The Hoyas have a whole lot of new players (nine!) heading into the 2020-2021 college basketball season. While not necessarily the most highly regarded class, Georgetown still has a lot of talent coming in. Minimal expectations from around the world of college basketball will not take away from the heart and hustle of this year’s squad. With that being said, let’s examine each of the newcomers on the roster.
Jalen Harris (Graduate Transfer, PG)
Harris (6’2”) comes over from Arkansas with one year of eligibility remaining. He is a very adept ball handler and will be asked to take on a similar role to that of Terrell Allen before James Akinjo’s transfer, serving primarily as a distributor. Harris loves to push the ball in transition, and this is likely a main reason why Patrick Ewing brought him in to be his starting point guard. He is a high tempo player with the ability to get to the rim and score it himself, but he primarily looks to kick it to his teammates for more efficient opportunities. He does turn the ball over a bit, but not at an alarmingly high rate for someone handling the ball as much as he does (only averaging 1.57 turnovers per game over his collegiate career). Harris is a career 20% three point shooter, but he showed substantial improvement from 2018-19 to 2019-20. If the defense gives him space, he is not afraid to take the open shot from beyond the arc, but this is not the strength of his game. With more than capable shooters like Jahvon Blair already on the roster, Harris ideally won’t have to do much from three. Finally, Harris will provide key veteran leadership for a young Hoyas roster.
Donald Carey (Graduate Transfer, Guard)
Carey joins the team with two years of eligibility remaining. He previously won the MAAC regular season championship with Siena, shooting an impressive 40.9% from the floor and 38.2% from three. Carey will have to play an important sniper role alongside Blair this season. He can score on all three levels and passes well. Although Carey seldom does too much with the ball and is an adept distributor, Ewing may need to lean on Carey’s talents as a shooter more so than a passer. It remains to be seen how Carey will perform against more talented Big East competition. Nonetheless, the proven winner will be a great veteran to hopefully push the Hoyas closer to their March quest.
Chudier Bile (Graduate Transfer, F)
Bile (6’7”) is another grad transfer for the Hoyas, coming from Northwestern State (LA) after spending seasons at Otero Junior College and Bradley. He led NSU last season with 14.3 ppg, 7.6 rpg and 1.5 bpg. For a player of his size, he is very capable of handling the ball and is not afraid to take it to the bucket himself. Bile is also solid defensively, offering a lot of length that can match up against most forwards in the Big East. Additionally, he can shoot it pretty well from beyond the arc (37.6% last year) and does not shy away from taking contested looks. It remains to be seen how Bile will fare with the jump in competition from the Southland Conference to the Big East. Coach Ewing can either go with a lengthy starting five with Bile playing the three or have him come off the bench. He will likely not be one of the team’s primary weapons on offense and will be relied on more for his defense and rebounding, but Bile should still see roughly 20-25 minutes a game.
Jamari Sibley (Freshman F)
Perhaps the most touted freshman recruit, the lengthy ESPN 100 product has serious bounce and an impressive scoring ability. An Oak Hill product, Sibley has the athleticism and reliability to contribute from day one. In particular, keep an eye out for his clean turn-and-shoot jumper that should pay serious dividends. Fans may be also surprised by his sneaky good handles given his lanky appearance. Expect Sibley to become a serious force once he puts some more muscle on his 6’8” 200 pound frame; Coach Crouch has a quality player to develop here.
Dante Harris (Freshman PG)
The younger of Georgetown’s two Harrises comes out of Lakeway Christian Academy (TN), but he is originally from DC. Harris is only 6’0’’, but he dominated as a point guard in high school, averaging 30.6 points and 9 assists per game in his junior year. There is a bit of concern about the level of competition that Harris faced in high school and how that will translate at the next level, but former Georgetown guard Mac McClung received similar skepticism early on and still performed well. Harris relies a lot on his ability to drive to the rim, either taking the layup himself or dishing the ball out to teammates for open looks. He can also shoot the three well. Defensively, Harris might struggle initially against bigger Big East guards like Marcus Zegarowski. Yet he will still provide energy and scoring off the bench as Jalen Harris’ backup and become a fan favorite for his fearlessness in attacking the rim.
Kobe Clark (Freshman G/F)
Kobe Clark seems poised to contribute significantly his freshmen year as a dynamic, tough wing. The St. Louis native attended powerhouse Vashon High School, a 14-time state champion program in the state of Missouri. In high school, Clark was a double-double machine with solid speed which should allow him to fit well into Ewing’s high tempo offense. His combination of quickness and size should allow him to defend the post and close out quickly on perimeter shooters. Though perhaps not exceptional in any one aspect of his game, Clark can fit the glue guy role going forward.
TJ Berger (Freshman G)
Ewing and his staff will look to Berger to replace some of the three-point shooting ability that was lost last year. Joining the Hoyas from the Westtown School located just outside of Philadelphia, the guard will likely have to step up and hit his shots when they count. Ideally, Berger will contribute similarly to recent Hoya Greg Malinowski, granted he is definitely quite a raw talent at the moment.
Victor Muresan (Freshman F/C)
#MureSZN rolls on! The Potomac local boasts a 6-10 frame (an inch taller than his brother). Expect the non-scholarship freshman to play solid off-ball defense and hustle when his number is called upon during his Georgetown career.
Collin Holloway (Freshman F)
Holloway (6’6”) is a true freshman from Port Allen HS in Louisiana. A late commit to the Hoyas, he led his team to a state title his senior year, averaging 18.5 points and 11 rebounds per game. Holloway probably will not see much time this season due to the surplus of forwards on Georgetown’s roster. When he does get time, Holloway has shown an ability to penetrate the defense and attack the rim, while also having an above-average jumper and strong rebounding ability.
Let’s be honest, few have high expectations for the Hoyas this season. That being said, the variety and uncertainty of talent arriving to the Hilltop this year means that the team’s ceiling is relatively unknown. Maybe the pieces will fit together; maybe they won’t. So, buckle up for another year on the wild ride that is Georgetown basketball fandom: destination TBD.
