Centers Hibbert, Oden may well be deciding factors
ATLANTA -- The Big Man knows something about big men. Knows something about size vs. size, strength vs. strength. Up close and personal, too. Patrick Ewing, Dikembe Mutombo, and Alonzo Mourning played for him. There was the 1982 meeting between Virginia and Georgetown when Ewing and Ralph Sampson squared off, and the 1984 national championship game between Georgetown and Houston, when the Big Man's Hoyas, including Ewing, defeated the Cougars and their big man, Hakeem Olajuwon.
"All the big guys went the way of the buffalo," John Thompson said yesterday at the Georgia Dome as he watched a Georgetown team coached by his son, John Thompson III, with a roster that included Patrick Ewing Jr. and 7-foot-2-inch junior Roy Hibbert. "They went outside, shooting jump shots."
Thompson was talking about big men with the perspective of a Hall of Fame coach who won 596 games during a 27-year career in which his teams earned 24 consecutive postseason invitations, won six Big East tournament titles, made three Final Fours, and won that national championship in '84.
Which is why he was being asked about the underlying theme of tonight's national semifinal between Georgetown and Ohio State, the matchup of Hibbert and 7-foot Buckeyes freshman Greg Oden.
"We're not talking Ewing and Olajuwon here," said Thompson. "Not even close. Both of them are novices. But games like this tend to help the reputations of the big guys."
Yesterday, the big men were the focus of the talk leading up to Ohio State making its first Final Four appearance since 1999, and Georgetown its first since 1985. And both are throwbacks. Combined, the centers have played 131 collegiate games and have yet to attempt a 3-point shot. "Haven't taken one in my career, don't plan on taking one," said Hibbert.
"That's going to be a war," said Georgetown forward and Big East Player of the Year Jeff Green. "Two big 7-footers going at it. Whichever player prevails over the other, then that's the team that's going to win. It's up to them to lead the team the rest of the way."
Both players are aware of what they'll be facing. "I saw him grow up," said Hibbert. "As a
Hibbert said the advice on how to deal with Oden has been coming from many directions. "I had so many messages, my voice mail was full," said Hibbert, who is aware that he could very well determine whether the Hoyas make it to the national championship game for the first time in 22 years.
Included in the messages was one from the elder Thompson. "He just said to go play my game," said Hibbert.
Hibbert, like Oden, has had game for some time, but it took a while for his skills to catch up to his size, which now includes size-18 sneakers (same as Oden). Hibbert started playing with a basketball when he was 2. He grew up quickly, a 6-8 man-child at 14 (same as Oden). Size was the issue then, as it is now.
Hibbert says he has fun with it. Such as the time he was in a room wearing a Georgetown shirt and was asked, "Are you a basketball player?" "I said, 'No, I'm a jockey,' " said Hibbert with a laugh.
Oden is trying to downplay the matchup. "I'm anticipating it as a game," he said. "I'm not looking at it as a one-on-one match."
Oden was asked how it will feel to face someone who surpasses his size. "I'd rather play someone smaller," he said. "The game is five on five, only one post player.
"I think it's overhyped, but I really don't care."
Thompson III says he has made it clear what he expects from Hibbert. "The way we do things, he does get the opportunity [to do many things]," said the Hoyas coach. "He's a very good passer. We put him in positions where he can make passes with his back to the basket as well as facing the basket.
"He's so much different now than he was two years ago. When he walked in the door as a freshman, we literally had to show him how to run, how to catch. He is light-years from where he has been. At the same time, four, five, or 10 years from now, he'll be light-years ahead of where he is now. He is someone that is a sponge. He is someone that is extremely intelligent and has been extremely willing with everything that we've shown him.
"It has been and it is a process. But if you have someone that wants to be good, and Roy has a desire to be very good, he has a work ethic that has been terrific. You couple that with his willingness, he's only going to get better."
Oden has advanced at a faster rate and may be playing in his final collegiate game this weekend. He is projected as the No. 1 or 2 pick in the NBA draft. Hibbert, like Thompson said, is more of a work in progress.
Tonight, in the biggest games of their careers, we'll find out how much progress has been made by two players who will soon move out of the "novice" category of big men.
Mark Blaudschun can be reached at blaudschun@globe.com. 
