Not only is the 2009 field stacked with storied programs, it has its share of stars, too
By John Roach
The old and the new will converge this year at the O’Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip-Off, Nov. 19-22 at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico in the Hato Rey district of San Juan. Some of college basketball’s most exciting returning stars will kick off their season here, including Villanova’s Scottie Reynolds, Dayton’s Chris Wright, Georgia Tech’s Gani Lawal, and Mississippi’s Terrico White.
The newcomers in the tourney are ready to make names for themselves, too. Georgia Tech’s Derrick Favors is considered one of the nation’s premier freshmen, and he’ll be joined by three McDonald’s All-Americans: Maalik Wayns and Dominic Cheek from Villanova, and Kansas State’s Wally Judge. There’s even a bridge between the old and new with Georgia Tech freshman Glen Rice Jr., who hopes to follow in his father’s NCAA title-winning footsteps.
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Coach Paul Hewitt’s Georgia Tech team will go as far as Gani Lawal take them.
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The tournament field features four programs that have reached the Final Four since 2002: Villanova (2009), George Mason (2006), Georgia Tech (2004) and Indiana (2002), as well as Boston University, Dayton, Kansas State and Mississippi.
Last year, Xavier—led by Terrell Holloway (13 points) and three other double-digit scorers (B.J. Raymond, Jamel McLean and C.J. Anderson)—won the Puerto Rico Tip-Off with a 63-58 victory over Memphis.
ESPN college basketball analyst Andy Katz offered these observations:
KATZ: “This is one of the best pre-conference tournaments you’re going to see this fall. Derrick Favors, by far one of the best talents coming into college basketball this season, joins Georgia Tech alongside Gani Lawal, who could have been an NBA first-round draft pick last June but decided to go back to Georgia Tech.
“The Yellow Jackets only won two games in the ACC last year, but they were close a number of times later in the conference season. They are a sleeper pick to be a Top 25 team and to get back to the NCAA Tournament. Coach Paul Hewitt has all the pieces in place, led by Favors, to make that kind of run.
“With Indiana, this is an important tournament for second-year coach Tom Crean. Jeremiah Rivers, the transfer from Georgetown, will be eligible for this tournament and Crean can start to get his players in place. It’s a solid field; I think he’ll be able to get a good barometer on where his team stands.
“Kansas State is a sleeper in the Big 12, and Villanova, no question, is the favorite in the Big East. This is a very good tournament, and I think this will prepare Indiana for the Big Ten because the Big Ten could ultimately be the best conference this season.”
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John Roach is a former college basketball writer and editor at ESPN The Magazine.
All Photos Courtesy AP
