The DC Hoya Triplets

It is very rare that you will see a trio of guards on a college basketball team like Austin Freeman, Chris Wright, and Jason Clark. It is even rarer that they come from a single high school conference like the WCAC. Austin from DeMatha in Hyattsville, Maryland; Chris Wright from St. John's in D.C.; and Jason Clark from O'Connell in Falls Church, Virginia. It has been a difficult road for these three with the additional pressures of playing in front of their hometown friends, families, and the local press. Expectations were indeed unreasonable. Still these three have had stellar college careers and are now truly coming together as one of the top backcourts in the nation. Chris Wright has been the MVP of the Charleston Classic & his 3-point shooting outburst helped prevent an opening game loss to Old Dominion on the road. Jason Clark has been our most consistent outside shooter. His NBA 3-point shot in traffic against Old Dominion helped seal that win. Austin Freeman has been quietly spectacular in the early season. He threw down some monster dunks in the second half against NC State in the finals of the Charleston Classic. Today against UNC-Asheville he put on a sizzling performance with 32 points sitting out much of the game. His 7 three pointers set a Georgetown single game record. In fact I think the best is yet to come. Hoya Saxa!

Dr. Thomas A. Wong

Hoya Hoop Club Vice President-Communications

Proud Member of Generation Ewing

When Pride Still Mattered--The Jesuit Way

My first contact with the Jesuits was Father Theodore Brady, S.J. I was a nervous 8th grader sitting for my admissions interview at the North Bethesda campus with my parents. I remember how important it was for me to get in. I wanted to be part of the tradition, and to learn Latin from Father Brady. After being admitted, Father Brady had taken two years off for health reasons, and I had Mr. Joyce and Father Byrne as my Latin teachers. Both were wonderful mentors for me in the classroom and in life. I had a wonderful algebra teach in Father Galvin, and had Father Brady for English upon his return to Prep during my Junior year. The years flew by, and Georgetown University President Tim Healey, S.J. was our graduation speaker leading to another four years as a Georgetown undergraduate on the Hilltop.

As I get ready to attend my Georgetown Prep Homecoming this weekend, I will think about my recent trip to New York where I saw the Broadway play "Lombardi." There was a star filled audience that gathered after for questions with Steve Sabol and Merrill Hogue from NFL films. Also, Redskins owner Dan Snyder brought GM Bruce Allen, Sonny Jurgensen, and Sam Huff. The play was very interesting, and based on the book, "When Pride Still Mattered," by David Maraniss who was still in the audience. The play, like the book was a wonderful insight into Mr. Lombardi, and how the Jesuit ideals of discipline and precision permeated everything he did in life and on the football field. Indeed Lombardi loved the "Jesuit Way." On this weekend with the Homecoming events at Georgetown Prep, and the Gala for the Lombardi Cancer Center at Georgetown University Hospital we celebrate Coach Lombardi reflecting on the Jesuit Way and "When Pride Still Mattered."

