Classic Hoya Suxa: Diagramming Georgetown’s Princeton Offense

Syracuse and Georgetown are going to play in hoopyball again, starting in the 2015-2016 season. To commemorate the rebirth of the rivalry, I'm unlocking a story or two from the Hoya Suxa vault. These words first appeared on October 17, 2011.

Have you ever watched Georgetown basketball and thought, "Sure, this is a pathetically boring display of hoops, but why is it such a pathetically boring display of hoops?"

If so, then you’re in luck.

The reason that the average basketball fan cannot comprehend the dreadfully mind-numbing brand of basketball that the Hoyas adopt is that he or she fails to understand the sophisticated strategic underpinnings of Georgetown’s trademark tactic: the Princeton Offense. To help alleviate this knowledge gap, I’ve taken the time to break down and diagram a few of Georgetown’s favorite plays from the system.

PLAY ONE

The play starts with the point guard triggering from the top of the key to the small forward on the wing. The center and power forward come to the foul line to set a layered screen, allowing the point guard to flare to the opposite wing while the shooting guard dives to the basket.

The small forward ignores all of this distractive movement and mindlessly dribbles in a small circle, allowing the shot clock to expire without an attempt and forcing John Thompson III to spontaneously combust.

PLAY TWO

The center begins this play rushing ahead of the foul line to set an upward screen for the point guard. Simultaneous to the center’s pick motion, the power forward slides to the area vacated by the center, establishing himself in good position for an entry pass. The point guard uses the center’s pick to carelessly dribble off of the screen directly out-of-bounds.

Obviously, this causes the backup shooting guard to transfer to Dayton and John Thompson III to spontaneously turn into an anthropomorphic cheetah preparing to run the 100-meter dash.

PLAY THREE

The point guard ignores John Thompson III’s signal to run "Play X" and passes to the shooting guard on the wing. The power forward sets a downward screen for the small forward to run the baseline unaccosted, all while the shooting guard ignores John Thompson III’s apoplectic hissy fit to run "Play X." The shooting guard penetrates the lane off of the dribble from an upward screen from the center, kicking the ball to the small forward in the baseline corner. John Thompson III implores the small forward to run "Play X"; the small forward ignores him and calmly drains the open three-point basket.

Upon retreat to Georgetown’s defensive end, John Thompson III renames this play, "Play X."