Georgetown Basketball

There is no quit in this young Hoyas team. Down 17 midway through the second half, the Hoyas looked lifeless. The defense was porous, the offense inept and the crowd near silent.

Trailing 56-39 with 13 minutes to play the game, and Georgetown's 10-game winning streak appeared over. 

The Hoyas veteran leaders had other ideas. A Jason Clark three sparked a 27-10 run that lasted just over 10 minutes capping off a thrilling comeback and cementing Georgetown's status as en elite Big East squad and national power. 

Slowly working its way back into the game, Georgetown relied on tenacious pressure, clutch shooting by upperclassmen Jason Clark and Hollis Thompson and crafty all-around play by Henry Sims.

With the freshmen providing smothering defense to compliment the timely scoring, the Hoyas came away with another huge Big East win.

Winners of 11 in a row for the first time since their Final Four run five years ago, Georgetown has now beaten four straight ranked teams, including two top 25 conference opponents. 

At 13-1 (3-0 Big East) the Hoyas are off to their best start since the days off Jeff Green and Roy Hibbert and have vaulted to the top of the standings thanks to a mix of veteran leadership and youthful exuberance.

Clawing their way back into the game, Georgetown relied on 27 second half points by their seniors Jason Clark and Henry Sims, yet it was the defense of freshmen Jabril Trawick and Greg Whittington that provided the biggest boost.

After surrendering 43 first half points and being unable to stop Darius Johnson-Odom, Whittington and Trawick came off the bench to limit Marquette's leading scorer and stymie the Golden Eagles offense.

Coach Thompson had so much faith in his underclassmen that for long stretches during the second half Georgetown played four freshmen along with Jason Clark. 

The result was another stirring win for a team that is playing well beyond its years. With perhaps his deepest and most versatile team in his eight years at Georgetown, the sky is the limit for John Thompson's group who is making a mockery of the pundits who picked Georgetown to finish 10th, not in the country but the Big East. 

Playing together and displaying a confidence that they belong, the Hoyas have once again proved that no obstacle or deficit is too much to overcome. Before the season few though that this year's team would be capable of tying John Thompson's longest winning streak during his tenure at Georgetown. Now anything is possible. 

Next up for the Hoyas is a visit to West Virginia where they will try to win their 12th in a row.

One Big East giant will fall tonight as No. 20 Marquette and No. 9 Georgetown face off.  The Golden Eagles enter the game 12-2 overall and 1-0 in the conference, while the Hoyas are 12-1 overall and 2-0 in the Big East.  An undefeated conference record will be shattered in what is bound to be a thriller.

Where: Verizon Center, Washington, DC

When: Wednesday, Jan. 4 at 7:00 p.m. EST

Watch: ESPN U

Listen: 540 ESPN

Betting Line: Georgetown -5, according to OddsShark.com

What’s At Stake?

Early in the Big East schedule, a loss wouldn’t devastate either side, but every game counts towards the all-important seeding in the long conference tournament.  Being ranked so high at No. 9, if Georgetown keeps winning, they can push for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.  Marquette would love to just stick in the Top 25.

What They’re Saying

According to Howard Fendrich of the Washington Examiner, Georgetown guard Jason Clark talked about his squad’s rise up the rankings after being left out of the Top 25 to begin the year.

We did feel disrespected as a team, with people saying we wouldn't win a lot of games.  It's definitely nice to get the recognition because coming into the season nobody thought we were going to be anything.

After losing to Vanderbilt, Marquette bounced back with a win over Villanova. Golden Eagle head coach Buzz Williams praised his team and Darius Johnson-Odom, their leading scorer, saying (via CBS Sports):

I was extremely pleased with how they responded with Darius being at the top of the list.  I think he played really well offensively because he played extremely hard.  He played for other guys on our team.  The ball never stuck in his hands.  And I thought he was as good as he's been in a long, long time defensively.

