Point guard play critical to surviving and advancing through March Madness

Although I felt the hurt of losing in the NCAA's, I had to put that energy to use by doing some research and reading up on the team that knock us out of the biggest college basketball tournaments Florida Gulf Coast. I guess you could I'm just emphasizing point guard play can be so dominating in this tournament. I do know that point guard is always the leader position in hoops. He/she is the extension of the coach on the floor. Also, the point guard controls the tempo of the game, has clock management skills and make all the decisions of knowing when to attack or when to set up the offense amongst other things as well.

It's basically having an understanding of how the game of basketball is to be played from this position. The point guard's "job announcement" as long as any other position in basketball. If your point guard goes, you go, if your point guard doesn't go, your offense doesn't go, it's as simple as that. The teams that advance in the NCAA's normally have great point guard play year in and year out.

I wanted to use Florida Gulf Coast's sensation  Brett Comer "true" point guard play as an example as to what I'm talking about. I know, I know they just beat us and made history, but that's cool because we are history -- We Are Georgetown!

Well, doing my research and knowing some facts about FGCU makes me feel better. I guess you could say it's "rehabilitating" for me, as I get through these next two weeks of March Madness.

Of cousre they're other great a few true point guards playing in this tournament but I chose Comer because I found how interesting it was that he played alongside Mickey D's All American guard Austin Rivers, the son of Celtics coach Doc Rivers.

Here are some stories I picked to share with you about point guard. Again, this was hard for me to do. I had to question myself many times about putting this articles on my blog. I'm okay with it, and I hope you are too. Click here>Great point guard play in the 2013 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament 

How did Lipscomb beat Florida Gulf Coast ....Twice! Two words, Brett Comer ... Click here>I ran into this article tweeted on Twitter from Sports Illustrated

As you saw on TV, they’re really good in the open floor,” Lipscomb Coach Sanderson said. “It’s not brain surgery. [Brett] Comer’s just very, very good in the open floor … He sees guys, he see cutters, he sees jump shooters. He’s the one who makes them go.”

“Style of play for them is important,” he added. “How teams play is very, very important. Teams that get up and down floor and play fast is what they do.”
FGCU was able to exploit Georgetown’s relative slowness with their uptempo spread attack, and a team like San Diego State, without dominant size and focused heavily on athletic guard play, was a strong matchup for these Eagles. Sanderson also echoed what a number of coaches say at this time of the year: Some teams benefit greatly from getting out of league play and into an environment where opponents don’t know their tendencies or personnel as well.

We're long, we're athletic and we like to run,'' said Enfield, standing outside the FGCU locker room long after the win. "I felt if we could get Georgetown into our kind of game, we have a real good chance to win.'' These words are antithetical to the concept of the upset, which is often achieved when a slower team grinds a faster one down to its speed; and to the nature of college basketball in 2013, where half-court offense is so tightly managed and coaches so controlling that scores struggled to reach 60. FGCU, located in Fort Myers, Fla., is the opposite of all that.

I have to give my homeboy FGCU assistant point guard Coach Kevin Norris (Lake Clifton High School/Miami U) from Baltimore mad credit for helping FGCU's point guard Brett Comer along the way the last two years. Comer's is watching over and has got to be proud that he has someone special to mentor and teach him more about his position...point guard play. 

Point guard play is my life!

Hoya Saxa!

The day after

"Some defeats are only installments to victory" - Jacob A. Riis

The day after Hoyanation. I was really stunned about our loss and what was going on at the time, but didn't give up cheering my Hoyas on because I knew sooner or later they would recover the almost did but it wasn't enough. I don't want to go into too much detail about this game. I think I'll just let nature takes it's course with me. I seem to be doing okay . I didn't fall asleep until 4:30 Saturday morning, but I had enough rest. I took care of some things here on the homefront today, but knew I had to write. I understand and I love this team, and I'm very proud of the Hoyas! They were amazing all year. I can't really put my head down because of their accomplishments.

You can't be mad or upset with this team and their coaching staff. The accomplishments and adjustments a coach had to make without your other star player was masterful and right on point. Things could have quickly went to the left, but didn't.

