Newsom to be first assistant coach

With Joe Scott '87's abrupt departure and Sydney Johnson '97's recent hiring, the men's basketball team has seen a lot of change in the past six weeks. Aside from the change of head coach, there have been several recent developments that will affect the Tigers next season.

At the press conference announcing the team's new head coach, Johnson stated that Tony Newsom will hold the title of first assistant coach.

Newsom has been an assistant under Scott for the past three years and has been coaching collegiate basketball since 1995 at a variety of schools on the East Coast, including Rider and Holy Cross.

"I'm happy that Tony Newsom will be a part of my staff," Johnson said at the press conference. "In relation to the rest of the staff, there are some people I have in mind, but we have some details to work out with that."

None of those details have been announced yet, though there is speculation about whether Scott's first assistant Mike Brennan '94 — who was rumored to be on the short list for the head coaching position — will fill the vacancy Johnson left in Georgetown's coaching hierarchy. Johnson did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

Peterson decommits

Jeff Peterson, who the The Daily Princetonian reported had decommited from his early decision acceptance to Princeton, has signed a national letter of intent to attend the University of Iowa and join the Hawkeye basketball program.

Peterson, a six foot, one inch guard from DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Md,, would have been a welcome addition to the Tiger backcourt. During his senior season, Peterson averaged 13.5 points per game and 8.7 assists.

"Jeff is a solid basketball player and an outstanding student," Iowa head coach Todd Lickliter said at the press conference announcing Peterson's decision. "He's excited about joining the Iowa program, and we're excited to have him."

Rumors of Peterson's decision to decommit began in January when the Washington Examiner reported "[Peterson] reopen[ed] recruitment," allowing other schools and coaches to contact him.

Peterson's high school coach Mike Jones told the Examiner at the time that Peterson might still come to Princeton.

"I think [Peterson] might have felt a little pressure to commit to Princeton, with everybody telling him how great an opportunity it was," Jones told the Examiner. The 'Prince' was unable to reach Jones for comment.

Fitzgerald follows Scott

John Fitzgerald, Princeton's director of basketball operations under Scott, followed Scott to the University of Denver to hold the same position for the Pioneers.

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Fitzgerald's hiring was announced alongside the hiring of Scott's three assistants. Two helped Scott at Air Force; the other is a former player.

"I am very excited to reunite with these staff members," Scott said on the Denver Pioneers' website. "All four of these individuals provide exceptional talent, energy and the dimension needed to begin to build a winning program."

Fitzgerald is a Colorado native, a 2003 graduate of Williams and a four-year letter-winner on the basketball team. He was a member of Williams' NCAA Division III championship team in 2003.

As the director of basketball operations, Fitzgerald will coordinate the day-today aspects of the program and assist Scott across the board. Fitzgerald does have limited coaching experience, as he spent the 2003-04 season as an assistant coach at Williams, working on player development and recruiting both on and off-campus.