Marquette Player to Watch

While Johnson-Odom may be the Golden Eagles’ leading scorer, overall, Jae Crowder is their most productive player.  The 6’6”, 225-pound forward is averaging 16.6 points a game and leads the team in rebounding with 7.3 boards per.

Georgetown Player to Watch

Hollis Thompson can shoot the three, and at 6’8”, you better play him tight, because a late close-out does no good.  The Georgetown junior is averaging 13.7 points a contest and an insane 47.1 percent from beyond the arc.  He also is second on the team in rebounding, snatching 5.8 a game.

Key Matchup

Darius Johnson-Odom vs. Jason Clark

Darius Johnson-Odom can’t have a down-scoring night if Marquette wants to upset Georgetown.  He is averaging 17.9 points a game and is shooting an impressive 39.7 percent from downtown.   Jason Clark is averaging 15.1, but he also has more talent around him.

If Clark can outscore DJO, then let’s just say Georgetown will cover the spread.

Prediction

The Hoyas are smoking right now.  Their only loss to the season was a four-pointer to Kansas that happened in November.  Georgetown has won 10-straight games, which includes victories over Louisville, Alabama and Memphis twice.

At home, their streak won’t stop.

Georgetown 70-65

David Daniels is a Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report and a syndicated writer.

Follow @TheRealDDaniels

I am sure that Louisville is looking forward to its showdown with Kentucky on Saturday. Too bad it couldn't go into Rupp Arena undefeated. 

Sorry to spoil your homecoming Rick Pitino, but Georgetown had something to prove themselves. Unlike previous teams that raced out to fast starts before imploding down the stretch, these Hoyas are hungry, continuously improving and far from satisfied with their early success.

More importantly, the mix of veterans and new recruits provides something that John Thompson III hasn't had during his tenure on the hilltop: versatility and depth. 

This year's young Hoyas squad was supposed to be raw, unproven and at least a year away from being competitive. Instead, they are already proving that they are John Thompson's best team since the Hoyas Final Four team of 06/07. This year's team might even be better. 

This year's Hoyas have all the ingredients to be very special. Senior guard Jason Clark and star forward Hollis Thompson provide veteran leadership and scoring. Markel Starks proved last night just how much he's grown into his role of a savvy floor general, scoring 20 points and directing the offense. Although he was far from his best against the Cardinals, Henry Sims' transformation from a mere afterthought to an adept big player, gives the Hoyas a force down low. Otto Porter, Greg Whittington and Jabril Trawick give the Hoyas as deep and tenacious a bench as any team in the Big East. 

Even Nate Lubick, who has yet to match expectations, provides the Hoyas with a toughness and energy that Georgetown teams of late have lacked. 

What's so infectious about watching these Hoyas and why they won't fade like in years past, is the perseverance, determination and passion they display each and every time out.

The incoming freshman class of Otto Porter, Greg Whittington, Jabril Trawick, Mikael Hopkins and Ty Adams (who is currently sidelined with a medical ailment) not only add depth and flexibility as to how they can match up with other teams, they have also injected an incredible enthusiasm and hunger that has been sorely needed.

The last few years Georgetown's squads have seemed a bit entitled and complacent. With guys like Greg Monroe, Austin Freeman and Chris Wright, they expected to be good and expected to win. Instead, whenever they hit a rough patch or struggled late in a game, they folded. Each season Georgetown was ranked highly before their inevitable fade. They had no resiliency and no plan B when things weren't going their way. 

This year's team is different. Perhaps it was the slight in being picked to finish 10th in the Big East. Perhaps the freshmen are better than advertised. Whatever it is, the Hoyas have so far played far beyond expectations. They've beaten Memphis on a neutral court and gone on the road to beat both Alabama and Louisville (no easy task). Down early against the Cardinals, the Hoyas fought back. Up big in the second half, Georgetown staved off a furious Louisville rally. Neither time did they panic. They just kept playing.

There are no egos, just guys wanting to get on the court. They play with a fire in games but also in practice. You could see the new attitude in summer ball at the Kenner League. Freshmen like Jabril Trawick were getting in the face of the experienced vets, who in turn were encouraging the chippy and aggressive play. 

