THE GOOD NEWS
It's Georgetown. The Hoyas have a boatload of talent returning in 2008-2009, and a strong recruiting class to boot. It's a safe bet that the frustrating Georgetown defense will be putting the clamps down on the opposition for years to come, and a healthy Chris Wright gives the team a huge weapon in the backcourt that it didn't have this year.

THE BAD NEWS
Regardless of the talent remaining on the roster and arriving on campus next fall, losing a four-year starter in Jonathan Wallace, an inside force in Roy Hibbert and an imposing figure in the paint in Patrick Ewing Jr. will hurt. It will be a much different team that takes the court for the first time next October, and for the first time in a couple of years, the Hoyas will need to establish their chemistry in the early practices.

KEY RETURNEES
Jessie Sapp will be the leader of next year's team if all goes as expected, but the backcourt will have a lot of guys pressing for minutes, with Austin Freeman, Chris Wright and Jeremiah Rivers the returning players in the mix. DaJuan Summers improved as a sophomore but will be looked upon as a go-to guy next season. The team will also be looking for a big improvement from Vernon Macklin in the middle, as he takes over for Roy Hibbert at center.

ROSTER REPORT

--G Austin Freeman was selected to the All-Rookie squad for the Big East. He became a starter midway through the season in an effort to add more offense to the attack and finished the year averaging more than nine points per game. He'll be counted on to do more as a sophomore in 2007-2008.

--F Vernon Macklin was a highly touted recruit when he signed with the team, but the sophomore spent his first two seasons mostly picking up whatever minutes the likes of Jeff Green, Roy Hibbert and Patrick Ewing Jr. didn't take. But he'll be the man in the middle in 2008-2009 as a junior, and he showed a glimpse of what he could do with major minutes in January, when he went for 18 points in 26 minutes against St. John's.

--G Chris Wright saw his freshman year shortened by a trio of injuries to his foot and ankle, but was back for the postseason and looked solid. The former McDonald's All-American is a big part of the team's future plans.

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