Clark, Vaughn aim to build off solid opener
Georgetown got what it wanted Friday night in its season-opening win at Tulane from its superstar, Greg Monroe, who delivered a double-double (18 points, 11 rebounds).
But the steady contributions of the Hoyas’ two newest starters, sophomore guard Jason Clark and junior forward Julian Vaughn, did not go unnoticed.
“It’s not a surprise,” said Hoyas head coach John Thompson III of Clark’s 13 points and five assists.
Clark was well overshadowed as a freshman next to Monroe — who was the nation’s most sought-after high school recruit. But the wingspan-blessed Arlington native, who led the Hoyas bench with 18.3 minutes per game, has been complimented by both players and coaches for the strides he’s made over the summer.
“He really put the time in, and I think he’s going to benefit from that during the season,” junior guard Chris Wright said last month.
Vaughn also had a solid seven points and five rebounds against the Green Wave, a sign that the Reston native is more comfortable after transferring from Florida State last season and receiving a personal hardship waiver that allowed him to play right away.
“He has to have a presence for us,” said Thompson. “He has to be a presence in the paint at the offensive end as well as the defensive end, and possibly more importantly, on the boards.”
Led by Ryan Brooks, who scored 23 points in a season-opening win over Delaware, Temple (1-0) is not to be underestimated. But Tuesday’s home opener will be a logistical challenge for the Hoyas (0-1), since they’ll tip off right in the middle of rush hour as part of ESPN’s season kickoff with 24 straight hours of basketball.
“It’s not a concern. We have Temple to worry about,” said Thompson. “But has it crossed my mind that we could possibly come out at 4 o’clock to an empty Verizon Center? Possibly. But I think people will get there as soon as they can. I think they’ll be there to support us.”
