentioned on this board, it just didn't work out for him. I am not a big Macklin fan, but the potential is there.
In any case.. did everyone forget we have the #1 recruit in the nation coming in? #1 in the world at the HS level. The type of kid that would normally go straight to the NBA but for the rule.
Our starting lineup PG- Chris Wright SG- Jessie Sapp SG- Austin Freeman F- Dajuan Summers F- Greg Monroe (assuming Macklin just does not cut it)
I may be alone, but I think Chris Wright is going to be one of the best players in the BIG EAST next year. He is a fearless competitor and a tremendous athlete. Then we are essentially trading Monroe for Roy. Roy is great but we just had trouble this year with him. Now, we have the # 1 recruit in the nation coming in to step our offense up. I'll take it.
so hard to replace Ewing. In fact, we cant. But, we do have Braswell coming in and he will give us some of the attitude that Ewing had. Once again, we are deep next year.
The key to a lot of success next year is Dajuan becoming who we thought he was going to be. IF Dajuan is who we thought he is, I like our team's chances next year against anyone.
|
|
chep3
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
Posts: 2,314
|
Post by chep3 on Mar 23, 2008 17:47:47 GMT -5
Agree with bronxhoya. We're going to the be the classic young talented team that is dangerous at the end of the year. We're going to have a lot of talent on the floor, and there are going to be somethings about next year that are better. I think Dajuan will be better back at his 3 spot (if we start Monroe and Vern at the 4 and 5) because being on the perimeter won't be a bad thing. I think we'll also not have to worry so much about those switches on the high screen because our big men (Vern, Monroe, Sims) will be more athletic out on the perimeter. We'll have to run a lot because we will have no go to guy in the halfcourt. But we could be a really good three point shooting team next year if everyone keeps improving, so maybe that will open up the backdoor cut a little more. I feel like next year, we will struggle in the BE, and end up behind L'Ville, UConn (if Thabeet stays), ND, Pitt, WVU, and Cuse, with opportunities to be better than Marquette and Nova. But I can see us being a very tough out in the tourney.
I'm not by any means giving short shrift to what the seniors did. They were an amazing class and we'll be losing so much with them out. I'm just trying to point out the positives for next year.
|
|
royski
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
Posts: 2,297
|
Post by royski on Mar 23, 2008 17:57:57 GMT -5
Different ceiling, different expectations next year. An unqualified success will be a top 4 BE finish, a trip to the BET semis, and a sweet 16. I would be absolutely ecstatic with that result.
|
|
guru
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
Posts: 6,654
|
Post by guru on Mar 23, 2008 18:03:14 GMT -5
Seriously? I mean, seriously?
Look at the talent on next year's roster. It's pretty insane. And ALL college teams are young now so it's not like our youth will be a huge obstacle.
And though today wasn't his finest moment, we still have one of the best coaches in the game on the sidelines.
We'll be fine next year, and by the end of the season we'll be a very tough out.
|
|
|
Post by strummer8526 on Mar 23, 2008 18:03:28 GMT -5
Did anyone notice Vern w/ a steal out around the 3 point line? For the first time, I'm excited about what he could turn into.
Yes, we lost our "go to guy" in the halfcourt. BUT WE DIDN'T GO TO HIM ANYWAY! So what's the difference?
I was also attempting to point out, and maybe failed to do so, that this team was PSYCHOLOGICALLY not the best. I really think that players like Summers, Sapp, and Freeman got pushed to the periphery of this year's "story" because it was so much about the seniors. And those seniors deserved it for all they did for the program. But I'm excited to see a team with Vernon, Sapp, Freeman, Dajuan, Wright, and the #1 incoming recruit in the country as the attraction--not the "rags to riches," bottom-of-the-Big-East-to-the-top story.
|
|
|
Post by daytonahoya31 on Mar 23, 2008 18:06:41 GMT -5
you guys are nuts,
we're going to be better next season than this year....we'll have young players in Monroe, Sims, Bras and Clark, but two of them, Monroe and Sims are program changers. We'll have one of the best pg's in the Big East in Wright, believe that. We'll have a great shooter in Freeman, a senior clutch performer in Sapp and a healthy DaJuan who has a lot to prove.
