Hoyas sophomore finds success off the bench
Hollis Thompson stepped to the media room podium, and before he began to talk about hitting the go-ahead 3-pointer in Georgetown’s win over Louisville, the sophomore paused to rub the hint of stubble on his chin, a move that didn’t go unnoticed by Hoyas coach John Thompson III.
“Did you see that?” John Thompson said. “Hollywood.”
It’s a nickname that fits Hollis Thompson well, not only because he shares the same first four letters in his name and that he’s Georgetown’s lone player from Los Angeles. Pacific Coast cool may be exactly what Thompson needed to handle losing his spot in the Hoyas’ starting rotation 19 games into the season. The Hoyas (17-5, 6-4 Big East) haven’t lost since.
“I think a lot of things come with that, the most important one being we’re winning, so how could I complain?” he said. “As long as it works for the team, it works for me.”
But the shift eastward wasn’t easy after Thompson forewent the latter half of his senior year in high school to enroll at Georgetown in the winter of 2009. A young man on campus, he had to get accustomed to more reserved personalities and weather grayer than the university’s colors. He still doesn’t like the snow.
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| Providence at No. 13 Georgetown |
| When » Saturday, noon |
| Where » Verizon Center |
| TV » MASN |
“It’s not good for my shoes,” Thompson said.
“His West Coast thing, coming here with the skinny jeans and real colorful stuff, that’s not us,” Georgetown senior guard and D.C. native Chris Wright said. “It’s a little different, but he has his own style, his own swagger.”
Thompson also describes himself as a shooting guard, even though his wingspan-blessed 6-foot-7 frame, shooting touch and extra semester of experience made him a logical choice to begin the season starting at small forward. But the move to sixth man has allowed him to observe first then target whatever particular spark is necessary, such as 8-for-13 shooting from 3-point range in the last five games.
“One thing he gives — and one thing I wanted — is he gives us a scoring punch off the bench,” John Thompson said. “He knows we need him, and he knows more often than not he’s going be out there coming down the stretch and there’s little time on the clock.”
As for the Hollywood thing, Hollis Thompson also said he is taking acting classes and trying to get into a student play, similar to Michigan State forward Delvon Roe.
“There might be a little actor in me,” said Thompson, who wouldn’t reveal what play. “Not too much, though.”