With Thompson, Clark and Sims leading the way, the freshmen have grown up quickly and in turn have pushed the vets to improve their own games as well. The result is a supremely confident, deep and dangerous team that is skyrocketing up the rankings and poised to challenge for a Big East title. 

Ding dong, the Big East is dead. At least it will be soon.

Today's announcement that Boise State football is joining the conference next season along with San Diego State football, Houston, Southern Methodist and University of Central Florida in 2013 should send panic waves through Hoya fans as the Big East has officially written its last rites. 

There are several reasons the Big East likely won't survive in its current state more than a few painful years. As is, the conference is only guaranteed a BCS football spot until 2013.

Besides Boise State (which has only been dominant for less than a decade), the new additions to the Big East are on the whole mediocre football programs that bring little to the table in the form of championship potential or TV revenue.

Most importantly, the Big East has already lost conference stalwarts Pittsburgh, Syracuse and West Virginia as well as TCU, who left before ever playing a game. The last-ditch reactionary measures led by beleaguered commissioner John Marinatto seem hardly convincing enough to keep UCONN, Rutgers and potentially others from leaving should stronger suitors come calling (they already are all desperately seeking a new home).

While the move is questionable at best from a football standpoint, from a basketball perspective these additions are downright disastrous. 

With rumors of such additions swirling during the Big East's media day back in October, Louisville's Rick Pitino lamented the conference's future, saying, "[It would] probably be the last time we have media day with the conference intact."

Villanova coach Jay Wright's first sentence earlier on ESPN's six o'clock show summed it up when he began with, "It's really sad. It's really, really sad." ESPN's Joe Schad added to the sense of gloom when he said in the same segment that he understood why "basketball coaches are frustrated and disappointed."

Not only is it likely that Georgetown's Big East revenue will be further divided given that three teams will be leaving (Syracuse, Pittsburgh and West Virginia) and at least five will be entering, its brand will be diluted as well. 

The conference is by no means stabilized, and if it doesn't act immediately, Georgetown will be left out in the cold. 

Having criticized Syracuse and Pittsburgh for breaching their contracts, it would be hypocritical to advocate Georgetown to do the same. That does not mean, however, that Georgetown should remain idle.  The Hoyas must be well-prepared for the eventuality when the Big East either dissolves or so totally sells out to football that it no longer represents Georgetown or the conference's own core founding values. 

Without a prestigious football program—it's not even FBS level—to secure an invitation from another conference, Georgetown must now start positioning itself for the future outside of the Big East. 

If somehow the conference were to survive as is, great, but if not, then Georgetown athletics—particularly basketball—must be in position to still survive as a premier athletic school. In order to do so, it is imperative that new Georgetown athletic director Lee Reed begin reaching out to other ADs and putting together the framework for a Northeast basketball-only conference. 

Georgetown wouldn't have far to turn to find eager suitors. The Big East already has several top-tier basketball schools with no football programs or teams that play in a non-FBS division. Such schools include Marquette (currently ranked 11th), Seton Hall, Providence, St. Johns, Villanova, DePaul and Notre Dame (its football team is an independent). 

These programs are steeped in tradition, rich with talent and have passionate fan bases making for continued high-level competition and rivalries. 

With the familiar core, Georgetown and others could then reach out to other top regional basketball schools with devoted followings and legacies of winning such as Xavier, St. Joe's, University of Massachusetts, George Washington, University of Richmond and Butler.

With that lineup the conference would have 15 basketball schools that have racked up numerous Finals, Final Four, Sweet Sixteen and NCAA tournament appearances in the past decade. 

In order to keep or recruit schools with competitive football programs such as Temple and Memphis, along with current Big East members Rutgers, Louisville and Cincinnati, offers could be made for basketball-only membership. Obviously a deal is less likely, but nevertheless, should the Big East dissolve, such programs could be desperate to land somewhere and a coach with the stature such as Rick Pitino may have enough sway to make it happen. 

