Interesting that Akinjo ended up having better stats than Matt McClung (the Human Highlight from Hicksville). I guess he (Akinjo) is for real. Too bad he isn't a Golden Bear. (International/Shminternational, I hate to see local stars get away. Thanks again, Jason Kidd, Leon Powe, Jabari Bird and Ivan Rabb.)
Photo by Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Cal Basketball
Year Three of the Patrick Ewing Experiment Could be the Best Yet
In game two of the 2K Empire Classic in New York City, the Bears will matchup with Georgetown or Texas. We’ll give the Hoyas the Bear Insider preview treatment first.
It’s always an interesting experience when a school hires one of their former players who also played professionally. So far you have a best-case example in Penny Hardaway, who in one season has already revived a once-proud Memphis program. You also have a worst-case scenario in Chris Mullin at St. John’s or Kim Anderson at Missouri.
(As a side, I personally wish Roy Williams would retire so we can start the Michael Jordan to UNC hype. And so Roy Williams wouldn’t be coaching anymore.)
So when Georgetown parted ways with long-term head coach John Thompson III three years ago, they looked into their own alumni database and pulled out Patrick Ewing, the former Hoyas and New York Knicks standout center to take over. While Ewing had no prior college hoops coaching experience, he had been an NBA assistant for about 15 years when the Hoyas hired him.
Georgetown Hoyas
Head Coach: Patrick Ewing
Last Season: 19-14 (9-9), KenPom: 100
2020 Torvik Projection: 19-11 (10-8), No. 42
Now in his third season, Ewing seems to have his players and system in place. So far that system is to play fast and pass the ball well. Last season, the Hoyas averaged 71.9 possessions per game, which was 25th fastest in the country. And while the Georgetown offense has been ranked 84th and 90th in 2018 and 2019, respectively, the defense has been 119th and 133rd during the same years.
During his first season, the Hoyas had a 65.2 assist rate, which was second in the nation. Last season, the rate dropped to 60.6 but was still 16th in the country. However, this was all offset by average shooting efficiency, turnover rates, and offensive rebounding.
On defense, the Hoyas do a good job at limiting offensive rebounds and keeping teams off the line but do a poor job at turning teams over. Everything else has pretty much been average over the two seasons with Ewing at the helm.
Key Returners:
James Akinjo, 6-0, SO., 13.4 pts, 5.2 asts, 2.9 rbds
Josh LeBlanc, 6-7, SO., 9.1 pts, 7.3 rbds
Mac McClung, 6-2, SO., 13.1 pts, 2.6 rbds, 2.0 asts
Ewing has a solid class of sophomores that is highlighted by the trio above. First, James Akinjo is a Richmond, California native and is one of Ewing’s top recruits so far as he was a top-100 four-star prospect out of high school. He’s a solid lead guard, averaging 13.4 points and 5.2 assists last season. Joining Akinjo in the backcourt will be fellow sophomore Mac McClung, who also averaged over 13 points per game last season.
Josh LeBlanc and Jamorko Pickett are the other two four-star recruits with some height. LeBlanc averaged 9.1 points and 7.3 rebounds as a freshman last season. Meanwhile, Pickett added 6.2 points and 3.8 rebounds as a sophomore last season.
Key Incoming Players:
Omer Yurtseven, 7-0, JR., 13.5 pts, 6.7 rbds, 1.8 blks
Terrell Allen, 6-3, GRAD, 6.7 pts, 4.3 asts, 3.2 rbds
The transfer market has been kind to Ewing. This season will feature Omer Yurtseven, the seven-foot junior originally from Turkey and then North Carolina State. (Cal fans, here is your model for an international big dude really working out.) Yurtseven is a load underneath the bucket and averaged nearly 14 points and seven rebounds a game as a sophomore. This is an example of pretty much the best-case scenario for the Bears and Lars Thiemann. Expectations will be relatively high for Yurtseven to step in and fill a big hole that we’ll get to soon.
Georgetown’s backcourt should be pretty stacked as Akinjo and McClung will be joined by UCF grad transfer Terrell Allen. The senior doesn’t bring a lot of scoring but will be another floor general and ball-handler for Ewing. The Hoyas also add Galen Alexander at the wing position. The 6-6 former four-star recruit played a season at LSU before being dismissed from the team midway through his freshman season. He landed at a juco where he averaged 17.2 points per game while shooting about 53% from the field. Alexander is a bit unproven, but Ewing could coach him into a solid wing player.
Key Losses:
Jessie Govan, 17.5 pts, 7.5 rbds
The Hoyas also lost seniors Greg Malinowski and Trey Mourning, but Jessie Govan is the literal big presence they will miss. The 6-10, 255-pound center averaged nearly 18 points and eight rebounds a game and clogged up the lane for opposing offenses. Yurtseven has an opportunity to step in and be close to the player Govan was last year.
Duke is projected to beat Cal and Texas is projected to beat Georgetown, so this could be the matchup. And it’s a good opportunity for Mark Fox and the Bears to get a quality early-season win on a neutral court. The Hoyas will be good, but there are still a lot of unproven pieces (kinda like the Bears). If this is the matchup the Bears do get and they can stay competitive and give themselves a shot to win at the end, the NYC trip should be considered a success.
Other opponent previews:
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