Primo Spears To Florida State
Sophomore guard Amir (Primo) Spears has announced a transfer to Florida State, per a report from SB Nation.Spears, who played one season at Georgetown following a year at Duquesne, chose Florida State over offers at Kansas and TCU. He reunites with former GU assistant Kevin Nickleberry, who was hired at FSU after Patrick Ewing's departure last month. Spears led the Hoyas in scoring and assists last season, averaging 16 points per game and playing played 1,191 out of a possible 1,290 minutes for the team.A second time transfer, Spears will have two years eligibility with the Seminoles beginning in the 2024-25 season. Marvel Allen Decommits From Georgetown
Marvel Allen, the last recruit of the Patrick Ewing era, has decommitted from Georgetown and will pursue other schools, according to a report."First, I would like to thank coach Ewing and Nickelberry for giving me an opportunity to join and be apart of the Hoya family," Allen said in this link to On3.com. I want to thank the fans and University for welcoming me with open arms since day one. Due to the coaching change and other events that led to this decision, I have decided to request a release from my NLI to Georgetown University. I will be opening my recruitment to all schools. Please respect my decision."Allen was closely tied to former assistant coach Kevin Nickelberry, who recruited the 6-4 guard in 2021 to LSU and subsequently signed him at Georgetown in 2022. Ranked as high as 28th as a junior, Allen was the last recruit to which GUHoyas.com posted an signing announcement, where he stated that "I only have one plan and that's to prove to the world what Georgetown is about." The 6-4 guard averaged 13.8 points per game as a junior at Calvary Christian Academy in Ft. Lauderdale, FL before transferring to Monteverde Academy in Orlando, FL. Allen struggled as a senior at Monteverde, however, averaging just 1.6 points per game in 10 games with the Eagles, shooting 23 percent on the season. The On3.com rating currently lists him as 147th nationally. The decommit opens the scholarship for head coach Ed Cooley and his staff, with five open grants-in-aid for the 2023-24 season. Qudus Wahab To Penn State
Senior center Qudus Wahab has announced a transfer to Penn State.This is Wahab's third transfer in as many years, having left Georgetown in 2021 for Maryland and returning to Georgetown last season. Wahab averaged 9.0 points and 6.4 rebounds in three seasons on the Hilltop, and has one year of eligibility remaining. His status as a graduate transfer from Georgetown or a transfer to complete his degree at Penn State is undetermined.Former Assistant To Florida State
Former Georgetown assistant Kevin Nickelberry has joined the staff at Florida State, per a Twitter message from its athletic department.A former assistant at LSU, Nickelberry was an assistant at Georgetown for the 2022-23 season and brought in transfers Brandon Murray and Bradley Ezewiro with him. The status of incoming freshman Marvel Allen, who Nickelberry originally recruited to LSU and later committed to Georgetown, has not been determined.Lessons From Philadelphia's Big 5
Upcoming changes to the long running City Series among Philadelphia's Division I basketball schools provide an opportunity to revisit this topic: is it time to rebuild ties among the six Washington area Division I programs?
2022-23 HOME ATTENDANCE AVERAGE PER GAME
After nearly seven decades of round robin play among LaSalle, Penn, St. Joseph's, Temple, and Villanova, the series will add Drexel and revise the round robin format and feature a triple header featuring all six schools December 2 at the Wells Fargo Center. The changes are a reflection not only of different times, but a down period for many of that city's basketball teams. During a period where Villanova has won three national championships, five Big East tournament titles, and eight Big 5 titles since 2013, local recruits have gone elsewhere and the various teams other than Villanova have struggled: since 2013, the other four schools have combined for just five NCAA appearances and one tournament win combined between them. This past season, no Big 5 team received an invitation to the NCAA tournament, the first time since 1977.