The Hoyas stepped their game up all the way around and won. I mean there are reason's why a team lost a game, even if it's a big tournament game. "One team came to play, and one team came to fight." - Jay Bilas

Florida Gulf Coast U's fan support had lots of energy. The next thing you know most of the Wells Fargo Arena was on fire for the Coast. As the Hoyas staged a furious comeback I was still trying to match the Coast's intensity on our side it lol. There was enough time to stage a comeback and the Hoyas did. There was a foot violation called on FGCU, the Hoyas got the ball back, but then a foul was quickly called on the Hoyas. Not a good call what was used of our team having the ball if you're gonna take it right back? Critcal call on a crucial run. RS-Sophomore Aaron Bowen came off of the bench with vengence two immediate dunks

Off the record, my NFL football team, for a few the Ravens got their butts kicked in the playoffs. They were so close many times. I mean there were times when my team got butts kicked so bad where it made me cry. This is no different. Why? Because the Hoyas are my team. It's all about the old blue and gray. We Are Georgetown. Hoya Saxa! What Rocks! My Ravens a few years later, February 3, 2013, on my birthday too now ain't that a blessing. Wow, it's still a WOW for me. I still can't believe it. I went to go to the Super Bowl parade in Baltimore (pic to the right).The biggest parade in the history of any Superbowl. Amazing it was and this season look so close to this same path or still could be, why not.

The Hoyas will not give up and keep growing as a team and perhaps win a title in the near future.

Critics, I understand it's your job and some of you really don't understand, or don't want to understand or just really don't like our team. No worries. We do, I'm sure the Hoyas fans can attest to this this. No matter what, I always give a team credit when it's do. Never, would I be a biased fan. True, yes. 

Did the NCAA Selection committee do their homework as far as seeding Florida Gulf Coast U #15? On twitter: @DanWolken of the USA Today Sports I said it on Sunday. "Georgetown should have been really ticked about this matchup. FGCU shouldn’t have been a 15. Still...come on."

I don't think so as well as the most of the media. Looking at the roster most of their players where state champions for their respective high schools or highly ranked players. Click here

There was some great recruiting going on here, I don't know how so many did see or talk about this. Maybe some saw this and didn't pick up on it. Whatever the case I picked up on it, and know if I were in the selection committee room I would've given decent seeding, but I guess it worked out for the betterment of the Eagles any. It seem to give them fuel to the fire.  

This team could easily be a Final Four team many reasons. One reason is their point guard Brett Comer and the Coast's and Baltimore native Assistant coach Kevin Norris, nickname "Stink." Click here . He's a driving force in Comer's play for FGCU. Comer also know's his long time coach, his dad is the other driving force as well. Norris, an high school All-City point guard alongside his teammate and former George Washington player Shawnta Rogers. I found another article on Coach Norris and this is before he came to the Florida Gulf Coast. Click here. Those two were some tough and smart point guards.

There is a Baltimore connection here. Shawnta Rogers grew up in my neighborhood as I was already an adult. I've had the opportunity to play against Rogers a few times. Gutsy kid he was, but we won the game on the outside basketball courts at Herring Run Middle School in Baltimore. These are two of the greatest small point guards that came of the Baltimore City's high school hotbed of player's since Muggsy Bogues. Point guard play is so vital all the time, but especially in a tournament game like this one. Hoya Saxa! We Are Georgetown!

"Man maintains his balance, poise, and sense of security only as he is moving forward." - Maxwell Maltz

It's a new season, it's March Madness!

Well, Hoyanation March Madness is here, and the Hoyas have earned their keep and a number 2 seed in the South bracket of the NCAA's no matter what it took. The great thing about this is they're not done yet. The new season starts on Friday 6:50 p.m. in the "City of Brotherly Love." Philadelphia, PA (Wells Fargo Center) against the champion of the Atlantic Sun Conference Florida Gulf Coast Eagles. I guess you could say the Eagles were mighty happy on CBS Sports Selection Sunday when they found out they were playing the Hoyas. Eagles Coach Andy Enfield says his team likes to run, later on in the video he says, "ironically John Thompson Sr. (it's Jr.not Sr. o_O) is suppose to interview me. He has a show in Washington, D.C. so I'm gonna tell him (jokingly) we play a slow down game that we play forty minutes of zone and that we don't guard anyone." Well, thanks for already telling and making this video Coach Enfield and letting us know you're a running team. I'm sure game film shows this. By the way, I thought Eagles soared, not ran.  

Did you know the coach of Florida Gulf Coast's wife was a supermodel? Click here

Hoyanation, the Hoyas "Started From The Bottom, now they here!