Dr. Thomas A. Wong

Hoya Hoop Club Vice President--Communications

Proud Member of Generation Ewing

Countdown to MM Week 10: Georgetown-Tar Heels in the Superdome

March 30, 1982 was the date when the Georgetown-UNC Championship game began the modern era of college basketball. Why am I picking a loss for my last Heart Attack Hoya Classic? I hate to even discuss one of our most heart-breaking losses. However, I was impressed recently when '97 Georgetown alumnus & movie star, Bradley Cooper addressed the Georgetown students in Gaston Hall. In his address he told the students that he felt sorry for those who never fail at something, because only really in failure do we grow. As disappointing as the 62-63 loss was in the national championship game it was what allowed the Hoyas to learn, and usher in the greatest 10 years of basketball in Georgetown history including the 1984 NCAA championship. I remember watching the game on TV before a record crowd at the New Orleans Superdome. It was close throughout. Patrick Ewing as instructed by coach John Thompson, Jr. had several goaltending calls early as he did not allow any baskets by the Tar Heels in the first few minutes. Coach Thompson wanted to create a defensive presence early in the game. There were numerous lead changes as Georgetown and Carolina battled most of the game. Many college basketball historians often point to this game as a showcase for the new athleticism in the game of basketball. There were many underlying themes to this game. There was the friendship of John Thompson and Dean Smith. There was the battle between the Big East and ACC. Most people remember it as the game when Michael Jordan made the shot, and Fred Brown threw the ball to James Worthy. Who can forget Coach Thompson hugging Fred Brown and assuring him that his mistake did not cost the Hoyas the game. Certainly Fred had won the Hoyas many games during his Georgetown career. It seemed as if the next two years flew by, and Thompson was hugging Fred Brown when Georgetown defeated Houston for the NCAA championship. I am not one who likes moral victories, but I do not think anyone could watch this game and not be proud of the Georgetown Hoyas. Indeed it was a classic--the largest crowd ever to see a game, and at the very beginning of ESPN, and the modern era of college basketball. Indeed it was not Michael Jordan against Patrick Ewing, or John Thompson against Dean Smith, but it was Georgetown against North Carolina. Indeed I believe it is only a matter of time before these two schools play for another national championship. It is now only one week before Midnight Madness--I cannot wait!

We are Georgetown! Hoya Saxa!

Dr. Thomas A. Wong

Hoya Hoop Club Vice-President & Director of Communications

Proud Member of Generation Ewing

Countdown to MM Week 9: Hail to the Georgetown Generations

Hail the Georgetown Generations was the name of the article written for the New York Daily News on March 26, 2007. It seems like yesterday when I walked the halls of the Meadowlands running into Danny Ainge the GM of the Celtics, and sportswriter Mike Lupica. In what has been the defining game of the JT III era, the Hoyas trailed by a few points most of the game. They played well throughout, but could not contain the massive front line of the UNC Tar Heels. In what proved to be a much faster paced game than Georgetown was usually comfortable in, DaJuan Summers played the best game of his Hoya career scoring 21 points against a true national championship contender. It was indeed a game of Homeric proportions as the two heavyweights went after each other. I remember my friend Dennis Lucey coming down and asking me to give a pep talk to my friends in the upper deck who were very depressed with Georgetown trailing. To my surprise my friends were as down as I have ever seen them. When I realized this we stood in the hallways talking about the game during halftime. I told them that this was our time, and that we would slowly take control of the game. They needed to keep the faith. After halftime, the Tar Heels came out on fire, and I began to really worry. However, the Heart Attack Hoyas had done this to me before. They slowly pulled to within 3 points, as they matched the speed of UNC point guard Ty Lawson. Then Jonathan Wallace made the shot! In the remaining time, and overtime the Hoya defense shut down the UNC Tar Heels as the Hoyas ran away with the game 96-84. What a night in New Jersey--Georgetown Alumni Central!

Happy 2007--Georgetown Basketball had returned. The Duke game in 2006 was wonderful, but not like this one. I was fortunate to sit in this game next to celebrities Alfred Bozzo, Pat Riley, and Patrick Ewing. Jeff Green had told the press that Georgetown was now back to where it belongs--the Final Four. As Mike Lupica states in his article, "If this is the last game to be played in this arena, this one will do!" Almost 25 years to the day when UNC and Michael Jordan made the shots to defeat Georgetown in the 1982 NCAA Championship, it was Georgetown that made the big shots. Roy Hibbert, Jeff Green, Jonathan Wallace, and DaJuan Summers came up big. As I rode with my brother and other friends back home, I was overcome by a sense of happiness. Getting to the arena 4 hours early was well worth it as we rode the bus from the Port Authority. I must have gotten a hundred calls that night as I obviously could not sleep. I ordered my Final Four tickets and made my travel arrangements. Happy 2007--Nest Stop the Final Four. Georgetown was back!

We are Georgetown! Hoya Saxa!