Even with half of the those 19 schools, a league with teams of that stature would not only survive, it would thrive. The critique that football is the driving force in terms of revenue is true, but not necessarily so in the basketball-crazy Northeast.

Should a majority of the potential schools listed above be part of such a conference, the biggest media markets in the country—New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington D.C. and Chicago—would all be well-represented. No other conference, be it football, basketball or both, could share such a distinction. 

ESPN was well aware of the potential of the region's basketball-heavy TV markets.  Commissioner Marinatto already turned down one of the biggest TV contracts for college sports in 2010, a contract that given the weak nature of its football schools was largely based on the league's basketball successes. 

Georgetown's brand would also shoot through the roof as passive fans and purists alike would tune in to consistently high-quality basketball and a league that even with 12 member schools could regularly send eight teams to the NCAA tournament. 

This would not only benefit fans but recruits as well, who would know they would be playing in one of college basketball's most competitive leagues. Given that the Northeast has some of the deepest talent pools in terms of high school basketball, such a league would also be able to keep many of the area's best players as the Big East did during its heyday in the 80s and 90s. 

Last but not least, keeping a league based around a region would benefit the players and the students as well. Travel would be easier (and less expensive) and allow fans to travel more to away games as opposed to flying to Houston, Dallas, San Diego or Orlando (not that those aren't pretty good destinations). 

All-in-all, should the Big East dissolve, Georgetown would not only be OK but would be stronger for it, so long as the athletic department lays the foundations now. But it must act now. 

The Big East is still floundering. Its core identity has been erased, its brand diluted, its media markets spread too thin. The writing was on the wall the moment John Marinatto went West. Georgetown is on a sinking ship. There are still plenty of life rafts, but Lee Reed, John Thompson III and the administration can't wait. 

We can hope the Big East survives, but we must be prepared to move forward when it doesn't.  The best way to guarantee the Hoyas future success is to start thinking about a Northeast conference. 

It's becoming easier and easier to jump on what was once was a rather empty Georgetown bandwagon.

A 6-1 record and two consecutive victories over Top 15 teams will do that. So, too, will the brilliant play of the team's big three: Jason Clark, Henry Sims and Hollis Thompson. Add to it the infectious energy and passion the young Hoyas are playing with and its hard not to become infatuated with this team. 

But be careful, Georgetown fans—you've been down this road before.

Big early season wins are nothing new. Last year's team beat eighth-ranked Missouri and 17th-ranked Memphis prior to the Big East season before collapsing in March, losing six of their last seven and exiting the NCAA tournament in the first round. 

Similarly, in 2009, the Hoyas knocked off 16th-ranked Washington and 20th-ranked—and eventual NCAA finalist—Butler, only to bow out in the first round of the NCAAs. 

In fact, the only year Georgetown didn't particularly have a strong start was 2006. Coincidentally, that was the year the Hoyas reached their first and only Final Four under John Thompson III. 

So excuse the splash of pessimism, but there is a precedent of faltering down the stretch to be wary of. 

That being said, there is a lot to be excited about with this team and there are signs that this year could be both different and special. 

For one, if it isn't already, this will be the deepest team coach John Thompson has had in his tenure at Georgetown. 

The dexterous play of the starters aside, Coach Thompson has a plethora of talented youngsters to turn to on the bench. And while they may need to grow up some, freshmen Otto Porter (who will be starting soon), Greg Whittington, Jabril Trawick and Mikael Hopkins can all flat out play and will see big minutes as the season continues. 

Already, these freshman, along with sophomores Markel Starks and Nate Lubick, have grown up fast, beating Memphis on a neutral court and ending Alabama's 24-game home winning streak in Tuscaloosa. 

Why are they playing at a level beyond their years?

Largely because of their veteran leadership. Henry Sims has recommitted himself to basketball and is having a breakout season. Jason Clark and Hollis Thompson, too, are playing their best basketball of their tenures on the hilltop. Most importantly, however, they are leading and mentoring the younger guys. 

