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The Hoyas are hoping to turn things around
by Vince Pellegrini, Jr.
When you think of Georgetown you think of defense and low post
players. From Merlin Wilson to Patrick Ewing to Alonzo Mourning to
Mike Sweetney and everyone in between the Hoyas have lived by their
big guys. This year, however, will be a little different. You see the
Hoyas lack size inside and have an abundance of very athletic bodies
on the outside. Head coach Craig Esherick had no choice but to switch
up his mindset and to try and shoot over people and not to drive into
them.
Georgetown will look to lean on 6'6 senior guard Gerald Riley. One
year ago, Riley started every game averaging 14.1 points a game. He
was deadly beyond the arc where he shot forty-two percent. Just ask
Virginia Tech. Gerald filled up the hoops in Blacksburg for a career
high 31 points. The Hoyas are also counting on their 6'8 forward
Brandon Bowman to step up and really become a force in the Big East.
The lean Santa Monica native showed signs last year of things to come.
In a late January game in Pittsburgh, Bowman kept the Hoyas in the
contest with clutch makes at the charity stripe down the stretch.
Bowman's high school teammate, Ashanti Cook, changed his number from
21 to 0 from last season. Cook is the top candidate to replace Tony
Bethel at the point guard position. The 6'2 sophomore had a breakout
day in Knoxville in the opening round of the NIT last year when he
scored a career high sixteen points. The other candidate to take the
point is freshman Matt Causey from Berkmar High School in Georgia. I
look for big things out of him. He could be the most exciting player
that G'Town has recruited since Demetrius Hunter.
Fifth year senior Courtland Freeman will most likely start at
the center spot. Freeman has been just riddled with injuries since his
college career began. He played in every game one year ago chipping in
with only 2.4 points and 2.3 caroms a game. Also in the low post will
be 6'8 sophomore Amadou Kilkenny-Diaw and 6'8 freshman Sead Dizdarevic
who hails from Serbia and Montenegro.
Seniors Ramell Ross and Omari Faulkner will most likely see
more playing time than what they have been accustomed to in the past.
Ross is a 6'5 swingman hailing from Fairfax, Virginia. Ramell played
in fourteen games. Faulkner, on the other hand, only played in five
contests. Omari is a 6'6 forward from Memphis. Sophomore Ryan Beal
will see more time than his three games of last year. Beal is from
Florida and most people who are close to the program believe that he
has a chance of really seeing some good playing time this season.
Junior Darrel Owens doesn't have a good chance. He will be the court
time in every game. He is just an awesome athlete. To see the
thunderous dunk against Duke on January 8 just really caught the fans
attention. He will be a major player in the Hoyas season. I look for
this swingman to have a breakout season. Six foot eight freshman Ken
Izzo is a walk-on at Georgetown this year. I don't look for him to see
much of any time this campaign.
The final piece to the puzzle this season is Rayshawn Reed.
The Inglewood native stands at six feet tall and he has a motor that
just doesn't stop. I believe Reed will step up and play a lot by
year's end. You can't keep an athlete like this on the bench. Esherick
will find time for him.
Midnight Madness will hit a fever pitch in Washington, D.C. on
October 17 as the Hoyas will take the court for the first time in
front of the home crowd since March 8. Then on November 21, the Hoyas
will get the 2003-04 campaign underway when they play host to
Grambling.
2003-04 Hoyas' Schedule
11/21/03 Grambling
11/23/03 at Penn State
11/25/03 Coastal Carolina
11/29/03 Delaware State
12/3/03 Norfolk State
12/6/03 Davidson
12/13/03 Elon
12/20/03 Howard
12/22/03 at Citadel
1/3/04 Rutgers*
1/6/04 Boston College*
1/10/04 at West Virginia*
1/14/04 at Connecticut*
1/20/04 St. John's*
1/24/04 Duke (CBS)
1/26/04 at Providence*
1/31/04 at Miami, FL*
2/5/04 Villanova*
2/7/04 Miami, FL*
2/11/04 at Virginia Tech*
2/14/04 at Temple (ESPN)
2/18/04 at St. John's*
2/21/04 Syracuse* (ESPN)
2/24/04 Pittsburgh*
2/28/04 at Seton Hall*
3/4/04 at Notre Dame* (ESPN2)
3/6/04 Virginia Tech*
3/10-3/13 BIG EAST TOURNAMENT*
*Big East Conference Games
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Vince Pellegrini Jr.
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