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DAILY 03-02-10 MD SU D5 CMYK
TUESDAY, MARCH 2, 2010
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COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Georgetown ends
NATIONAL WOMEN
Charles hits
season on high note
milestone in
U-Conn. win
With the victory,
GEORGETOWN SETON HALL
they earn No. 3 seed in
71 49
Associated Press
Big East tournament
point range. Averaging just six Tina Charles had 18 points and
threes per contest this season, eight rebounds to become top-
by Mark Giannotto Georgetown finished with 13, ranked Connecticut’s career lead-
including seven of its first eight er in both categories in a 76-51
Years from now when the baskets of the game. win over No. 6 Notre Dame on
Georgetown women’s basket- Freshman Sugar Rodgers led Monday night, leaving the Hus-
ball team reminisces about its the charge with seven baskets kies one shy of tying their NCAA
historic 2009-10 season, the from beyond the arc, finishing women’s record for consecutive
outcome of Monday night’s reg- with a game-high 24 points. victories.
ular season finale against the McNutt added four more three- Connecticut (30-0, 16-0),
Big East’s worst team will likely pointers, while sophomore Al- which reached 30 wins for the
be a meaningless footnote. Al- exa Roche had two. fifth straight season, can match
ready with more wins than any “Moni and Sug shot the lights the record of 70 consecutive wins
team in program history, a dou- out of the ball,” Georgetown set by the Huskies from 2001-
ble bye in this weekend’s Big Coach Terri Williams-Flournoy 2003 in the Big East tournament
East tournament and just one said. “But they’re capable of quarterfinals on Sunday. It is the
senior among their top six scor- shooting that well, so it’s not eighth time the Huskies have
ers, the Hoyas had any number that surprising to us because we
DAVID SMITH/ASSOCIATED PRESS
gone unbeaten in a Big East reg-
of reasons to just look past Se- see it in practice.” West Virginia’s Darryl Bryant drives by Georgetown’s Greg Monroe for a first-half layup attempt. ular season.
ton Hall. Rodgers, the Hoyas’ leading Charles passed Nykesha Sales
That No. 12 Georgetown did scorer this season, moved up to
Hoyas stumble in Morgantown
(1995-98) as the school’s all-time
the exact opposite, easily dis- sixth all-time and is now just 65 leading scorer and Rebecca Lobo
posing of the Pirates, 71-49, in points behind Kris Witfill’s sin- (1992-95) as its leading rebound-
front of approximately 300 fans gle-season scoring record, set in er.
at McDonough Arena, may be 1990-91. Witfill, coincidentally, hoyas from D1 have sent him home, and he turnovers and had defensive a71 SYRACUSE 67, WEST VIR-
the best sign yet that these sur- was a member of Georgetown’s wouldn’t be in the hospital now, miscues that helped the Moun- GINIA 48: Erica Morrow scored
prising Hoyas have more in last NCAA tournament team in he accounted for 28 percent of if we weren’t concerned.” taineers to a 13-3 run. 23 points and the Orange’s effi-
store now that March has ar- 1993, when the Hoyas made a Georgetown’s points in Big East In Freeman’s absence, sopho- Wright hit his first basket cient zone defense shut down the
rived. Georgetown (25-5, 13-3) run to the round of 16. That 17- play). more center Greg Monroe and with 6:40 remaining. seventh-ranked Mountaineers in
stormed out to a 27-6 lead in the year drought will likely come to In losing their shooting star, junior guard Chris Wright Too often Georgetown looked the second half on the way to the
game’s first nine minutes, and an end in less than two weeks the Hoyas seemed to lose their shouldered the offensive load, like a team playing its first or upset in Syracuse, N.Y.
Seton Hall never trimmed the when the NCAA tournament identity, as well, with uncertain- scoring 22 and 21 points, respec- second game of the season: Its West Virginia (26-4, 13-3 Big
deficit lower than 17. field is announced. ty permeating nearly every facet tively. But neither got going un- potential was evident, but as a East) had won six straight since
“You can’t start another How they fare there is still up of their game — particularly in til the late in the second half, group it had no flow, no rhythm an 80-47 loss at Connecticut, but
chapter until you close one,” for debate. In Williams-Flour- the first half, in which they helping pare what had been a and no cohesiveness. the Mountaineers, with the
said junior Monica McNutt (14 noy’s six seasons on the Hilltop, turned the ball over 11 times to 27-point deficit to nine, 62-53, “So many sloppy offensive fourth-ranked defense in the na-
points). “We’re extremely excit- Georgetown has never won a West Virginia’s two. with 5 minutes 53 seconds re- possessions,” Coach Thompson tion, had the tables turned in this
ed to be ranked and all that Big East tournament game, “Obviously [Freeman’s ab- maining. conceded. “Instead of leaning one. They were 3-of-21 shooting
good stuff, but honestly, we even last year when the Hoyas sence] hurts a lot,” said Coach But that represented the only on each other, I think we were and scored just 14 points after the
want to go to the Final Four.” finished with a solid 20-14 rec- John Thompson III, clearly con- moment of tension in the highly watching each other play.” break.