One of the most promising and exciting aspects of watching Georgetown is how together and unified they are. The effects of the now-infamous trip to China are obvious. The players believe in each other, help each other and are each other's biggest cheerleaders.

At times during the game, watching the bench is almost as enjoyable as watching the action on the court. After every big basket, the bench, particularly freshman Ty Adams, explodes.

The cohesion, energy and subsequent intensity that carries over in practice is something that Georgetown has been lacking the last several years.

Going forward, coach John Thompson will have a tough balancing act. He will need to continue managing playing time so as not to disenfranchise any of his young players, and, increasingly, he will be forced to manage expectations.

It's a long season and there are sure to be bumps in the road. At this point in the season, however, Georgetown has far-and-away exceeded expectations.

Get your seats now while you still can, as the Hoyas bandwagon is quickly filling up. 

For elite programs, there are few occasions where a team can look back at a win in November as a defining moment. For Georgetown, their overtime win over Memphis might just qualify.

With 10 freshman and sophomores out of a total of 13 players, Tuesday night's defeat of Memphis was a big victory and an even bigger confidence boost for a young but talented squad. 

Having scheduled a non-conference schedule loaded with Top 25 teams, Coach John Thompson knew he was taking a risk. As with any young team, building confidence, especially early, is critical to future successes in conference play. Georgetown isn't just young, they are babies, and should the Hoyas have been run off the court in Maui, the team's confidence may have suffered a dangerous blow that could have deflated the spirit of the team. 

Instead, following the directive of seniors Jason Clark and Henry Sims, Georgetown's pups played more like ferocious bulldogs. They hung close with Kansas, blew out host Chaminade and came back to knock off eighth ranked Memphis in thrilling fashion.

Picked to finish 10th in Big East conference play in the Big East Media Day Coaches Poll, the Hoyas voiced their disapproval on the court, refusing to get bullied by a tough Kansas team and outplaying Memphis in nearly every facet of the game.

After realizing they could hang with Kansas, the Hoyas played with a swagger against Memphis; a swagger that showed Georgetown felt they belonged. 

As Coach Thompson said (via ESPN), "There’s reason for excitement when you come away with a win against a team of that caliber, and the Kansas game was winnable, too. This team believes in each other and they believe in what we’re doing."

While the Maui Invitational was a confidence boost for the the team as a whole, it was a coming out party for elder statesmen Jason Clark and Henry Sims and newcomer Otto Porter. 

Coming into the season, everyone knew that the Hoyas would be forced to rely on Jason Clark. Having played in the shadows of Chris Wright and Austin Freeman, this year would be Clark's time to shine. Over the course of the past three games, the senior leader outshone even the brightest of Maui days. 

After a quiet 15 points in Kansas, Clark exploded for 28 against Chaminade and 26 against Memphis. No points were bigger than the three he hit to put the Hoyas up two in overtime against the Tigers. Clark's 23 PPG not only led the Hoyas but the rest of the field at the invitational as well.

An unlikely star for Georgetown was Henry Sims. Unlike Clark, little was expected from the much maligned big man. After three disappointing seasons, Sims has played well this so far and saved his best effort of the season (and his career) for Memphis, exploding for 24 points 8 rebounds and 5 assists. 

For a player who looked as if he were in a fog offensively the majority of his first three seasons on the hilltop, Sims proved to be surprisingly savvy around the basket, using a wide variety of post moves to confound the smaller Memphis defense. Many Georgetown fans were even more astonished to see the Hoyas run almost every offensive series through Sims down the stretch.

The third key contributor for the Hoyas in Maui, was Otto Porter. Just a freshman, Porter is already drawing comparisons to former Hoya great, Jeff Green. At 6'8" Porter can score and rebound and defends with tenacity. His length and versatility were key to slowing Memphis' explosive attack. While currently a sixth man, it doesn't seem like it will be long before Porter finds himself in the starting lineup.