I'm dancing! The moment!  I've been taking it all in and enjoy seeing my team start from the bottom and rise to the top of the college hoops world one game at a time, and it's an honor to watch the old blue and gray march and dance in 2013 March Madness. The Hoyas are ready to go full throttle now in this new season one practice, and one game at a time. Step it up a notch and go for it! Take it! It's your's! All the memories from last season to through this season, "good and bad." Overcoming adversity to over exceed expectations. Defense, defense, defense and more defense, and the will to want to play it. Communication and point communication is key. Great to see our team enjoy their times of their lives their dreams of playing in the NCAA tournament and in perhaps their dreams coming true. The Hoyas have legitimate shot at I BELIEVE! I know you do too Hoyanation. Let's enjoy this ride and cheer on Georgetown Hoyas on the Road To The Final Four.

I would like to give everyone a shout out who reads this blog. I really appreciate meeting you talking with you here or on the road. Thank you for complients as well. A Hoya salute! 

Here are some Selection Sunday photo's I took on the Hilltop in St. Leo's.

Hoyas preparing to sing autographs on Selection Sunday

 Moses Ayegba and I on Selection Sunday 

Coach Othello Harrington and I 

 Hoyas in Red Square getting to march over the Selection Sunday in St. Leo's

Glide in stride checking out the big March Madness screen on Selection Sunday

GU Stonewalls waving the old blue and gray non-stop

 Coach JTIII speaking at Selection Sunday

It's Georgetown in the South Region!  Philly bound!

And sophomore guard Jabril Trawick is one happy Hoya

 Me, JTIII

Freshman D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera, Junior John Caprio and sophomore Mikael Hopkins

Freshman Stephen Domingo and I 

Together, We Are Georgetown!

Hoya Saxa! 

Orange Crushed

Georgetown, Heart of The Champion

What a way got go out Hoyanation! The Hoyas went out with a boom! It was College Game Day in the nation's capital. Hey, I'll take it, atmosphere and the game was special, and will  always be. Very memorable. The Hoyas wanted it! They took it, I mean literally took it!.When you play DEFENSE like the Hoyas do this is what happens you take matters into your own hands as far as concerned, basketball wise. 

They held the orangemen to 39 points. Score 61-39 all Hoyas. It was a beat down which ended a legendary Big East conference super rivalry between the two teams.  I heard people saying, and it have some validity in it, "it's hard to beat a team twice," me, beat Syracuse worse than you beat them before! The Hoyas did! It's amazing when you know your team. 

Coach Thompson on how special the game was "It's special because the Big East, as we have known it, is ending," Thompson III said. "Georgetown won the first one, and now Georgetown's won the last. So that means a lot."

The sense of urgency was on full blast with all the legends from the past. The fight for the Big East regular season title on the line. It was what I call a nice "team bounceback game" from the Hoyas' previous loss against Villanova. I don't think there's nowhere Syracuse could go. The Hoyas had most pathways close, hands up. The communication/point communication was extrordinary. I guess with all the legends of the past in the house it was respectful gesture of Hoya Paranoia from the now and future Hoyas. 

A Hoyasalute to the one's that came before them. During the game they showed 1984 National Champion Michael Graham on the big screen, and I all I could do was sit there imagining what was going on for split second from the past and now. It was good to see and talk to him and tell him they were playing with your demeanor. John Duren, Patrick Ewing, Alonzo Mourning and son Tre.

Good to see and talk with Tre after the game outside the phone booth. Caught up with my high school JV quarterback and.school mate and former 1984 National Champion David Wingate outside the arena. We stopped and talk and went back the good ole days and went our separate ways. That was original. A kid that once played on the best high school team ever with Muggsy Bogues, Hoya Reggie Williams, the late Reggie Lewis and many more from the high school legendary basketball program out of Baltimore, Maryland, Paul Lawrence Dunbar High School (Poets). 

Doing my normal routine cheering my team on and wants to know what the referee's aren't doing 

The Georgetown University Stonewalls super banner

Click here>>Hoyas Banner Year 

Hoyas hardware 

Coach Thompson III cutting down the nets and chanting WE ARE GEORGETOWN!

"I don't want anything to get clouded: It's not over. We hope to go up to New York and play well and win that. And then we hope to play well and win the NCAA tournament," Thompson III said. "I'm not saying we've accomplished our goals, by any stretch of the imagination."

2013 BIG EAST REGULAR SEASON CHAMPIONS! 

HOYANATION, WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!

HOYA SAXA! 

TOGETHER, WE ARE GEORGETOWN!

Sometimes you have to lose to win again

Sometimes you have to lose to win again let's go Hoyas!