The victory ended a grueling ord. cerned about his junior guard, touted matchup of top-20 The Mountaineers took a 43- Senior night for Syracuse
nine-day stretch for George- Don’t tell Georgetown that, who made the trip with the teams. The Hoyas never got 26 lead to the locker room at the (20-9, 7-9) was spoiled when Ni-
town in which it played five though. After playing her final team to West Virginia on Sun- closer. half. cole Michael, the school’s all-time
games after last month’s bliz- game at home, senior Jaleesa day but, after becoming increas- In his last home game, West Wright came out firing, but leading scorer and rebounder,
zard forced the Hoyas to re- Butler shook off that dubious ingly ill, was driven back to Virginia’s senior forward the Hoyas’ struggles continued left the game with 14 minutes 35
schedule its game with Jack- statistic, still in disbelief that Washington on Monday morn- Da’Sean Butler bowed out in in the second half. Their first six seconds left in the second half af-
sonville State on Thursday. the only team in front of ing and admitted to George- style, taking his seat to a stand- possessions produced turnovers ter injuring her right foot.
Georgetown does not play Georgetown in the Big East town University Hospital for ing ovation for his 22-point per- and missed shots, while West a71 ST. JOHN’S 77, PITTSBURGH
again until Sunday at 8 p.m. in standings is mighty Connecti- tests. formance. Virginia reeled off 10 consec- 65: Kelly McManmon scored 18
the Big East tournament quar- cut. She doesn’t want the dream “This team has been put to- For the second consecutive utive points. points and the 16th-ranked Red
terfinals, where it will be a No. 3 to end. gether with Austin as one of the game, freshman Hollis Thomp- In time, Georgetown found its Storm won for the 11th time in 13
seed. “I’m gonna change my name, focal points of what we do.” son got the start in Freeman’s bearings. The Hoyas forced games, clinching a double-bye in
Whatever wear and tear they have a whole new four-year Thompson said he had no up- spot. But the Hoyas’ offensive some turnovers and made a run, the Big East tournament by beat-
may have accrued, though, was contract,” she said as her coach date on Freeman’s condition but possessions sputtered badly. with Jason Clark, on assist from ing the Panthers in Pittsburgh.
nowhere to be found in the first laughed in the background. “I said he was hopeful he would be The game was more than Wright, hitting the jumper that Da’Shena Stevens added 17
half against Seton Hall (9-20, 1- don’t think any of us predicted able to rejoin the team soon. eight minutes old before a pared it to nine. points and 15 rebounds for St.
15). The Hoyas got off to a blaz- we were gonna be this good this “I can’t give you a timetable,” Georgetown guard made a field The rally was too short-lived John’s (24-5, 12-4), which reached
ing start thanks to a record year.” Thompson added. “It’s a huge goal. The Hoyas clanged shots to turn the momentum. 24 wins in a season for the first
shooting night from three- giannottom@washpost.com level of concern. We wouldn’t off the rim, committed careless clarkel@washpost.com time in 26 years.
HOCKEY
Coping with his infant son’s death,
Theodore finds sanctuary on the ice
theodore from D1 enough for him to breathe on his “We love kids and we want a Even though the charity is be-
own. So he was on a ventilator.” big family,” he said. “But what we ing handled by the Capitals, Wo-
Theodore is an intensely pri- Summer had been when Theo- went through was really hard. So datch said Theodore wants to
vate man, having become wary of dore planned to work himself we want to put the odds on our present the check, in person, to
the media from his years playing into the best shape of his career side. Right now, we’re trying to the hospital at season’s end.
in Montreal, where a hockey in an effort to win back his start- find answers.” “We were there every day for
player’s every move on and off ing job with the Capitals, a job he In a setting as tight as an NHL two months, all day,” Theodore
the ice is possible tabloid fodder. lost when he was replaced by dressing room, where teammates said. “The nurses start to get at-
But he agreed to discuss his son’s rookie Semyon Varlamov one often know one another’s deepest tached to the babies. And just to
death in an effort to publicize the game into the playoffs last secrets, Theodore has kept his see [that] they were doing the
charity, Saves for Kids, that he spring. Instead, he and Stephanie emotions to himself. best they could . . . they were try-
founded in November. Proceeds spent almost every waking hour “I can understand the peaks ing to support us the best they
benefit the neonatal intensive at Children’s in Northwest D.C., a and valleys he’s had in the sea- could.”
care unit at Children’s National 20-minute drive from their Ar- son,” Capitals Coach Bruce Bou-
Medical Center, the place Theo- lington home. dreau said. “Goaltending is a
A safe haven on the ice
dore and his wife, Stephanie The Theodores would spend mental game. But he’s so private Chace died on Aug. 14. The
Cloutier, spent so much time dur- hours, sometimes days, in the and he’s refused to make any ex- Capitals opened training camp
ing their son’s 54-day life. state-of-the-art neonatal inten- cuses. It’s something he’s battling on Sept. 13. That didn’t leave The-
“There’s not a day” he doesn’t sive care unit, where premature through on a daily basis.” odore much time to prepare for
think about it, Theodore said. “I babies, some small enough to be what figured to be a critical sea-
can remember sometimes, it cradled in an adult’s hand, lie in
Continuing the fight
son for a goalie who was about to
could be a 2-2 game, and you miniature cribs. The rooms are Within days of Chace’s death, turn 33.
start thinking about your son, or dimly lit, the nurses speak in Theodore knew he wanted to set After grieving privately, he be-
you start thinking about different hushed tones, the melodic pulsa- up a foundation to honor his gan working out in the gym and
stuff. Or you could be getting tion of a ventilator can some- son’s short life and do something taking part in informal practices
dressed [in pads] and trying to times be the only sound. for the hospital, which had be- with his teammates. His release,
get focused and you get carried Some days, Chace would show come a second home over the he said, took the form of pouring
away thinking.” himself into his work.
