As the 2000-2001 basketball season begins, the Hoyas can look forward to the addition of four freshmen as well as sophomore Wesley Wilson, who missed last season because of NCAA clearinghouse ineligibility.
At 6-foot-8, 260 lbs., Mike Sweetney adds even more size to the Hoya frontcourt. Coming out of Oxon Hill, Md., “Big ike,” as the tattoo on his bicep reads, was hailed as the best high school player in the Washington area during his senior season. He lead his high school team to two consecutive state championship game appearances, averaging 25.1 points and 13.5 rebounds in the 1999-2000 season. He has been praised for his remarkable agility given his size, so he should be able to score around the hoop.
Gerald Riley will be able to help the Hoyas out with his outside shooting. The 6-foot-6, 205 lbs. Riley comes to the Hilltop from illedgeville, Ga. As a senior, he made 42 percent of his three-point attempts and averaged 24 points and 11 boards. His shooting skills will come in handy for Georgetown in clutch games, and he’s also capable of slashing to the basket.
Omari Faulkner is an athletic addition to the Hoya backcourt. At 6-foot-6, 215 lbs., Faulkner will be a wingman and Georgetown hopes his outside shooting will be an asset to the team, but he could also help out on the boards – he averaged 12 per game in high school in Memphis, Tenn.
RaMell Ross is an athletic 6-foot-4, 185 lbs. swingman from Fairfax, Va. He underwent surgery on his shoulder during his senior season, but as a junior he averaged of 20.7 points a game. He played three different positions in his school, so head coach Craig Esherick will use his versatility, and possibly even use him to give Braswell some rest at the point.
Sophomore Wesley Wilson was a big recruit from Maine Central Institute, and now that he can suit up for the Hoyas, will add talent and size to the frontline at 6-foot-11, 235 lbs.
Georgetown Looks to Sign Class of 2005
By Mike Hume
Hoya Staff Writer
While the present season should be a solid one for the Hoyas, the future looks bright as well. Unofficial reports have Georgetown inking four recruits for next season, including a true point guard, something Georgetown has lacked in recent years.
The prime catch appears to be 6-foot 8-inch, 220-pound forward Harvey Thomas. Thomas, who currently plays at Montrose Christian Academy (which some polls have ranked as high as fourth in the nation among high school teams), was actively recruited by top ranked teams such as Connecticut, Maryland, Kentucky and UCLA, but has allegedly verbally committed to Georgetown. While ranked 12th in the nation as a power forward, Thomas has been described as a “combo-forward” due to his wide array of skills.
The Hoyas have also reportedly received a verbal commitment from point guard Tony Bethel. The 6-foot- 2, 175-pound point guard hails from Rockville, Md., and plays with Thomas at Montrose Christian. He averaged 17 points per game last season. Georgetown has not had a true point guard since the departure of Kenny Bruner. For the past three seasons, the Hoyas have had to rely on junior guard Kevin Braswell to run the point, though until late last season, he often played more of a ball-handling shooting guard. The addition of Bethel should significantly contribute to the fluidity of the Georgetown offense.
Reports have also speculated that the Hoyas have word that shooting guard Drew Hall, a teammate of Thomas and Bethel at ontrose Christian, will commit to Georgetown. Hall weighs in at 175 pounds and stands 6-foot-2.
Darryl Owens, 6-foot-6, 190 lbs., could also be coming to the Hilltop. Owens currently resides in Napoleonville, La.
Georgetown could officially sign all four as soon as tomorrow. Check www.thehoya.com for breaking news about the 2001-2002 recruiting class.
