Georgetown held N.C. State scoreless for nearly six minutes in the second half Sunday night, turning a two-point deficit into a thirteen point lead and pulling away from Wolfpack to claim the Charleston Classic title. The Hoyas and Wolfpack played an otherwise even game, pulling to a number of ties, including at the half and, for the last time, at 44-44 with just under 16 minutes remaining. But, the Hoyas’ perseverance through a cold-shooting first half, tenacity on defense and on the boards, and aggressiveness in seeking offensive opportunities in the open court all made the difference down the stretch.
While Georgetown’s first three games were characterized by the dominance of Chris Wright, Austin Freeman, and Jason Clark, the last two have seen increased contributions from a number of role players. No one Hoya turned in the best performance of Sunday’s game, but at least six turned in performances necessary to victory:
- Hollis Thompson had a breakout performance, notching 18 points to go with 9 rebounds, 5 of which were offensive; all of those totals constitute career highs. More revelatory than the sum of his statistics is the way in which Thompson achieved those numbers. Sometimes relegated to a corner three-point shooter, he recently has become more assertive offensively, driving to the basket, seeking out the offensive glass on his teammates’ shots, and cutting without the ball to finish at the rim. Thompson also has become an enthusiastic participant in rebounding-by-committee, more than doubling his rebounding average since last year in just three more minutes of playing time per game.
- Chris Wright could not seem to get his shot going against the Wolfpack, shooting just 6 of 15 from the floor and missing the front ends of two one-and-ones that could have iced the game much sooner, but again proved to be a steady hand on Georgetown’s offensive rudder, dishing out 7 assists against just 1 turnover to go with his 17 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals. Through five games, Wright is averaging an impressive 6.6 assists per game and 2.1 assists for every turnover. On the defensive end, he’s played intense defense, pilfering two balls per game. For those that questioned whether he could become a team-first point guard, Wright has answered decidedly in the affirmative. Sunday night, he earned appropriate recognition as the MVP of the tournament.
- Henry Sims continued his development Sunday, posting one of the better games of his career. While he made just two baskets and still looked awkward when facing the basket with the ball, big Hank nabbed nine rebounds and had five assists (both career highs), with a steal and a block for good measure. The Hoyas had a +9 rebounding advantage Sunday night, thanks in large part to Sims, who hit the glass with heretofore uncharacteristic assertiveness.
- Neither Austin Freeman nor Jason Clark turned in games that were exceptional by their high standards, but each was essential. Clark kept the team afloat during an otherwise errant first half with two deep threes and finished with 14 points, while Freeman had 15 points and two rim-rattling dunks during the second-half onslaught. While each has had and will have better nights, their steady offense always merits mention.
- Julian Vaughn has had quite the week, spending a recent night in the hospital and enduring what appeared to be several days of medical uncertainty before returning the lineup Thursday and anchoring the Hoya interior through the weekend. Sunday, he again was solid, scoring eight points, hauling in seven boards, and swatting four Wolfpack shots. On offense, Vaughn displayed a developing right hook that, with his broad shoulders, is nearly impossible to block and is reliable when he’s able to get deep post position. On defense, Vaughn ferociously attacks the boards and soft shots around the basket. For the tournament, Vaughn averaged 10.3 points, 8 rebounds, and an astounding 4.3 blocks, and merited consideration for any all-tournament team, were one announced.
Georgetown is now 5-0, dispatching their foes, including four teams whose odds of appearing in the NCAA tournament range from possible to very likely, by more than thirteen points per game. Even the most sanguine of the Hoya faithful likely did not expect such an impressive start to the season. Those concerned about how Georgetown would play with an apparently imbalanced lineup have been assuaged: the Hoyas can burn their opponents from deep or near the basket, as the situation allows. Repeatedly over the summer, including at an appearance before alumni in Chicago, Coach John Thompson III emphasized, “There are a number of ways to skin a cat.” His squad showed as much this weekend, emphatically taking the tournament crown.
Georgetown has a short Thanksgiving break before hosting Appalachian State on Saturday, then heading into a difficult three-game stretch at Missouri, home for Utah State, then at Temple. For now, though, the Hoyas can bask in their perfect record and tournament title.
