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Georgetown Basketball: July 2010 News Archive

Former Mgr. Joins Coaching Ranks 7/28/10

Former men's basketball team manager Michael Gilroy (B'03) has been named assistant coach for the women's basketball program at Division II Pfeiffer (NC) University, per a release on the school's web site.

"I am extremely excited to welcome Mike to the Lady Falcons basketball program,” said Falcons head coach Jill Thomas. “Mike comes from a great basketball background. His excitement in wanting to help Pfeiffer build a top-notch program, along with his knowledge in recruiting and player development, really matches what I was looking for in an assistant coach.”

Verizon Center Faulted On Health Inspections 7/27/10

An ESPN investigation into sanitary conditions at pro arenas named the Verizon Center among the bottom five in the nation, and its new owner has taken notice.

The report claimed that 100% of vendors at the arena had been cited with critical violations. A prompt response followed from Ted Leonsis (C'77), who took over the facility earlier this year.

"I was surprised and disappointed by ESPN’s recent industry-wide report and ratings related to the cleanliness of professional sports venues, including Verizon Center," Leonsis wrote on his blog.

"We remain in the early stages of our evaluation process, and the ESPN report touched on some of the elements we have been examining and will be vigilant in improving. We will redouble our efforts immediately and review all facets of the issues identified," Leonsis said. "Once we have the facts, we will embark on remedies," adding, "I now will step up those efforts and make this a top priority. I will personally get involved in the process and the solutions. We are on it; we’ve already started. We will move this issue from one that appears shocking to one that is a source of pride. I promise."

The Drive To Help Others 7/16/10

While many Georgetown fans and alumni know the story of Alonzo Mourning (C'92) and his philanthropic efforts after basketball, the commitment of his wife Tracy is no less important. Friday's Miami Herald takes a look at Tracy's life growing up, how she met Alonzo, and a key decision on attending college which changed both of their lives forever.

Wright Looks Ahead To 2010-11 7/9/10

Senior guard Chris Wright talked with the NBE Basketball Blog at this past week's LeBron James Skills Academy on the upcoming expectations for the 2010-11 team.

"Our goal is to get to the Final Four,” Wright said. “We wanna win the Big East title. That’s what me and Austin [Freeman] wanna do. We’ve been to the finals two of three years and lost to Pitt and West Virginia. [We want to] regain the Big East regular season title, make some noise in the dance.”

Wright also awaits the arrival of the freshmen from the Class of 2014.

"They’re gonna be an intricate part [of the team],” Wright said. “Markel Starks is very good and could be a great player for Georgetown. [Nate] Lubick is very athletic, Aaron Bowen shoots the ball, and Moses Abraham [is a]...very big body.”

Father & Son 7/7/10

From the Canadian Press, a feature article with Patrick Ewing (C'85), discusses coaching a NBA summer league team which now includes his son, Patrick Jr. (C'08).

"I see the talent in the league today, and there's no way my son shouldn't be in the league," the elder Ewing said. "He's talented enough. There should be a job in the league for him now."

"I always wanted to be just like him," said the younger Ewing. "I developed a post game because he was a post player. I'm sure if he was a point guard, I would have tried to be a point guard. He was such a great player. I never expect to be a top 50 player of all-time, but I'm going to strive for it. It's something that's making me work harder."

The son would like a chance at the NBA, while the father,a six year assistant coach, waits for a head coaching job. "Wouldn't that be great?" Patrick Sr. said. "I'm waiting for the day we do it."

Monroe Signs With Pistons 7/7/10

Less than two weeks after being drafted by the NBA's Detroit Pistons, forward Greg Monroe signed a contract that will pay him $2.3 million in 2010-11, reports the Detroit News.

Per the league's collective bargaining agreement, the first two years of the contract are guaranteed, with two additional years at the option of the team.

RHI Hoops Showcase 7/6/10

An international scouting service led by alumnus Godwin Owinje (C'97) will be hosting an NCAA sanctioned event in the Washington area this weekend. The RHI Hoops Showcase is sponsored by Owinje's Radar Hoops International and is open to recruits and coaches.

