Why Georgetown is Overrated

I am a huge Georgetown basketball fan. Huge. But I am also someone who looks at the team and sees flaws rather than ignoring them and telling myself that everything will be okay. I am the guy who turns games off in frustration after teams go on 10-0 runs on a Georgetown team that is “supposed” to beat them. I really like John Thompson III and what he has done with the program but I am also reluctant to crown Georgetown a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament or even concede the Big East Championship to them. Could they win both? Sure. Is it unlikely? Yes. And I will now, very clearly I might add, outline the reasons why Georgetown, my alma mater and the team that controls my mood on game nights, will disappoint its fan base and make an early exit in the NCAA tournament (my prediction = Sweet Sixteen).

Reason #1 – They can’t rebound

This is probably the most frustrating reason of them all. Georgetown is generally bigger than their opponents (Roy Hibbert is 7’2”, DaJuan Summers is 6’8”, Vernon Macklin is 6’9”, Patrick Ewing, Jr. is 6’8”), yet they are consistently out rebounded, especially in terms of offensive rebounds. Georgetown is notorious for just watching the ball go off of the rim instead of boxing someone out. Or, what is even better in my mind, is when they all gather underneath the rim in anticipation of a made shot, neglecting the more likely conclusion of a missed shot and being completely out of position to grab a rebound. Georgetown has only lost two games this year but as they play tougher and tougher teams, it will be harder for them to cover for this huge flaw in their game.

Reason #2 – They can’t shoot free throws

This is a question for any basketball player…is it that hard to hit a wide open shot from the free throw line? Apparently it is – especially for someone wearing a Hoyas jersey this year. My favorite stat is Vernon Macklin’s 5 for 27 from the charity stripe. Really? 18.5% from the line? Are you kidding me? And the worst part about that is he is a solid and necessary post player for Georgetown. Without being able to put him in the game, the only post threat is Hibbert, who has shown he can disappear from games at any point in time. Georgetown is shooting 64.5% from the line as a team and that isn’t going to beat the big boys come tournament time.

Reason #3 – DaJuan Summers isn’t Jeff Green

The consensus coming into this year was that Georgetown would miss Jeff Green, but they would survive because DaJuan Summers would step into his shoes and become the team leader and go-to-guy. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Summers isn’t doing a poor job, but he hasn’t become the consistent threat that Green was and isn’t drawing double teams or even the threat of double teams in order to open up the floor for his teammates (like Jonathan Wallace, who seems to really miss Green’s presence since none of his threes are uncontested like they were last year). Summers needs to step up and start making open shots, especially from behind the arc, where he is shooting less than 40%.

Reason #4 – Roy Hibbert is not a go-to player

Roy Hibbert isn’t awful. I may say it when I am angry with the team, but he is a very solid player. He is fundamentally sound and has a nice shooting touch for a big man. My issue with him is less about him and more about what others think of him. He isn’t Patrick Ewing, Alonzo Mourning, or Dikembe; he is a definite back up center in the NBA at best. Without someone else on the team drawing the defense he is borderline irrelevant on offense since no one can seem to get him the ball and when they do, teams can double team him because no one is making outside shots consistently enough to cause teams to worry. If Wallace, Summers, Sapp or Freeman develops into a big time shot maker, Hibbert’s game will open up down in the post and Georgetown will get infinitely better.

Reason #5 – Chris Wright is injured and could be out for the year

I have learned to tolerate Jeremiah Rivers. I mean that. I know you may not believe it, but the guy plays tough defense. I do have a problem with him on offense. Maybe it is because he has this huge inability to do anything with the ball. Chris Wright on the other hand, had the ability to penetrate and his quickness created match-up issues for opposing teams. The combination of Wright and Rivers could be used as nice back-ups for Sapp and Wallace down the stretch, keeping them fresh without losing a step. Unfortunately Georgetown now has to rely on Wallace, who is turning into a defensive specialist.

I want Georgetown to win and I hope they prove me wrong, but if they don’t correct the 5 huge flaws or at least acknowledge them and find a way around them, they are going to run into big problems in the NCAA tournament. They are all fixable, in my opinion (outside of the Wright injury), so hopefully the team can come together and get to the Final Four or better this year. But if they bow out early, don’t say I didn’t warn you.