Returning home, Georgetown knows that they have lots of work to do and a long season ahead. Nevertheless, the experience and tough competition they faced in Maui will help the young Hoyas prepare for their brutal Big East schedule that lays ahead. Seasons aren't won or lost in November but for a team in search of an identity and benchmark for where they stand, Maui will help lay the foundations for what should be a highly competitive season in the Big East. 

Georgetown's Otto Porter Jr. is making quite a name for himself.  I'm sure even the most optimistic Hoyas' fans are a bit surprised by the poise shown by the true freshman from rural Southeast Missouri.

After all, Porter Jr. was a relative unknown coming out of tiny Scott County Central High School, a small public school with an enrollment of 108 students.  On top of that, he didn't play AAU ball.

So how good could he really be playing against all of that "small school competition"?

All Porter Jr. has done so far is prove that if you are a good enough player, then the college scouts will find you.  For all the people that watched Porter Jr. grow up, all those people who still call him "Bubba," it's really not a surprise he is playing this well.

Full disclosure: I've known Otto Porter Jr. since he was about 11 years old.  I actually coached him for two years, and he lived at the end of my street.  We rode to school together almost every day for two years. 

So count me as one of the people that call him Bubba, one of the people that saw this coming, and most of all, count me as a biased Otto Porter Jr. fan.

I've known his father, Otto Sr., and his uncles since I was in grade school.  You see, I'm also from Scott County Central High School, and you can't understand how "Bubba" Porter became the player he is today without understanding the history of Scott County Central High School.

It all starts with his father.

Otto Porter Sr. graduated from Scott County Central in 1976, when he led the tiny school to a 32-1 record and its first ever state championship.  Along the way, the 6'4'' Porter, a smooth shooter who loved playing on the baseline, scored 143 points in the four-game state tournament series (still a record in Missouri), and grabbed 45 rebounds at the Final Four (a state record that stood for years), including 25 rebounds in the state finals (a state record the stood for years).

Otto Sr. would be the first in a long line of Porters to star for the SCC Braves, as the boys' team would rack up a Missouri record 15 state titles, and the girls' teams would rack up a Missouri record seven state titles.

After Otto Sr., along came little brother Melvin, who was a star on the 1979 and 1980 back-to-back state champions, a team so dominant they were dubbed "The Show Me Kings."  The 1980 Braves beat Slater 94-52 in the state championship game.  Slater had a seven-footer by the name of Joe Kline on that team who would go on to be the No. 7 pick in the NBA draft. 

The Braves' tallest player that year, Donnie McClinton, was 6'2''.

After Melvin came Calvin, who played on the 1983 state champions.  After Calvin came baby brother Jerry, who was on four state championship teams in a row (1986-1989).  Jerry burst onto the scene as a freshman in 1986 when he hit a shot at the buzzer to send the state championship game into overtime.  The Braves would go on to defeat Wellsville in triple overtime, with Jerry Porter becoming the unlikely hero. 

After Jerry came Mark Mosely, the son of Daisy Porter, Otto's little sister.  Mark was the starting point guard for the Braves in 1990 and 1991 when they won the state championship.  The 1991 title marked the Braves' seventh straight state championship.

That is only half of the story about Otto Porter Jr.  I still haven't told you about his mother, Elnora Timmons.

The Timmons' are the yin to the Porters' yang at SCC.  If you look at all those great teams the Braves had, you will find both families' names littered throughout the history books. 

There was Mayfield Timmons, who also starred on the "Show Me Kings" of 1979 and 1980.  Then along came Anthony "Moon" Timmons, who scored 47 points in the 1983 state championship game (a record that stood for years).  Then Dean Timmons was on the 1985 state championship team.

The girls could play too, with Elnora and her sister Decarol also racking up state titles on the girls' side. 

Uncle Marcus Timmons was the most dominant of the Timmons' boys, starting on four consecutive state championship teams from 1988-1991.  During those four years, the 6'8'' Timmons led the Braves to a 132-3 mark (34-0, 31-2, 32-1, 33-0) and was named "Mr. Show Me Basketball," the award given to the top player in the state of Missouri. 

