Hoyas End Trip with Victory Over Swiss Pro Team

Recap from the school:

Mourning, Derrickson Help to Lead Georgetown Past SAM Basket, 76-73

Lugano, Switzerland - Sophomore forward Paul White (Chicago, Ill./Whitney Young) hit two free throws with 11 seconds left and Georgetown held off a last second attempt for a tie en route to a 76-73 win over SAM Basket Massagno at the Palamondo Saturday night.

The win closes out the four-game road trip to Italy for the Blue & Gray with a 3-1 record.

Freshman forward Marcus Derrickson (Bowie, Md./Brewster Academy [N.H.]) scored 15 points and had nine rebounds to lead the Hoyas, while sophomore forward Trey Mourning (Miami, Fla./Ransom Everglades)scored 15 points and had four rebounds.  Sophomore forward L.J. Peak (Gaffney, S.C./Gaffney) was the only other GU player in double figures, contributing 11 points.

The game was tied at 37-all at the end of the first half after SAM Basket's Christophe Vardel - who had a game-high 31 points - hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer.  The first division Swiss professional team used a 10-4 start to the third quarter to open up a 47-41 lead after free throws from Peter Ishodu.

The Hoyas, however, responded with a 16-4 run, keyed by Mourning and Derrickson, who combined scored all 16 points during the run and combined for 25 points and nine rebounds in the second half. 

A conventional three-point play from Mourning made it 47-44 and then a Derrickson layup and Mourning basket gave the Hoyas the 48-47 lead.  Another three-point play, this from Derrickson, pushed the lead to 51-47.  A dunk and a layup from Mourning, followed by free throws from Derrickson gave GU a 59-51 lead.

SAM Basket pulled to within three points, 59-56, early in the fourth, but a quick 7-0 run gave the Hoyas their biggest lead, 66-56, on a Derrickson three-point play with 8:32 to play.

The Swiss team again went on a run, this time using a 15-4 spurt and took a 71-70 lead with 1:45 to play in the game on a Vardel jumper. 

That set up an exciting final two minutes with four lead changes.  Peak hit two free throws to give GU a 72-71 lead with 1:23 left.  Vardel hit a jumper to make it 73-72 SAM Basket, but a layup from Derrickson gave the Hoyas the lead for good, 74-73, with 43 seconds left.  After a missed 3-ponter from Seth Gearhart, Derrickson grabbed the rebound and White was fouled with 12 seconds left, giving GU a 76-73 lead.  A 3-pointer in the waning seconds was rebounded by freshman forward Kaleb Johnson (Short Hill, Va./The Carlisle School) as Georgetown held on for the win.

Georgetown shot 45.3 percent from the floor (29-of-64), hit 21.1 percent of its three-pointers (4-of-19) and was 73.7 percent from the free throw line (14-of-19). The Hoyas held a 43-30 advantage on the boards, handed out 14 assists and committed 19 turnovers.

White finished with nine points, six rebounds and four assists, while sophomore guard Tre Campbell (Washington, D.C./St. John's College HS) added seven points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals.  Sophomore forward Isaac Copeland (Raleigh, N.C./Brewster Academy [N.H.]) added six points, four rebounds and three assists and freshman center Jessie Govan (Queens Village, N.Y./Wings Academy) added five points and seven rebounds.