Dr. Thomas A. Wong

Hoya Hoop Club Vice-President--Communications

Proud Member of Generation Ewing

Countdown to MM Week 8: The Rise of Generation Burton

Generation Burton rises! Beware the Ides of March--Is what many schools fear when facing the Georgetown Hoyas. On this March 15, 2001, the Hoyas defeated Arkansas 63-61 to reach the Sweet Sixteen. In a game that was the highlight of the Escherick years, Nat Burton, the kid from PG County MD, became part of Georgetown basketball lore. It was a year when the Hoyas were undefeated early in the year behind the play of Lee Scruggs, Kevin Braswell, and Anthony Perry. It would see the Hoyas lose a close game to Maryland in the Sweet Sixteen. However, this March 15th, 2001 would belong to the Georgetown Hoyas. Facing a difficult opponent in the Arkansas Razorbacks, the Hoyas came out on fire. It was a close battle throughout with neither team taking control of the game. It seemed as if the Hoyas would go down to defeat, except for a last second sweeping layup by Nat Burton that kissed off the glass. After that shot, the Georgetown players piled up & dove on the court in great jubilation. After that great day in Boise, Idaho the legend of Nat Burton had begun.

We are Georgetown! Hoya Saxa!

Dr. Thomas A. Wong

Hoya Hoop Club Vice President--Communications

Proud Member of Generation Ewing

Countdown to MM Week 7: David Wingate Steals the Show against the BC Eagles

On January 29, 1983 Georgetown played the Boston College Eagles at Capital Centre. The Hoyas already had three losses at that time. They were coming off the historic loss to UNC in the National Championship game. With the loss of Eric "Sleepy" Floyd and Eric Smith, the Hoyas were much less experienced than the previous year. They had a very young backcourt of Michael Jackson, and David Wingate. On this evening, the Hoyas were not on their game. They were fortunate to be tied 67-67 with only a few seconds left. Michael Adams called time out and Boston College was in control. It was a very tense close game throughout. When BC inbounded the ball, the Hoya defensive pressure caused the ball to be tipped at mid-court. Out of nowhere, David Wingate raced in with his great speed and athleticism. He then dribbled the ball the length of the court swooping in for a long outstretched lay-up. The buzzer sounded as the ball went through the hoop; Wingate, and all the Hoya players raced off the court in jubilation. It was another last second Heart Attack Hoya win!

We are Georgetown! Hoya Saxa!

Dr. Thomas A. Wong

Hoya Hoop Club Vice-President--Communications

Proud Member of Generation Ewing

Countdown to MM Week 6: Pat Ewing, Jr blocks WVU Mountaineers

It is a long bus ride to Morgantown, West Virginia. On January 26, 2008 I took that bus trip to see the Hoyas face West Virginia with many of the Hoya Hoop Club faithful. I remember the bus driver getting lost when we got to Morgantown, and knowing we were in for a long evening. Much of the game was uneventful, as the Hoyas struggled against the Mountaineer offense. I knew after seeing WVU play in Birmingham earlier that year, bob Huggins' team would be a force in the Big East. Freshman sensation Joe Alexander played with unbelievable poise, and athleticism for a first year player. It was not until Pat Ewing Jr. entered the game, and got inside Joe Alexander's shirt did the Hoyas start making a comeback. His defense reminded me of former Hoyas Gene Smith, and Mike Riley as he was relentless.

At the two minute mark Jessie "NYC" Sapp had one of the great offensive outputs by a Hoya in recent memory as he scored at will from inside and outside. His NBA 3-ptr from the top of the key put Georgetown up by a point with only a few seconds left. The Hoya players were pumped. I was very concerned that the Mountaineers would get a good shot off before the buzzer. They passed the ball in, and one of their players drove the length of the court. It was apparent that he would get a good shot off before the buzzer. Then I was in shock as he turned the corner on the baseline, driving the lane for a layup. In one of the greatest blocks in Georgetown basketball history, Pat Ewing Jr. came out of nowhere and swatted the shot away. It appeared to me as if he blocked the shot just as it hit its peak. The crowd was stunned as the referees reviewed the instant replay. After a long minute, the block was called good and the Hoyas raced off the floor. I remember running back to the bus, and the happy HHC members as we took the long bus ride back to Georgetown. Thanks Pat, and the Hoyas for the memories!

We are Georgetown! Hoya Saxa!

Dr. Thomas A. Wong

Hoya Hoop Club Vice-President--Communications

Proud Member of Generation Ewing