Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Quick Learners

Taylor Brown, named 2011 player of the year by the Washington Post, averaged 20 points per game as a high school senior and won multiple player of the year awards last season. she's the headliner of this class, so look for her to be the first freshman to step on the court at McDonough Arena.
Taylor Brown, named 2011 player of the year by the Washington Post, averaged 20 points per game as a high school senior and won multiple player of the year awards last season. she’s the headliner of this class, so look for her to be the first freshman to step on the court at McDonough Arena.
Brittany Horne. Tia Magee now has a protege. The only frontcourt freshman, Horne was an all-state first team member in New York and averaged 18 points, 15 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game as a high school senior.
Brittany Horne. Tia Magee now has a protege. The only frontcourt freshman, Horne was an all-state first team member in New York and averaged 18 points, 15 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game as a high school senior.
Jasmine Jackson. Jackson was an all-state first team member on the other side of the Hudson River. She was rnaked the No. 8 player in New Jersey by MSG Varsity and averaged a staggering 30.2 points per game for Old Bridge High School last year.
Jasmine Jackson. Jackson was an all-state first team member on the other side of the Hudson River. She was rnaked the No. 8 player in New Jersey by MSG Varsity and averaged a staggering 30.2 points per game for Old Bridge High School last year.

With seven seniors and three juniors leading the women’s basketball team this season, it may be tough for underclassmen to make an impact on the court. But if any players are up to the job, freshmen Taylor Brown, Brittany Horne and Jasmine Jackson are.

“The freshmen will be good this season,” junior guard Sugar Rodgers said. “Taylor, she’s going to get to the basket and she’s going to score. Brittany’s going to hit threes and play defense, and Jasmine’s just going to do what the other two don’t.”

Brown and Jackson will play next to Rodgers at guard this season while Horne will fill in at forward. All three rookies are known for their fearless mentality and the intense level of play they bring to the hardwood.

“They play hard all the time,” senior forward Tia Magee said. “Defensively, it doesn’t matter if the person’s bigger than them or if they don’t know what they’re doing, they still play hard.”

All three freshmen bring strong offensive skills and much-needed scoring power to the Hoyas this season. Brown tallied over 1,500 points in her high school career, averaging 20 points and five assists per game during her senior season. Horne also hit the 1,000-point mark her senior year, ending her high school career with over 1,200 points and an average of 18 points per game. Jackson averaged 30.2 points per game as a senior and graduated as the all-time leading scorer from Old Bridge High School with 1,845 career points.

“Taylor brings in the scoring capability that every team needs, and we definitely needed another scorer,” Head Coach Terri Williams-Flournoy said. “She’s practicing and training well, and she went through preseason like it was nothing. I think she’s probably going to make the biggest impact right away.”

Brown didn’t travel far from home when she chose to play on the Hilltop. The 5-foot-7 point guard was a four-year letter winner and two-year captain at Bishop McNamara High School in Forestville, Md. Last spring she was named the 2011 player of the year by The Washington Post and the 2011 Gatorade player of the year for the state of Maryland.

The rookie guard may be small, but she doesn’t let her height fool anyone.

“Taylor — she’s so little, but she’s so quick and she’s so fearless,” Magee said. “She’s not afraid of anything. If she gets to play, she’s going to go score.”

Jackson, on the other hand, does bring some size to the court this season. The 5-foot-9 freshman was named the No. 26 point guard prospect in the class of 2011 and No. 8 in MSG Varsity’s top players from New Jersey.

“When Jasmine plays, I know she’ll be really, really good,” Magee said. “She’s a point guard, but she’s also a shooter. She’s really strong, but more importantly, she’s mentally strong for a freshman.”

The Hoyas will look to Jackson’s impressive ballhandling skills as well as her high energy level and uncanny feel for the game.

“Jasmine brings in a good point guard quality,” Williams-Flournoy said. “She’s a big, strong guard, and she knows how to run a team.”

Horne stands out in the freshman class as the only forward but will likely prove to be a key post player for the Blue and Gray this season. The rookie was named first team all-state as a senior at Carmel High School in New York after averaging 15 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game. She was also nominated for the McDonald’s High School All-American game alongside classmates Brown and Jackson.

Combining these diverse talents, Georgetown’s freshmen can certainly make a big impact on the team this season.

“I feel like this season they won’t just be the freshmen that sit on the bench and wait their turn. They’ll give us good minutes, and they’ll give us good plays,” Magee said. “They’ll come in and they’ll know their role, and they’ll do it to the best of their ability.”

However, given the toughness of the Big East and the experience the Blue and Gray already has, the amount of playing time for the three newcomers may be limited.

“I really don’t know how much of an impact the freshmen will have on the team this year, just because we are junior- and senior-heavy,” Williams-Flournoy said. “The biggest impact will probably be Taylor. For Jasmine and Brittany, I think as we get closer to the Big East they will get over being freshmen and become the players that they are capable of being.”

“They all bring in different qualities that are helpful,” she said. “Now all they have to do is learn how to turn it up a notch and go from high school to college. But the fact that they come to Georgetown says that they want to compete.”

While the freshmen may not see major minutes this season, they will bring their hard work to the court and help the Hoyas as they pursue their ultimate goal: an NCAA championship.

“They’re babies, but they’re learning and they’re eager to learn,” Magee said. “They just go, go, go.”

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