Generation
Knicks - NCAA Special
Nearly 15 years
after Patrick Ewing & Glenn "Doc" Rivers were announced as members
of the starting lineup for Pat Riley's Knicks, their sons now take the court together
as reserves for the Georgetown Hoyas. Although Patrick Ewing Jr. & Jeremiah
Rivers are role players for John Thompson III's team, their presence alone is
enough to spark nostalgia for Knicks fans who have suffered through seven consecutive
losing seasons. |  |
The Big East is also home to another
son of a fabled member of the Riley/Van Gundy era. St John's junior captain Anthony
Mason, Jr. led the Red Storm in scoring this season at 14.0 ppg and was recently
recognized as one of the conference's top players. Like his father, Mason, Jr.
is a 6-7 forward, but has a deft touch from outside and shoots an impressive 41%
from downtown. As the current edition
of the New York Knicks battle the Miami Heat for lottery position, Ewing Jr. &
Rivers prepare for the NCAA tournament. At 27-5, the Hoyas appear to be a lock
for a top seed in the field of 65. Mason Jr. can only watch as his Red Storm finished
the season at 11-19, but "Young Mase" - as he's known by coaches and
teammates - may be the best player of the three. Ewing
Jr. (who was born one month after Patrick Ewing led the Hoyas to an NCAA championship)
was recently named the Big East Conference's Sixth Man of the Year. The senior
forward is a defensive specialist with an amazing vertical leap, but is not highly
touted as a pro prospect. His 6.2 ppg & 4.2 rpg make him a role player at
best, but his energy level & persona would make him a welcomed addition to
the Knicks bench should the team draft him in the second round or sign him as
a rookie free agent. Watching Ewing Jr. hound West Virginia's top scorer, Joe
Alexander in the semi-finals of the Big East tournament was a joy for Knicks fans
who remember watching his father anchor the defensive effort for 15 seasons in
orange & blue.  | Ewing
Jr., Rivers & Mason Jr. may never become stars in the NBA, but each comes
from good stock and should have an opportunity to compete at the next level. Rivers
is expected to return to Georgetown next season for his junior year. Mason Jr.
is expected to return for his senior season to anchor Norm Roberts' offense.
As
Doc Rivers and Patrick Ewing lead the Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic to the
postseason, Knicks fans can only wonder if current roster would perform better
under their direction. Regardless of who's running the basketball operation come
draft day, the Knicks will have a prime opportunity to upgrade their roster with
a top-5 lottery pick and high second round choice. Should they acquire Patrick
Ewing Jr., it's safe to say no one will boo the selection. |
AND
1 Patrick Ewing Jr. may follow
the path of another son of a famous New York sports star. DJ Strawberry, a rookie
guard for the Phoenix Suns, has appeared in 25 games this season and spent time
in the NBDL, following four years at the University of Maryland.
Questions or comments on this article
can be e-mailed to gardengrasp@gmail.com
-Greg Hutchins |