It has also been a down period for Washington basketball. Since 2015, Maryland has appeared in six NCAA tournaments, while the other five schools (Georgetown, George Washington, American, Howard, and George Mason) have combined for just five appearances, and only two since 2015. It's also a down period for local recruiting as well. Of the six players in the upcoming Capital Classic committed to area colleges, just one played locally. There's a lot of water under the bridge here. Local rivalries were gutted in the John Thompson era and were largely maintained by his predecessors: when Patrick Ewing was asked in his introductory press conference in 2017 if he would schedule George Washington, he evaded the question and it never came up again. In the last 40 years, Georgetown has played American just 12 times, Howard 11, Maryland five, George Mason once, and GW none at all. "It really doesn't matter anymore who is responsible for the teams not scheduling one another," wrote John Feinstein of the Washington Post in 2014. "Georgetown blames Maryland, and Maryland blames Georgetown. Once upon a time Georgetown and George Washington were rivals who played twice a year. Now they never play, either. All of it is flat-out dumb." This, however, is a new era. Of the six Division I schools in the Washington DC area, three will have new coaches in 2023-24, two are entering their second season, and only one, Howard's Kenneth Blakeney, was at his school as recently as 2021. With five conferences across the six different schools, a full round robin among six schools even in the best of times would be challenging. A triple header along the lines of what the Big 5 is scheduling, nonetheless deserves a closer look. A Saturday afternoon doubleheader of American-George Washington and Howard-George Mason, followed by Georgetown-Maryland in the nightcap, rotated between Capital One Arena and Xfinity Center would be optimal, but not necessarily the same schedule every year. "I think what we're trying to do is start an annual game and we'll just flip-flop home and away," said Maryland coach Kevin Willard. "It's something that you know, when Eddie got the [Georgetown] job, and I was excited for him some gear as a very good friend of mine, and I respect him so much as a basketball coach. But it was something that I thought, for this area, this is a phenomenal: not only a phenomenal college basketball, NBA basketball, high school basketball, AAU basketball area. It's just a great basketball area in general, I think Maryland and Georgetown playing every year would just be great for the whole area." "What Ed and I are trying to do is just make sure that the dates work, the scheduling is working, and it's something that we want now. Does it guarantee '24-25? No, because the scheduling might not work, but it's something that's going to happen. We're excited about it. And I think it's going to be great for the area." For a multi-team event, the devil is in the details: scheduling, who gets what tickets, television, etc. But coming off a season where all six Washington schools are looking to rebuild, a singular college basketball event for the city and the region is a good and necessary restart. Tasha Butts Named Women's Basketball Coach
Georgetown University welcomed former Georgia Tech assistant Tasha Butts as the 11th head coach of the Georgetown women's basketball program at a reception Tuesday at the John Thompson Center.The event at Nolan Hall drew players, friends and supporters of the program, including men's basketball coach Ed Cooley, whose own introduction took place there three weeks earlier. In contrast to that event, Tuesday's introduction did not draw press coverage, a sign of the relative anonymity of the Georgetown program in women's basketball circles. Butts takes over a program on its fifth head coach since 2013, with a three year record of just 31-76 over the last four seasons under departed coach James Howard and an an average on-campus attendance of just 668 per game last season.In remarks, athletic director Lee Reed noted that "it is past time for Georgetown University to become a program that competes for Big East and national championships," stressing the words "past time." Georgetown is the only original Big East school to never have competed in a conference championship game, with just four NCAA appearances in the 53 year history of the program and none since 2012. "Her vision for this program is one of success and I for one am excited to be a partner in this revitalization." Butts' road to Georgetown is a story of perseverance. A 5-11 guard from Milledgeville, GA, she was an 2000 all-state player on the Baldwin HS women's team, playing in the same gym where fellow Baldwin grad Gerald Riley (C'04) was playing before he enrolled at Georgetown. Butts was recruited to Tennessee, where she played four seasons under Hall of Fame coach Pat Summitt, playing in 141 games over four seasons and starting in 67 of 73 over her final two seasons with a combined record of 124-17 (56-1 in the SEC) over four seasons. Three times the Lady Vols advanced to the Final Four, but fell each time to Geno Auriemma's Connecticut teams which won consecutive NCAA national titles from 2002 through 2004. A second round WNBA draft pick in 2004, Butts played one season at Minnesota before returning to Tennessee as a graduate assistant under Summitt in 2005, the beginning of a career as an assistant coach which took her to Duquesne (2007-08), UCLA (2008-11), LSU (2011-19), and most recently Georgia Tech (2019-23). Butts is a survivor of metastatic breast cancer, having been diagnosed in November 2021. "I'm elated that I will have the opportunity to mentor, develop and coach these young women," Butts said in a statement. "I look forward to working with the entire Georgetown administration, staff and, most importantly, getting involved in our community. Like any Division I coach, Butts will be closely following the NCAA transfer portal, where two players from last season's team have already elected to transfer, including Big East Freshman of the Year Kennedy Fauntleroy, ranked 75th nationally last season out of high school. This off season marks only the second time in school history that the men's and women's head coaching positions have opened up at the same time. In 2004, the addition of John Thompson III and Terri Williams-Flournoy brought a turnaround to both programs, and it is hoped that a similar reboot in 2023 can realign the men's and women's programs to achieve sustained success.