Marcus Timmons was all set to go to Mizzou, but with probation hanging over the Tigers' head, he chose nearby Southern Illinois University, where he started every game in his career except one.  After college, Marcus Timmons was invited to several NBA training camps, and he eventually settled on a long, successful career overseas.

The Porter family had a member on the Braves' first 11 state championship teams.  It wasn't until 1993 that the school won a state title without a Porter on the roster.

From 1995-2006, the school's basketball program fell on hard times.  In 2008 the school finally broke through and made it back to the Final Four, finishing third in the state.  The rebirth of the SCC dynasty was no coincidence.  Otto Porter Jr. was a freshman on that 2008 team.  Bobby Hatchett, the son of Mark Mosely (nephew of the Porters) was the point guard.  Drew Thomas, the son of Mary Timmons, was a junior shooting guard.

The Timmons' and Porters' were back, and so were the Braves.

In 2009 the Braves won the state championship game 98-63.  They followed that up with two more state championships in 2010 and 2011, with Otto Jr. leading the way.  During that three-peat, the Braves' starting lineup featured only three players that were not a Porter or a Timmons.

Along the way, Otto Jr. set the all time career scoring record at the Final Four, and he broke all of his dad's rebounding records, too.  His junior year, Otto Jr. grabbed 36 rebounds in the state finals. 

Take that, dad.  The family tradition had come full circle.

It's just how the Porter boys were raised.  To these boys, basketball is just a way of life, something that is more religion than sport.  Every Sunday afternoon, and several nights per week, you can find Jerry, Otto Sr and several other SCC alumni playing at the old high school gym. 

All of the younger Porter boys would be in there also, getting beat on by these grown men.  I've watched as a 12-year-old Otto Jr tried to guard a 32-year-old man that was a two-time all state player in high school, and if Otto Jr let him score, he was going to hear about it when he got home.

If Otto Jr's team lost, and it caused one of the uncles to have to sit out a game...

You don't even want to know what happened after that.  John Thompson III can't give a tongue lashing like Uncle Jerry.  I promise you that. 

So Otto Porter Jr. didn't travel around the country playing a bunch of meaningless AAU games.  Hey, I've been to Vegas and watched the Adidas Big Time.  I've seen those 9:00 a.m. games, you know, the ones where it is the kids' seventh game in 36 hours, and none of them are playing hard. 

Yeah, Otto Jr. missed out on that.  He was too busy shooting jumpers, playing games back at home that meant something.  I tried to explain this to a friend of mine, "Every game Bubba played on Sunday afternoon, it mattered if they won or lost." 

That is not the case on the AAU circuit.

So no, Otto Porter Jr. didn't fly all over the country getting his butt kissed by coaches that were afraid to make him mad.  He was too busy getting his butt kicked by his cousins and uncles.  He was too busy playing hard, not wanting to lose, because losing meant you had to sit out. 

I guess that's why I just smiled when I read this quote from John Thompson III:

“He is the most prepared freshman that I’ve coached,” Thompson III said. “Mentally, physically, emotionally ... just being prepared to compete at this level in a way that most freshmen are not. A lot of freshmen don’t understand how to compete at this level. But he walked in the door knowing how to compete.”

Competing is the only thing Otto Porter Jr. knows how to do. 

After all, we do get ESPN down here in rural Southeast Missouri.  So Bubba knows his dad and Uncle Jerry are watching, and he knows if he takes a play off that he will hear all about it when he gets home.

That's just the SCC way.  That's the Porter way.

With the season underway, Georgetown has passed its first test. Now the competition is set to get a lot tougher. After easily dispatching Savannah State, dates with UNC Greenboro and 13th ranked Kansas loom. 

The decision to accept an invitation to compete in the Maui Invitational was a smart one in theory and will be a good measure of where Georgetown is as a team. 

But, with such a young group of core players—the Hoyas are forced to rely on five freshmen and two sophomores—facing Kansas so early in the season could potentially backfire.

