Listen, I get it. Like every Hoya fan, I got swept up into the whole Cole Anthony sweepstakes. Even though it was a longshot from the beginning, there were signs scattered throughout the process that led to the conclusion that Cole was destined for Georgetown. Given Greg Anthony’s connections to Coach Patrick Ewing (they were teammates in the NBA), along with this tweet below, any Hoya fan could convince themselves that Cole was coming to the Hilltop.
But, alas, it was not meant to be. Cole announced on Get Up! with Jay Williams that he will be taking his talents to the University of North Carolina. Coach Roy Williams put all his eggs in the Cole Anthony bag and, luckily for him, won. Hoya fans should wish nothing but the best for Cole. He’s a tremendous talent and has a bright future ahead of him. But I have a message for any Hoya fan that might be feeling down after this news: WE ARE FINE.
Would Cole Anthony have been nice? Absolutely. But was he a necessary addition for Georgetown to compete next year? No way. Need I remind you that Georgetown currently possesses three All Big East Freshmen and the Big East Freshman of the Year award winner from last year?
Think about it. This past season was incredibly successful, but also frustrating at times. It was successful because the Hoyas avoided the dreaded Wednesday night game slate in the Big East Tournament, tied for 3rd place in Big East play, and saw flashes of greatness from their three top freshmen. But it was also frustrating at times considering the lack of consistency that plagued Georgetown throughout Big East play. But that’s simply the sign of a young team. And that team will be one year older, one year more mature.
Toss in the fact that Ewing, once again, hauled in an impressive recruiting class that should step in and compete right off the bat. Omer Yurtseven, an NC State transfer, will take Jessie Govan’s spot as the starting center and provide the Hoyas with a domineering defensive presence in the paint (given the fact that he’s had an entire year off to work with Ewing on his post-game, don’t be surprised if Omer is a consistent offensive weapon as well). Qudus Wahab is a 6-11, 235lbs power forward with pogo stick athleticism. Many times this season Ewing settled with a lineup that featured Josh LeBlanc as the 4, but Qudus offers Ewing the opportunity to play much bigger. Toss in JUCO transfer Galen Alexander, an attacking forward who stands at 6-6, will provide much-needed depth at the wing and a nice scoring punch off the bench.
Even without Cole Anthony, the expectations for this season remain the same for Ewing and co. It is time to go dancing once again.