James J. Carrino (1941-2023)
An obituary missed during Big East week last month is presented herein: Jim Carrino (C'62), a three year letterman on Georgetown teams from 1959 through 1962, died March 3 at the age of 82.Carrino was a standout guard at Archbishop Molloy in 1957, and averaged 19 points per game on an undefeated 1958 Stanners team that appeared at McDonough Gym in the Knights of Columbus Invitational. Featuring a smooth one-handed jump shot, Carrino committed to Georgetown in the spring of 1958 and averaged 16 points for the freshman team the season thereafter.Carrino's sophomore year at Georgetown was cut short by injury, but his scoring ability showed signs of what was to come. He scored 18 points off the bench versus Brown, 24 versus Fordham, and 26 versus Boston College. He finished the season with 183 points in 12 games, for a 12.2 average. Carrino earned a starting position in 1960-61 and fans were excited to see him alongside Brian Sheehan in the backcourt. "Jim Carrino features explosive driving ability," wrote the HOYA, "but his most potent weapon is a floating jump shot, accurate anywhere within the thirty foot range." Shooting 44 percent from the field, Carrino led the team in scoring in only four games but scored 15 or more nine times. His 24 point effort over NYU, who advanced to the Final Four the season before, won rave reviews from the New York press. The New York Journal American said Carrino "looked like Jerry West" on the Garden floor that day. For 1961-62, Carrino finished runner up in scoring. His 48 percent shooting, much of it from outside, led the team in accuracy. Carrino turned in a career high 30 points against Maryland and scored 22 points in an upset of nationally-regarded Niagara. His 25 points in the season finale against St. Peter's ended his career as the fifth highest scorer to date in school history. Following Georgetown, Carrino joined the Navy and was selected to the Armed Forces All-Star basketball team. Joining fellow alum Ken Pichette, Carrino was invited to the 1964 Olympic trials but did not make the final cut. While neither saw professional play, the invitation was a recognition of their potential among the very best the nation had to offer. Carrino is survived by his wife of 59 years and three children. (Biography excerpted from the Georgetown Basketball History Project.)Third Inbound Transfer: Rowan Brumbaugh
Redshirt freshman Rowan Brumbaugh is the latest inbound transfer for the 2023-24 Hoyas.Having once lived in Georgetown just two blocks from the Hilltop, the 6-4 guard played three seasons at Northfield (MA) Mount Hermon School, where he was ranked #2 among prospects in Massachusetts and #72 overall for the 2021-22 season. An early commit to Northwestern over offers from Georgetown, Kansas, Xavier, Virginia Tech, and Maryland, he decommitted from Northwestern and signed with Texas in April 2022 but took a redshirt season in the 2022-23 season."Rowan Brumbaugh is a throwback," said basketball analyst Jeff Goodman when Brumbaugh signed in 2022. "He's a true point guard who just knows how to run a team and make his teammates better. Rowan can also score when necessary, but he's an extension of the coach on the court and possesses an extremely high basketball IQ." "I'm a pass-first point guard, who has good size, good feel, who is a winner and makes winning play," Brumbaugh said in a 2021 interview. "I pride myself on being tough and knowing who needs touches and what plays to call." Much like inbound transfers Jayden Epps and Dontrez Styles, head coach Ed Cooley had previously tried to recruit Brumbaugh to Providence and maintained a good relationship with him. Brumbaugh will have four seasons of college eligibility at Georgetown.