From the beginning of the game it looked like the Hoyas would run away this game, but then a lull and turnovers set in. The turnovers were happening at will. It almost seemed as if this game was too easy for old blue and gray. One thing about it in the Big East you can't give a team too many chances. I don't care if the team is at the bottom of the conference. Not say the Wildcats were there, but they've taken themselves off of the March Madness bubble now and have a respectable conference record. 

I won't go into much detail because I'm pretty much focused in our next opponent, Syracuse. I was asked by someone on Twitter about the loss. It was pretty easy to answer. I said, "well, I think and hope they have all turnovers out of their system now." I guess the total of 23 turnovers was a curse from playing so good and taking care of the ball during the 11 game streak and for most of the season especially on the road. I think it's harder on the road when your turning the ball over a lot and to recover from this many turnovers. The Hoyas entered the game averaging 12.6 turnovers. No more one hand passes!!! The teach you as a youth about making one hand passes.

The role of the point guard is to come out aggressive and attacking. The point guards as well as everyone else must look like a threat (triple threat/basic bball fundamental) without the ball and especially before they receive the ball, if not the defense will detect this and say to themselves, "ah he's not going to do anything, he doesn't look like a threat." “You have to give them credit,” Thompson said of Villanova. “They came out and were extremely aggressive. You have to give them credit for what they did, as well as us being careless with the ball.”

My gameplan as a point guard is to attack the paint and dish or go up for two and maybe get the foul. Get the opponent's bigs in early foul trouble is the key right away. Not perimeter play. Inside outside play needs to be established right off of the break, then everything else will open up. My team can get to line early. Opponents/bigs will be in early foul trouble. I would definitely be more mindful of "advertising my passes." More no look passes would be sufficient. Of course we could always work more harder on the defensive end.

This is why I have so much respect for Villanova's Coach Jay Wright:  "I know what it's like to be on their side of it,'' he said of Georgetown, which needed a win to vie for the conference regular-season title. "It's an incredible challenge to win 11 in a row and go in and play a team that's really hungry . . . But if I had the choice of challenges I like John's challenge better. But it's hard from his standpoint too. That's what coaching is. That's what sports are. That's the mental challenges.''

One reason why the Wildcats went to the line so much was because of this, "we just kept driving the ball,'' Wright said. The Hoyas should have done the same. It would have made the game more interesting. We can't expect to score if we can't get the ball to the basket by turning it over so many times in one game. I'm sure they will fix this. Every team has it's day. Shucks 11-1 ain't all that bad for me. As long as the Hoyas go in there and do work Saturday in D.C. on College Game Game Day I'm sure we'll all be happy. We support our Hoyas when their up and when they're down to lift them up. In the mean time the Hoyas will start their engine back and take care of each other and take care of something they love most on that basketball court. The Rock! Let's Go Hoyanation! Clap it up!!!


It's time to start the engine back up. Let's go Hoyanation! Let's Go Hoyas! Beat Cuse!!!

Together, We Are Georgetown!

Rutgers "tough" but Hoyas "tougher"

Started from the bottom Hoyas, now were here

The game was a tough fought battle and won by the Hoyas over conference foe the Rutgers Scarlett Knights 64-51. Whomever, said just because you were at the bottom of the conference doesn't mean you can't play tough. The Hoyas know this, they're prepared for this. They're ready for something like this.What this does is make the Hoyas play "tougher, smarter and harder."

Rutgers brought the A game defensively. The backdoor was nonexistent as we mentioned, and Georgetown’s shooters got few clean looks (4 for 11 from deep). Transition defense also did the job, limiting the Hoyas to just six fast-break points. Obviously the David Cox factor was at work here, but also gritty effort by the players. Yea, I guess so, Cox is a old Georgetown assistant coach who knows our system, the Georgetown offense.

I'm going to use some photo's to desribed our win over Rutgers this past weekend.

Follow up two hand dunk!!!

  

Point communication

Anacostia High School, D.C. dance group

Anacostia High School Band (very good too)

  

Otto gets fouled and knocked down shooting a 3 three pointer at the far end of the court and no call, but he gets up and chases a Rutgers point guard down and blocks his shot wow. I've seen Jordan do this also. A great hustle play and an All-American & National Player of the Year play

Hoyanation

My hands are up too haha

Diving for loose basketballs means you want the game! Take it! Dive, dive, dive

The Stonewalls!

Free Hoya tees ...fun

Rutgers coach Mike Rice on Otto Porter:

“I don’t know if anybody in this room could have predicted what he is right now. It’s not close who the Big East Player of the Year is right now. If he keeps continuing, it’s not even close for National Player of the Year.”