"When I was growing up, one of my major dreams was to study and play college basketball in the United States. I am very fortunate to have been blessed with that opportunity," said Owinje on the RHI web site. "But, there were numerous talented student athletes just like myself who were not so fortunate. I want to create that opportunity through the work I do."

Sad News From Chapel Hill 7/5/10

It's a difficult story to write, and even more so to read: Tuesday's Fayetteville Observer reports that last February's salute of Hall of Fame coach Dean Smith at UNC basketball's 100th anniversary festivities may have been the coach's last public appearance. Various quotes from former players suggest Smith, 79, is suffering from memory loss.

"He was smiling, hugging guys and shaking hands," UNC radio announcer Woody Durham recalled from the February event. "And there was some obvious recognition there for that occasion. I think he was aware of what was going on and understood that there were a lot of his former players.

"That's not to say he remembered everybody. Which in the past he would have; he would have known everybody by name. But I think it was a great tribute to him. And it was an emotional tribute not only because of the occasion but also because so many guys, I think, realized that might be the last time they see him."

"At this time, Coach Smith and his family continue to treat any conversation, or sharing of information, about his health in retirement as a private matter," his son told the paper. "We ask that everyone respect his and the family's wishes."

Georgetown-Duke Series Ended? 7/3/10

There will be no more "gray outs" for Duke for the foreseeable future, per a report from the Burlington (NC) Times-News. The newspaper says that the series has been ended "at Georgetown's request".

The two schools met six times from 2002-2010, with Georgetown winning two of three at Verizon Center and Duke sweeping the three games at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

GU Improves In NACDA Standings 7/2/10

Georgetown University improved its finish from last year's all-time low in the Sports Directors Cup standings, a national measure of post-season competitiveness across NCAA intercollegiate sports. The University's teams finished 70th nationwide compared to 84th in 2009. Despite the increase, GU dropped to 8th among Big East schools for the first time ever, and down from a 3rd place Big East ranking in the 2003-04 season.

Georgetown finished 20th among Division I private schools, up from 23rd in 2009 and was fourth among schools with Division I-AA football. For the 16th consecutive year, Stanford won the all-sports title.

The Big East rundown is as follows.

2010 2009
1. Notre Dame 27 21
2. West Virginia 37 50
3. Louisville 41 32
4. Villanova 51 56
5. Syracuse 57 63
6. Connecticut 62 52
7. St. John's 67 112
8. Georgetown 70 84
9. Rutgers 96 92
10. South Florida 106 116
11. Pittsburgh 112 93
12. Cincinnati 116 129
13. Providence 137 91
14. DePaul 161 173
15. Marquette 204 173
16. Seton Hall 235 270
 

Here's a recap of Georgetown's past finishes per the NACDA web site:

Year Finish Among Big
East Schools
1994 47 3rd
1995 44 3rd
1996 55 2nd
1997 63 5th
1998 62 6th
1999 45 3rd
2000 55 4th
2001 42 3rd
2002 51 3rd
2003 61 5th
2004 53 3rd
2005 74 6th
2006 68 5th
2007 76 7th
2008 77 5th
2009 84 7th
2010 70 8th
 
Thompson Receives Syracuse Award 7/1/10

The Syracuse-Post-Standard has posted the video of John Thompson Jr. accepting the Citizen of the Year Award as sponsored by Temple Adeth Yesurun. As always, his talks are a mix of humor, wisdom, and a unique perspective well worth watching.

Big East Updates Web Site 7/1/10

The Big East Conference has introduced a new web site design to provide more interactive content for fans of its 16 member schools.

"In establishing our new partnership with XOS Digital, the Big East has achieved its goal of positioning itself among the pre-eminent leaders in the collegiate athletics digital media space,” said commissioner John Marinatto. “Developing the Big East Digital Network strategy will offer fans more than just a new website. It will also provide them the ability to stay engaged across several different mediums, including smart phones, iPads, laptops and other emerging technologies.”

 

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