The dog days of desperation are over at Georgetown.
As the sound of basketballs pounding hardwood echoed around him, John Thompson surveyed the scene at McDonough Gymnasium yesterday and smiled. The 57-year-old coaching legend could have been beaming at his bluechip backcourt combination of Anthony Perry and Kevin Braswell. Perhaps the sight of a healthy, 7-foot Ruben Boumtje Boumtje brought on the grin. Or maybe Thompson was mulling over the four verbal commitments his Hoyas have already received from high-profile prep players for next season.
But more than likely Thompson simply was relishing the sights and sounds of a clean slate and a crowded court. When you survive a season ruled by Murphy's Law with both your sanity and your string of postseason appearances intact, you're allowed a moment of self-satisfaction.
Remember the Hoyas' 1997-98 debacle? No fan of hoops on the Hilltop will likely forget Georgetown's season of incalculable misfortune and misbehavior. Starting point guard Ed Sheffey was arrested for possession of marijuana, suspended and later nearly killed in an auto accident in Texas. Prized recruits Perry (Prop 48), Boumtje Boumtje (broken wrist) and Kenny Brunner (withdrew from school due to emotional problems) never played a game together. And senior center Jahidi White broke his ankle in January, leaving the Hoyas to play the bulk of their Big East schedule with just one player taller than 6-foot-8.
At least four other over-extended Hoyas played hurt, and predictably Georgetown posted its worst overall record (16-15) since 1973-74 and its worst Big East record (6-12) since the inception of the conference in 1980, stumbling to an NIT bid and a quick postseason exit.
'Last year was just so freakish,' Thompson said, recounting the gory details of his 26th season on campus. 'But it's behind me.'
In front of Thompson and his young Hoyas lies a season bursting with potential.
Perhaps the first-year backcourt tandem of Braswell and Perry best embodies this team's hope for the future. Though neither guard has played in a college game, both come to Georgetown with the 'can't-miss' label. Braswell, a 6-2, 190-pound freshman averaged 21 points and nine assists for prep powerhouse Maine Central Institute last season and will likely supplant senior Joe Touomou as the starting point guard early in the season.
Perry, the peach of last year's recruiting take and a former McDonald's All-American, spent last season watching helplessly from behind the bench after the NCAA ruled him academically ineligible. The time for patience has passed, and the 6-3 sophomore slasher from Jersey City, N.J., looks ready to explode.
'The backcourt's pretty damn good; they're just inexperienced,' Thompson said. 'You never know what's going to happen until you get them out there, and you start to let them play. But from looking at Kevin and Anthony, they're going to be pretty good players before it's all over. I'm excited about the backcourt. If those kids grow up quickly, we could have some fun.'
In the middle, Thompson finally has a healthy Boumtje Boumtje at his disposal. After two wrist operations and a knee surgery, the Hoyas' 245-pound pivot pounder of the future finally will get to show the nation's black and blue conference why he was prized as a top 20 prep recruit coming into last season.
And though this season's frontcourt looks smallish, but experienced with Jameel Watkins (6-10, 245), Rhese Gibson (6-8, 230), Daymond Jackson (6-4, 205), Trez Kilpatrick (6-7, 219) and Nat Burton (6-4, 200) joining Boumtje Boumtje, a wave of prodigious prospects is on the way.
Georgetown has already received verbal commitments from three consensus top 100 high school prospects listed at 6-9 or taller for next season. A return to national prominence and past dominance might be another season away - but last year's season of shame was surely an aberration.
'Help is coming,' Thompson said, still sporting the smile he wore all day. 'I don't know [how good we'll be this year], but the one thing I know is that they'll accept the challenge. We have to hold on for one more year, but we'll be fine.'
