ATLANTA — One of Georgetown forward DaJuan Summers’ biggest fans plies his own trade in College Park.
Maryland wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey was roommates with Summers when both attended McDonogh School in suburban Baltimore. The two still frequently talk via telephone and instant messenger, including a conversation shortly after the Hoyas’ regional final defeat of North Carolina on Sunday.
Summers scored a career-high 20 points in the victory, which clinched a meeting with Ohio State (34-3) tonight at the Georgia Dome for Georgetown (30-6).
“I just root for him all the time,” Heyward-Bey said this week. “He was always like my little brother when we were in high school. When he came he was my roommate and we used to always used to talk about the dream of making the pros. When I had my good season, he was calling me up telling me ‘Good job.’ With him right now, I’m just telling him to keep it up.”
Summers was a critical factor in both of the Hoyas’ regional weekend victories. He scored 15 points against Vanderbilt before his 7-for-10 effort from the floor against North Carolina. The 6-foot-8, 241-pound forward is averaging 9.3 points and has started all but three games for the Hoyas.
Heyward-Bey, who had his own breakout season last fall with 694 yards and five touchdowns for the Terrapins, remembers when Summers wasn’t quite the same player he is now.
“He came in about 6-4, a little chubby and then he just sprouted up,” Heyward-Bey said. “I know in his freshman year, he couldn’t dunk, and he was mad that I could. His goal was to always dunk and then, he was just the man.”
It’s a friendship Summers cherishes as well — and one that could lead to a few more congratulatory phone calls this weekend.
“It’s definitely cool,” Summers said. “It’s funny. It’s kind of like foreshadowing because we used to talk about it. We see it happening now. We just keep telling each other to keep it going.”
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