we'll have plenty of weapons, I haven't even mentioned v-mack yet. This team will be bigger than it was this season, faster, more athletic and better shooting...and we have one of the very best coaches in the country. we'll be able to score with the best of them next season, and our mix of veterans will make it easier for the freshmen to be blended in.
this will not be a rebuilding job...i actually think we'll be better on paper and on the court
|
|
butler
Century (over 100 posts)
Posts: 117
|
Post by butler on Mar 23, 2008 18:24:30 GMT -5
We will be deeper next year, and equally if not more "talented," but we lose three guys who really knew how to play in this system and how to win. I think the consensus was that we never quite had "it" this year, despite our great results, and I'm not quite sure why bc we certainly had the defense and shooting. I guess I'd have to point to our rebounding, turnovers, and lack of a truly dominate player (had Roy but we couldnt consistently get him the ball in a position to dominate). I think we'll be a better rebounding and more athletic team next year without Roy and Jon, but it's unclear whether we'll improve in turnovers and whether anyone will step up and being a dominate individual performer (there are plenty of candidates). Meanwhile we definately get worse in the intangibles department and inside scoring presence. I know we've predicted this before but with Roy and Jon gone I think it now makes a lot of sense to go up tempo and press, while still running our stnrd offense in the half-court. I think Chris, Sapp, and Freeman will give us an incredible backcourt (starting 3 guards) with Rivers and Clark providing solid depth. All 5 can run and press, and the 3 starters can all shoot the 3, and Chris and Sapp can both create their own shot. THe big question is the front court. We've got plenty of athletes and plenty of talent (5 top 75 guys, all 6'8 or taller), all of whom can run and jump (i.e., press and rebound), but will it translate to consistent offense and defense? Who knows - maybe Mack and Summers finally break through or maybe Monroe comes in a defies the odds by dominating (Like a Love, Beasly, Oden, or Durant) and we go back to the final-4. Anyway you look at it it should be exciting and the future looks bright. So thanks to the Seniors and Coach for restoring Georgetown to the type of program that generates a "Davidson slays Goliath" headline when it loses. Sucks today, but it's a lot better to be Goliath in the longrun.
|
|
royski
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
Posts: 2,297
|
Post by royski on Mar 23, 2008 18:28:31 GMT -5
you guys are nuts, we're going to be better next season than this year....we'll have young players in Monroe, Sims, Bras and Clark, but two of them, Monroe and Sims are program changers. We'll have one of the best pg's in the Big East in Wright, believe that. We'll have a great shooter in Freeman, a senior clutch performer in Sapp and a healthy DaJuan who has a lot to prove. we'll have plenty of weapons, I haven't even mentioned v-mack yet. This team will be bigger than it was this season, faster, more athletic and better shooting...and we have one of the very best coaches in the country. we'll be able to score with the best of them next season, and our mix of veterans will make it easier for the freshmen to be blended in. this will not be a rebuilding job...i actually think we'll be better on paper and on the court You are nuts. We're losing one of the best 5 pure centers in the nation, the most prolific 3 point shooter in the history of the program, the glue guy of this year's team, and another 2 year captain who has been described by Coach as the "heart and soul of everything we do". If you think that gets replaced by a bunch of freshmen, I sure hope you're a smarter man than me.
|
|
the_way
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
The Illest
Posts: 5,422
|
Post by the_way on Mar 23, 2008 18:39:26 GMT -5
next year will be interesting.
i think we have one senior next year in Sapp? He will be the leader, which i like because he is tough guy and has a killer instinct, which i think is needed a lot more on this team.
Our frontline may be worse next year. Sims, Monroe and Braswell are freshman next year. Don't know anything or how well they we do. I don't care about recruiting rankings and hype. Macklin was hyped, and look how long it is taking him to develop.
And because of the uncertainity on the frontline, i'm extremely worried for our team next year. We lose Wallace's intelligence and clutch play.
And this may be unpopular, but I think losing Hibbert won't be that bad next year. Hibbert wasn't what Jeff was to us last year. I think because he was 7'2, people automatically think Hibbert was who we relied on and who are success is totally dependent on. And that is not true. Hibbert wasn't the presence in the paint like Sweetney was or even Othella. It was a nice story, and he had some good moments. And his improvement from his freshman year to senior year was incredible and commendable. But, losing him won't hurt that much. I think the Princeton offense may even run better without him next year,and in transition, whith a guy like Macklin, you have one extra guy who can finish.