While UNC-Greensboro doesn't appear to be much of a threat, the more experienced Jayhawks certainly will be. If the Hoyas get run off the court, the fragile confidence of their burgeoning, but inexperienced freshmen, could be shattered, adding to the uphill battle the Hoyas already face with their difficult non conference and punishing Big East schedules. 

Conversely, if the Hoyas play well and put forth a strong effort in Maui and/or are able to knockoff the favored Jayhawks, such a win will propel Georgetown forward and give them momentum heading into a brutal December lineup of match-ups against top 25 teams.

A sense of self-assurance is critical to young ball clubs. Those who have it thrive and those who don't tend to fall apart very quickly. Georgetown must prepare for Kansas as an almost do-or-die tournament game, as it will set the early tone for their season.

A schedule of Kansas (and potentially UCLA and Duke depending on how far the Hoyas advance in the Maui Invitational), followed by 17th ranked Alabama on the road and a home date with ninth ranked Memphis is a schedule even coaches with experienced teams don't want and was a bit of overzealous planning by the athletic department. 

If the Hoyas can come out alive and kicking, it will be a huge boost to their belief that they belong amongst the Big East's six other ranked programs. 

Early season November and December games don't often mean much, but with a front-loaded schedule set to pair a young Georgetown squad with some of the country's top teams, these next six weeks will go a long way in determining whether Georgetown has a fighting chance to make the NCAA Tournament come March. 

It's always one game at a time in the vaunted Big East, but these next two (especially Kansas) should be given extra importance by the coaching staff. 

Prediction for Maui: Georgetown beats UNCG (not really part of the main bracket) and then Kansas and UCLA before succumbing to Duke in championship round. 

Georgetown has too much talent to finish outside the top six in the Big East. The question is whether John Thompson III can get the best out of the players he recruits. 

Since arriving at Georgetown, Thompson has distinguished himself as a master recruiter, landing high-profile blue chippers such as Greg Monroe, DaJuan Summers, Chris Wright and Austin Freeman. 

Yet other than their Final Four run in 2007, the Hoyas have failed to live up to the hype. After a disappointing—and frankly indefensible —2008-09 campaign, during which the Hoyas failed to make the NCCAs even with Greg Monroe, Georgetown turned in two more underwhelming seasons with back-to-back first-round exits at the Big Dance.

Following another solid recruiting class that ESPN ranked 14th best in the nation, the pressure is on JTIII not only for Georgetown to live up to expectations but surpass them. 

In the brutal Big East, a 10th-place finish would be an average season for many teams—certainly not one to celebrate, but with the likes of UConn, Syracuse, Louisville, Pitt and Cincinnati, not one to be dispirited about either.

At Georgetown, average has to stop. For the past five years, the Hoyas have started strong, racked up impressive wins and cracked the top 25 before wilting and falling apart. This trend has fabricated a false sense of worth amongst fans and the media alike that Georgetown is a top team.

They should have been, they could have been, but they weren't.

Once again this year the Hoyas have too much talent to shamefully slink out the first weekend of March Madness. Even after four years of undistinguished results, Georgetown is still a top-tier program to not to be forgotten largely because of the strength of Thompson's recruiting.

This year is no different. Led by Otto Porter, Mikael Hopkins, Greg Whittington, Jabril Trawick and Aaron Bowen, the freshman Hoyas are a young, lanky, athletic and talented bunch that should propel Georgetown into the top-25 rankings by year's end.

A starting lineup of Markel Starks, Jason Clark, Hollis Thompson, Nate Lubick and Henry Sims with freshmen Trawick, Porter, Whittington and Hopkins coming off the bench may not be as skilled as other teams just yet, but it is the deepest roster in the league. 

Relying on the leadership of senior guard Jason Clark and the explosiveness of Hollis Thompson (a possible First-Team Big East player), the highly touted youngsters should help Georgetown be a force to be reckoned with. Now they just have to prove it. 

Prediction: 18-9, fourth in the Big East and a surprise Elite Eight appearance.