Two games down. (Hopefully) Many more to go.
Much like watching the stock market, being a Georgetown basketball fan is a constant rollercoaster of ups-and-downs. The Hoyas’ start to the season has been filled with unknowns, intrigue, and (per usual) disappointment. Here’s a handful of storylines we have our eyes on:
▲ Watching college basketball
After everything we’ve gone through this year, this alone is worth celebrating.
▼ My cardiovascular health and mental wellbeing
The new-look Hoyas are back to their usual, stress-inducing ways. At this rate, each and every game is going to be decided in the final five minutes of gametime. Did you expect anything different?
Jahvon Blair may have the greenest of green lights.
The senior guard has attempted 37 field goals and 19 (!!) three pointers over the Hoyas’ first two games. Blair hasn’t been the most efficient, but he has still led Georgetown in scoring against both UMBC (23 points) and Navy (17 points). In just two games, Blair has firmly established himself as the Hoyas’ primary scoring option and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
▼ Team Defense
Everyone before the season: “The defense will be better this year!”
Georgetown’s defense showed some signs of improvement in the season opener, holding UMBC to 62 points on 37% shooting. However, all sense of optimism quickly went out the window, as Navy poured in 49 second half points en route to an upset victory over the Hoyas.
There’s a lot that needs to be done to improve defensively, but a good starting point would be slowing down opponents’ number one option. Navy’s star guard, Cam Davis, tore Georgetown apart for 28 points, including five three pointers. I don’t know if it’s bad gameplanning or poor execution, but either way, the Hoyas need to do a better job of limiting opposing stars’ impact on the game.
▲ Social justice demonstrations
Georgetown players and coaches knelt in a display of unity before the team’s season opener against UMBC.
The Hoyas also wore Black Lives Matter warm-ups and included social justice themed messages on the backs of their jerseys. Patrick Ewing joined coaches from around the country in donning a towel over his shoulder to honor the late John Thompson Jr., a fierce advocate for black athletes. Kudos all around.
▼ Logical reasoning
Can we all agree that making players on the bench wear masks does absolutely nothing? And before you ask, no, I’m not an anti-masker. In fact, I’m a huge proponent of wearing masks (in situations where they actually serve a purpose). “Go run around on the court and sweat on each other all you want. But if you’re sitting down six feet apart, you absolutely must wear a mask.” It’s literally all optics. And while we’re on the subject, maybe college basketball coaches should learn a thing or two about how to properly wear a mask.
▲ Qudus Wahab
In his second season under Patrick Ewing, Wahab has noticeably taken a step forward. The seven-footer posted his second career double-double in the season opener and followed that up with a career-high 16 points against Navy. Perhaps most encouraging has been the eye test, as Wahab has simply looked more comfortable on the block and has shown off several new post moves. Qudus still has a long way to go, but he is already well on his way to becoming the type of dominant force down low that Ewing wants to build his half-court offense around.
▼ Timothy Ighoefe
Prior to the season, rumors from around the program indicated that it was Ighoefe, not Wahab, who was primed to make a significant jump between his freshman and sophomore seasons. Through two games, Iggy has not lived up to this hype in the slightest. On the offensive side of the ball, he does not look comfortable at all and boosts an absurd turnover rate of an estimated 33.3 turnovers per 100 plays this season (granted, the sample size is very small). Defensively, Ighoefe has yet to show an ability to defend without fouling, and is particularly vulnerable when he is forced to guard out on the perimeter. Despite Ighoefe’s mediocre play, Ewing reiterated that Tim will continue to receive significant minutes as the team’s back-up center, at least for the time being.
▲ Supporting the troops
Shoutout to the United States Naval Academy.
▼ Georgetown’s RPI ranking
Number one in the nation no longer. Hey, it was fun while it lasted!
▲ Donald Carey
Entering the season, there were concerns over if the Hoyas had a consistent scorer outside of seniors Jahvon Blair and Jamorko Pickett. Carey has given Georgetown fans a clear answer to that question. The graduate transfer from Siena has averaged 10.5 points per game on 50% shooting through the first two contests. Carey has demonstrated the ability to both create his own shot and stretch the floor as a sharpshooter from deep. If he is able to sustain this same level of production, Carey will be crucial to the Hoyas’ chances of holding their own come Big East conference play.
▼ Chudier Bile
Speaking of graduate transfers, Bile was another newcomer who fans thought could make an immediate impact. The former Northwestern State star did not play in the opener due to an ankle injury, and his Georgetown debut against Navy left much to be desired. Bile was an ugly 0 for 4 from the field and 1 for 4 from the free-throw line against the Midshipmen. For someone that was billed as a shooter, Bile simply needs to be better. Let’s hope Bile simply needed time to work through the rust and will become a meaningful contributor for the Hoyas moving forward.
▲ Putting the ‘student’ back in student athlete
Shoutout Ryan Mutombo. Giving me more reasons to get irrationally optimistic about next season? Check.
▼ Syracuse
Just cause. Also, Jim Boehim continues to whine and find new ways to make excuses for his team’s lackluster performances.
What an unpleasant man. He is dead last on the list of people I would want to have a beer with.
