The Georgetown Hoyas made three Final Four appearances in the 1980s, led by master motivator John Thompson, Jr. and the interior dominance of center Patrick Ewing.
So it comes as no surprise that in this decade, the Hoyas are turning to some familiar names to restore their reputation as a national powerhouse. Georgetown is currently ranked No. 5 in the nation thanks in part to starting power forward Patrick Ewing, Jr. and head coach John Thompson III.
In 2004, with the program reeling from a 13-15 season, Georgetown fired Craig Esherick, who took over for Thompson, Jr. in 1999, and installed Thompson III as the new head coach. The ex-coach of the Princeton Tigers immediately transformed the Hoyas' program by installing the Princeton offense, an offense based on constant motion and back-cuts.
The following season, Georgetown went 23-10, including a win over the No. 1 Duke Blue Devils, with Ewing Jr. sitting on the bench as an ineligible transfer from the Indiana Hoosiers. Last season, the Hoyas won 30 games and reached their first Final Four in 22 years. The team was led by its two junior stars, Roy Hibbert and Jeff Green, with Ewing giving support from the bench.
This year, with Green gone to the Seattle SuperSonics as the fifth overall pick in the NBA Draft, the burden falls squarely on the shoulders of Hibbert, an imposing 7-foot-2 center with burgeoning offensive skills, to carry the team. Despite the team's 5-0 record, Hibbert has been disappointingly mediocre thus far, averaging just over 14 points and seven rebounds per game.
Accuracy is not Hibbert's problem, however; he is shooting an impressive 64 percent from the floor. With only 47 shot attempts in the first five games, Hibbert is averaging less than 10 per game. He will have to become more assertive in order to unlock his true offensive potential.
Hibbert gambled last spring by declaring for the NBA Draft along with his sidekick Green and then pulling out just weeks before the event - where he likely would have been selected in the lottery - in the hopes of returning to the college stage to win a national championship. If he wants to maintain his stock for the 2008 Draft or even dream of a national championship, however, he'll need to improve on his underperformance thus far.
It won't be easy. As usual, Georgetown will face a loaded conference schedule, with fellow Big East teams such as the Pittsburgh Panthers, Villanova Wildcats and Louisville Tigers looking to challenge the Hoyas.
On the plus side, the Hoyas' roster this year has great depth. In fact, the Hoyas may be the most balanced squad in the country. No other Hoya besides Hibbert is averaging double figures in scoring, but nine players are averaging at least 17 minutes on the court per game. Hibbert himself is averaging less than 25 minutes, a move that could be designed to keep him fresh for March Madness.
Junior guard Jessie Sapp has emerged as the team's leader and second-best player behind Hibbert. He comes from a long tradition of New York City point guards, but his play doesn't typify the New York stereotype of being flashy and inconsistent. Rather, Sapp is efficient, shooting over 50 percent from the floor on an average of 22 minutes of playing time per game. Sapp has also added support on the boards, averaging over three rebounds per game.
Then there is Ewing, Jr., who wears the same number 33 as his father but can't quite fill his shoes on the court. Ewing, Jr. is no superstar, but he is an effective player on the collegiate level: a 6-foot-8 power forward with great leaping ability who can rebound, block shots and grab loose balls. So far this season, Ewing has averaged 4.6 rebounds per game and is shooting 61 percent in the few shots he's taken.
After two forgettable seasons with the Hoosiers, Ewing has found his niche in Washington D.C. It might seem curious that two men trying to make a name for themselves chose to do it at the place their fathers became legends. At this point, Thompson III and Ewing, Jr. are thriving together by embracing their common challenge.
