This one, like most of the games John Thompson coaches, could be called
”a typical Georgetown victory.”
Typical, because after Reggie Williams and his cast of a dozen Hoyas had knocked Kansas out of the NCAA tournament 70-53 to advance to Saturday`s Southeast Regional final against Providence, losing coach Larry Brown was heard saying:
”They pulled down every rebound . . . came up with every loose ball in question.”
Typical, because 6-foot-11-inch Jayhawk superstar Danny Manning, commenting on going from a 19-point first half to a four-point second half, said:
”They went from mostly man-to-man to match-up zones. They play so many different people. They kept sagging two or three, even four of them, back on me. And every one of them digs for the ball.”
It was a typical Hoyas` victory, because Thompson, the great motivator who will coach the U.S. Olympic team next year, said:
”We didn`t think we were aggressive enough early in the game. I made that feeling known on the bench.”
That was the trigger to the loose-ball recoveries that Brown mentioned, the ”digging” that Manning mentioned.
Williams scored 34 points, despite a 12-minute scoreless spell at the start of the second half.
”I got to get loose before I put the ball up, and defense helps me get loose,” he said.
And finally, Perry McDonald, the first of several Hoyas who took turns guarding Manning, had this comment about guard Charles Smith, who came off the bench to score 13 points:
”Charles played real well, but playing defense makes an offensive player.”
This was a typical Georgetown victory because the Hoyas won on defense. And you don`t play for Thompson until you play the tough, aggressive, ball-hounding defense that enables you to come up with loose rebounds and stray balls.
Thompson found a way, even if it meant sagging four Hoyas back around Manning in second half match-up zones.
Finally, Thompson again motivated his players and brought all 12 of them into the fray against the tiring Jayhawks.
Saturday, the script changes. Instead of trying to defense a 6-11 All-American who can cut up an opponent with soft jumpers and hooks inside, the Hoyas must extend their defense to the twilight zone to stop Billy Donovan, Delray Brooks and the Providence Friars, who shocked Alabama 103-82 with incredible three-point shooting.
So be it. It`s all defense and hustle.
”We know Providence,” said Williams. ”We know it will require different defenses.”
The tactics were not as important as the motivation on Thursday. It was obvious, after Manning burned McDonald, Anthony Allen, Jon Edwards, Ron Highsmith or anybody else who tried to play him one-on-one, that Thompson would switch to a zone.
More importantly, while the zone was frustrating Manning by blanketing him amid as many as four gray-jerseyed Hoyas, Thompson`s team picked up its fierce ballhawking intensity.
”They play hard and do what it takes to win,” said Brown. ”When someone gets tired, they put someone else in. They don`t care who does the job, because it gets done.”
What about the whistle? Did the Hoyas benefit because the refs allowed quite a bit of rough stuff?
”If the officials are permitting you to play that aggressively,” said Brown, ”you have to go after the ball. Georgetown did that.”
When Thompson switched to the match-up zone on Manning, it put the scoring burden squarely on the shoulders of Manning`s teammates.
The Jayhawks took a 41-39 lead early in the second half as Chris Piper popped a couple from outside.
But the Hoyas, with Smith leading the charge, went on a 13-2 roll for a safe 52-43 lead. And this was before Williams scored any of his 17 second-half points.
”Without a doubt, Manning presented special problems,” said Thompson.
” He just tore us apart.”