Having watched some of these NCAA Tournament games this year, i noticed how physical and agressive and the pace a lot of the teams play. And I always think to myself, why don't we play like that...or if we played some of these teams...we'd get run out of the gym.
I like what III has done with the program. I think he is one of the best coaches in the country. I just think sometimes our players go on autopilot when it comes to our offense and system and trail off with our agression, when we shouldn't and it becomes a detriment.
That being said, i like to see this team improve in quickness and interior play. I think we willl improve with our quickness with Hibbert and Wallace graduating. In terms of our interior play next year, it remains to be seen and it will be interesting to see what happens.
|
|
chep3
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
Posts: 2,314
|
Post by chep3 on Mar 23, 2008 18:40:25 GMT -5
I for one would like to see us run and press a lot. With the fact that we are likely to struggle in the half court, I'd hope we can get some cheap points. We'll still have to hang our hats on defense next year.
|
|
|
Post by daytonahoya31 on Mar 23, 2008 18:42:18 GMT -5
Royski,
Chris replaces Jon - and he has the potential to be the best pg in the big east next season
Jessie comes back - senior leadership and a clutch jumper, and not so much pressure to handle the rock
austin comes back - better than the freshman austin, better equipped to take on the scoring load
dajuan - maybe a better handle, a better jumper and something to prove since he obviously wants to go pro early
greg or vern at the five - if it's vern and he plays like he did today, we'll love him if not and greg is ready for major minutes, we'll love it
henry off the bench, with Jason clark and baby doc
omar wattad proves ready to become a shooter off the bench
that's a ton of options and a ton of talent...yes roy is gone as well as the other seniors, but I feel that the only thing we won't adequately be able to replace is patrick's energy off the bench
this will be an extremely talented team next season
|
|
RDF
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
Posts: 8,835
|
Post by RDF on Mar 23, 2008 18:47:43 GMT -5
The thing about next year--everyone will lament who to go to in "tough situations"--well the idea is to start kicking the snot out of teams for an entire game--and you know what-confidence grows, you start seeing playmakers/winners develop. Anyone think when we first heard about Green, Wallace, Hibbert,etc... that we'd be talking of replacing "clutch" players? If you say yes--you are lying because nobody knew--and nobody knows what will happen.
I'm on record saying next year's team could be better by this time a year from now. W/L record isn't as important as developing the program/taking the next step. III has to adjust his approach to the talent in place--and HE WILL. The key to the offense Georgetown uses was/is/will be the 4 man spot--and it was proven again this year. That isn't a slight at Roy--he had a strong SR year--and I cringe seeing the shots being taken at him. You can't bash a kid for being what he is--and for his coach/team not always utilizing him correctly--but you need to realize--this same thing happened a year ago--and what spot on court was key to winning?
This team was robbed of championship contention when Green departed. With him-they are overall #1 seed this year and heavy favorite to win it all. Well, we know what happened, so forget that--but you can't forget that Roy would have these type of games--due to fouls, ineffective play, matchups, and key was someone stepped up. Nobody really consistently helped Roy at those moments--but he stepped in other ways--problem is--you get 16 minutes on court and 5 fouls--how can you impact a 40 minute game? It's not on Roy for today. It's on the style of play/approach of the program--you have to ATTACK--and sometimes I think III needs to learn he's got talent/firepower and doesn't need to "Shorten" a game--get after it for a full 40 and quit overthinking things--when you have a 7'2 guy with offensive talent--tweak the system to pound the ball to him on block. When you have a quicker lineup with good shooters--push and run.
It's just part of learning/growing as a coach, team, and program. It'll happen. We're way AHEAD of schedule and just need to take a step back, realize where GU was, and where it's heading. This sucks for the program/followers but it's a lot less painful to lose when you know deep down--your team wasn't going to win anything--they didn't show championship pedigree all season--and you don't just find it in March--you might not have the firepower but you have to have the attitude and this team flirted with danger all year--and it caught up to them in March--on Championship Saturday in BET, and today.
Learn, move on, and make sure this doesn't happen in future.
|
|