In Sunday’s OT win over St. John’s, freshman guard TJ Berger saw his first non-garbage time action of the season. And wow, did he take advantage!
Berger entered the game five minutes into the second half with the Hoyas facing their largest deficit of the night. When he headed to the bench eight minutes later, Georgetown had turned a nine-point deficit into a four-point lead. After the win, Coach Patrick Ewing credited Berger coming off the bench for “giving us a huge lift.”
Good things just seem to happen when TJ Berger is on the court. Yes, I know I am getting ahead of myself. Basing anything off a 12-minute sample size (yes, Berger has only played 12 minutes this season) is grasping at straws. But if those 12 minutes have told us anything, it’s that we deserve to see more, much more, of TJ Berger moving forward.
Every conversation about Berger has to start with his three-point shooting ability. When the Pennsylvania native committed to Georgetown back in May, many were quick to deem Berger the next Hoya sharpshooter (à la Greg Malinowski) and for good reason. While it is still early in the season (and the sample size is extraordinarily small), Berger has lived up to that billing thus far, making three of his four three-point attempts, including two clutch triples against St. John’s.
What’s most striking is the apparent lack of an adjustment period for Berger. True freshmen often struggle to make shots out of the gate as they adjust to the deeper three-point line and overall faster speed of the game. Not to bring up bad memories or anything, but now-infamous former Hoya Mac McClung was an ugly 0 for 14 from three-point range to start his college career. It remains to be seen if the adjustment to the college game eventually catches up to Berger, but for right now, he appears unfazed.
While Berger’s hot shooting has been impressive, it has been his sound decision making that has especially caught my eye. Berger was a true point guard in high school, so we shouldn’t be surprised by his quality decision making and on-point passing. Every time Berger receives a pass, it seems as though he has a clear idea of what he wants to do with the ball. He either puts a shot up, attacks an opening in the defense, or looks to set up a teammate. Most importantly, Berger always dribbles with intention, something his fellow Hoyas would do well to emulate.
In the clip above, Berger recognizes the double team in the post and wisely rotates to the left wing to give Wahab the option to kick the ball out. Seeing that the St. John’s defense has overcommitted to helping down low, Berger receives Wahab’s pass and immediately takes one hard dribble towards the baseline to open up the passing lane for a skip pass to Jahvon Blair on the opposite wing. Berger’s pass is right on the money, and the veteran sharpshooter does the rest. In making this highlight reel play, Berger demonstrated great awareness and court vision, both of which give me reason for optimism for his future. “TJ’s not just a shooter,” commented teammate Don Carey after the St. John’s win. “He makes good plays, his IQ is very high…he’s just a playmaker out there.”
Berger’s ability to play off those around him may be due to his experience playing alongside so many talented players during his high school career. At Westtown School, Berger was teammates with high-major D1 players including Mo Bamba (Texas), Cam Reddish (Duke), Jalen Gaffney (UConn), Brandon Randolph (Arizona), Jalen Warley (Florida State commit) and Franck Kepnang (Oregon commit). “You’re going to play against someone who is either high Division I or an NBA basketball player in practice every day,” said Seth Berger, TJ’s father and high school coach. “You’re forced to either get better or you won’t play. It’s really simple.”
When they arrive at college, most incoming freshmen are used to being the star of the show. Berger, on the other hand, clearly came to Georgetown with experience playing alongside other stars. He was used to being challenged every day in practice, fighting for minutes, and not being the biggest ego in the locker room. This invaluable experience surely lessened the sharp learning curve that inevitably comes with making the jump to the collegiate level.
Although Berger has shown a lot of promise, there is certainly still room for improvement, most notably on the defensive end. While it is a small sample size, Berger currently holds the worst defensive rating (an estimate of points allowed per 100 possessions) of any Georgetown player. The eye test hasn’t been much kinder. In eight minutes of action against St. John’s, Berger committed a remarkable three personal fouls (though one was on the offensive end) and got beat by his man several times.
In the clip above, Berger commits a critical error when he allows Greg Williams Jr. to penetrate the paint. To prevent the easy bucket, Wahab is forced to step over and contest Williams’s shot, exposing the weak side and opening up the Johnnies’ big for an easy put-back slam. Wahab’s man will get credit for the bucket, but this defensive breakdown began with Berger getting beat off the dribble.
While Berger’s on-ball defense has certainly left something to be desired, there is reason to believe there is room for improvement. The issue isn’t physical; Berger is a solid athlete, and at 6’3”, he certainly has the length to match-up with most any opposing guard. At this point, Berger simply looks a step slow to react to opponents’ moves. With time and experience, the game will hopefully slow down for TJ and allow him to improve in this regard. Berger will never be an elite defender, but I’m confident he can be serviceable on the defensive end given more time to adjust.
The argument for giving Berger more run isn’t just for the present (although watching him play is pretty fun) but also for the future. From what little we’ve seen from Berger, he has shown real potential as a three-point threat and a playmaker. In a wacky year where an NCAA Tournament berth for the Hoyas seems as plausible as putting a man on Mars, what is there to lose from giving Berger the playing time he not only deserves, but also needs to develop as a player? While we’re at it, let’s play all the freshmen!
During Friday’s media availability, Coach Ewing was asked whether Berger had earned himself more playing time moving forward. “We will see,” answered Ewing. “In both games that he’s played, he’s done an outstanding job. He’s definitely shown that he’s ready and he’s capable. He will play, but not sure how much.”
I, for one, am hoping that Berger sees significant minutes.
What do a drunk Georgetown student leaving a darty and a Georgetown basketball fan have in common?
They both want some Berger Madness.
