Postseason disappointment has given way to preseason excitement on the Hilltop for men’s basketball. Though last season concluded in an all too familiar fashion, the offseason has been fruitful for the Blue and Gray. Here’s a short recap of what Georgetown has done since March.
There have been a couple of changes to Georgetown’s roster. Standout Hoya forward Otto Porter declared for the NBA and was drafted number 3 by the Washington Wizards. Greg Whittington, a junior who was academically ineligible for the last half of this past season, has torn his ACL and will likely miss the entire season, a major blow to their chance of repeating as regular season Big East champions.
The only incoming freshman is Reggie Cameron, a 6’7’’ forward from New Jersey. Cameron is a sharpshooter, and showcased his talent in the Kenner League this summer. Cameron’s marksmanship should help spread the floor for JT3’s Princeton offense and open up more room for playmakers like senior guard Markel Starks and junior guard/forward Jabril Trawick. Georgetown will also have 6 foot 10 inch UCLA transfer Josh Smith, who should be a dominant force in the paint.
Head coach John Thompson III has also been in the process of securing one of the top recruiting classes in the country for the class of 2014 (high school graduation year). The Hoyas secured commitments from Isaac Copeland, a 6’8’’ power forward from North Carolina who models his game after Otto Porter, point guard Tre Campbell from St. John’s College High in Washington D.C., and L.J. Peak, a 6’5’’ forward from Gaffney, South Carolina.
Georgetown will tip-off the college basketball season when it faces Oregon on Nov. 8 at Camp Humphreys, an U.S. army base in Pyeongtaek, South Korea. On Dec. 21st the Hoyas will give an early Christmas gift to everyone as they travel to Allen Fieldhouse to face Kansas and hyped freshman Andrew Wiggins, expected to be the top pick in the 2014 NBA draft. Georgetown will also play Michigan State, which is expected to be a top five ranked team, on Feb. 1 at Madison Square Garden as part of Super bowl weekend in New York City.
This upcoming season will certainly be an exciting one, however, we’ll have to wait and see to see what type of team Georgetown will be. The Hoyas have the talent to make a run in the tournament, but it remains to be seen what type of chemistry this team will have as the players adjusts to new roles and expectations.