“Christmas was much tough- “I was so angry and frustrated
er,” he added, his quivering voice
trailing off. “It’s as simple as see-
“It could be a 2-2 game, and you
and sad and everything you can
imagine,” Theodore said. “I was
ing kids around. You could be in
start thinking about your son.”
just going on the ice, wanting to
the game and you see a dad in the practice so hard to make up for
stands with his son and you think — Capitals goalie José Theodore, whose infant son, Chace, died last August lost time.”
about it. It’s about being strong Boudreau named Theodore his
JOHN MCDONNELL/THE WASHINGTON POST
enough to get focused right away No. 1 goalie entering training José Theodore instructs fourth-grader Daniel Barnes on the finer
so you don’t . . .” signs of improvement. It was on summer. camp, and the veteran solidified points of being a goalie at King Elementary School in the District.
As he’s so often done during those days that Theodore would “You almost become a family his status by holding off a chal-
times of tumult in his life, Theo- perk up, allow himself to smile over there because we’re all fight- lenge from Varlamov. After that defeat, a downcast
Saves for Kids
dore has persevered on the ice, and, perhaps, start to believe his ing for the same thing,” he said. “Pro athletes have to be wired Theodore told reporters that he
pushing aside the pain. son had turned a corner. “Parents are going through such in such a way that they have the needed to regain his focus. He During the regular season, Capitals
“You don’t accept it,” he said. “Every time he was doing a tough time . . . and the nurses highest level of concentration took a brief leave of absence to goalie José Theodore will donate $2
“But you have to find a way to live something better, you started and doctors, it’s not easy for and focus and are better able to accompany Stephanie to a doc- for each save, $100 for every win and
with those thoughts.” looking forward,” he said. “For them, either, when things aren’t deal with distractions,” said Joel tor’s appointment three days lat- $500 for each shutout to a
me and Stephanie, we always going well.” Fish, a sports psychologist who er. He did not play for the next six fundraising program that will benefit
A mysterious condition
thought he would. With the help of the Capitals, has worked with professional games. the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at
Chace, the couple’s second “He tried the best he could, but Theodore created Saves for Kids. athletes. “Oftentimes, they have a Theodore returned to the net Children’s National Medical Center.
child, was born on June 22, about . . .” Theodore said, his eyes well- At the end of the season, he will unique personality, in addition to Nov. 30 and beat Carolina, 3-2. In the playoffs, it will be $5, $200
five weeks early. They knew there ing up again. “Every day, I make a donation based on the a unique skill set, to be able to Since that game, Theodore has and $750 and an additonal $500 for
was a chance that their son thought he was going to be fine.” number of his saves, wins and deal with stress and pressure. won 15 contests, including each playoff round won.
would arrive prematurely. What Appointments with specialists shutouts. “The ice often becomes a sanc- matching a franchise record for For more information, contact
they did not know was that he have continued during the sea- Elizabeth Wodatch, the Cap- tuary for the player,” Fish added. consecutive wins with 10 Elizabeth Wodatch at
would born with a mysterious son. On a trip in November, Theo- itals’ director of community rela- “A safe haven, if you will.” straight. ewodatch@washcaps.com. To make
neuromuscular condition, which dore left the team for a day so tions, said the Theodores consid- But after starting 11 of the Cap- Despite his success on the ice, a donation, please send a check
to this day has not been diag- that he could be with Stephanie ered naming the charity after itals’ first 17 games, “reality,” as Theodore’s struggle to come to made payable to Washington
nosed. for an appointment with a noted their son. But after much con- Theodore called it, caught up to terms with his son’s death hasn’t Capitals Charities, earmarked for
“It’s . . . I don’t know how to say geneticist in Arlington. The cou- sternation, they decided against him. He allowed three goals on gotten any easier. Saves for Kids, to:
it in English. But it affected all ple’s daughter, Romy, who turns 4 it. five shots before being pulled in a “I don’t like the word ‘easier,’ ” Kettler Capitals Iceplex
his body,” said Theodore, who in March, also suffered from “I didn’t only want to focus on 5-4 win over the Islanders. One he said. “It’s more like you deal 627 N. Glebe Road
grew up in a suburb of Montreal. complications due to a prema- the name of my son,” Theodore game later, he yielded five goals with it.” Suite 850
“The lungs weren’t strong ture birth. said. “That was a little too hard.” in a loss in New Jersey. elbashirt@washpost.com Arlington, VA 22203
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