Brandon Murray To Ole Miss
Former Georgetown guard Brandon Murray has announced a transfer to the University of Mississippi.The top ranked recruit in Patrick Ewing's final season as head coach, Murray returns to the SEC after his freshman season at LSU, joining former Texas coach Chris Beard at Ole Miss."It didn't feel like I was getting recruited," Murray told On3.com. "It was more of the staff opening up and inviting me to the family." Murray was one of three players recruited by former assistant coach Kevin Nickelberry, along with center Bradley Ezewiro and 2023 inbound recruit Marvel Allen. Ezewiro has already announced a transfer, while Allen has had no public comment since Ewing was fired. Second Sunday Transfer: Jayden Epps
Within an hour from the transfer portal commitment of forward Dontrez Styles, Georgetown has landed guard Jayden Epps.Epps, a 6-2 combo guard from Norfolk, VA, was ranked 81st nationally in high school at Charlotte (NC) Combine Academy and was a former Providence commit before he signing with Illinois and playing one season there, averaging 9.5 points in 31 games as a freshman with 11 starts. Georgetown was selected over opportunities at NC State, Pitt, Wisconsin, and DePaul, among others."I chose Georgetown because this is a great, historic university that I would be proud to wear on my chest," Epps told reporter Joe Tipton at On3.com. "Coach Cooley is the coach I feel I belong with and he's my type of dude. He builds a great culture wherever [he] goes and I want to be a part of it." Epps has three seasons of eligibility remaining. Hoyas Get First 2023 Transfer
March was the month of departures. For Ed Cooley and the Georgetown Hoyas, April is the month of roster construction, and this week begins with a verbal commitment from the transfer portal.Dontrez Styles, a 6-6 forward from Kinston, NC by way of North Carolina, announced for the Hoyas Sunday evening. Ranked 66th nationally as a high school recruit in 2021, the 20 year old Styles averaged just 1.8 points per game for the Tar Heels in 45 games over two seasons, choosing a transfer to Georgetown over offers from North Carolina State, East Carolina, and South Carolina."They're building," Styles told Inside Carolina about Georgetown. "It's always good to be a guy that is happy to build the team and the culture and help them get back to winning. They have a great coach in Ed Cooley and a great coaching staff." "Styles is a versatile combo forward that plays with tremendous energy," wrote 247Sports.com analyst Evan Daniels. "[He] is quick off his feet, and an impressive all around athlete. At this stage, Styles is in between forward spots, although defensively he can guard both positions in college. He's a tremendous rebounder that uses his athleticism well in the paint. He plays hard, competes and attempts to block everything in the paint." As a first time transfer, Styles is eligible for the 2023-24 season and will have two seasons of eligibility remaining. But with 1,366 Division I players in the portal as of this weekend, Cooley and his staff continue the efforts to build a team to compete next year. There are no shortage of candidates available but the work begins to craft a team that is competitive. With the Big East returning as many as three potential Top 10 teams to begin the 2023-24 season, the Hoyas need to get the right players to begin the steps upward. In other transfer news, former Georgetown guard Denver Anglin has announced a transfer to SMU. Anglin had been previously recruited by the Mustangs, which finished 10-22 in 2022-23 under first year head coach Rob Lanier. McClung Continues NBA Dream
Three seasons removed form an injury-plagued sophomore season at Georgetown, the unlikely pro career of Mac McClung ended 2022-23 with a busy weekend.After a 30 point, eight assist effort in the NBA G League championship game, McClung was called up to the Philadelphia 76ers for the final two games of the regular season the next night, scoring five points in eight minutes off the bench in the Sixers' 136-131 win. Sunday, with seven starters sitting for the finale, McClung narrowly missed a triple-double in a 134-105 win Sunday at Brooklyn: 20 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists in 33 minutes of action. It's only the second 20+ point effort from any former Georgetown player this season in the NBA, trailing a 24 point effort by 15 year veteran Jeff Green (C'12) versus Dallas on February 15.Though ineligible for the playoffs as a two-way signee, McClung was grateful for the opportunity. "This year has been just a lot. It's been amazing, he told USA Today. "It's all been something to be really grateful for, but it's like I haven't stopped. I've just been running around here and just trusting the universe and trying to be the best me every day." Big East-Big 12 Series
The return of the Big East-Big 12 challenge series in 2023-24 returns a familiar foe to Capital One Arena.CBS Sports.com reporter Jon Rothstein reported Wednesday the matchups for the upcoming series, which will return Texas Christian (22-13 in 2022-23) to Georgetown. While the series is designed to rotate across different opponents, this will be the second meeting between the schools in three years, both at Capital One Arena. It's also the second meeting in as many seasons between TCU coach Jamie Dixon and Georgetown coach Ed Cooley, with Dixon and the Horned Frogs having defeated Cooley's Providence team 75-62 last season.TCU is expected to return two starters from this season's team, which advanced to the semifinal round of the Big 12 Tournament and earned the school's first back to back NCAA appearance since 1953. The Horned Frogs were seeded 6th in the West Regional and advanced to the second round before falling to #3 seed Gonzaga, 84-81. The two schools last met on December 15, 2021, an 80-73 TCU win before 5,053 at Capital One Arena. The loss began a school record 21 game losing streak for the Hoyas that season. Georgetown is 1-3 in the overall series, which runs through the 2024-25 season. |