AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2006 > February > 10 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USJackets look decidedly indecisive
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Well, having seen an entire game in person, I can confirm — and this makes me really smart — that Tech indeed has issues at point guard although Zam Fredrick can score if that’s what he wants. But the Jackets have more than a few passing issues beyond that.
Mario West and Fredrick combined for six turnovers and five assists in last night’s come-from-ahead loss at Florida State. The PG situation is no secret.
The Jackets did enough to overcome their lack of a prototypical point in all other areas, however, except for turnovers (oh, and lax defense late combined with a palpable trepidation about shooting the ball in the final two minutes). They had 26 turnovers, just one less than the season’s worst of 27 against Clemson.
That’s almost unreal, and very, very tough to overcome, especially on the road, where, by the way, FSU’s only two home losses in 11 games were in overtime to Miami and by one to North Carolina. The ‘Noles took Duke to the wire in Durham last week so they’re not bums.
Still, the turnovers were unfathomable at times, and although the interior passing was a little improved (Jeremis Smith had six assists), there is a unanimous problem with soft passes.
Bottom line: Tech HAS TO be decisive with EVERY pass.
West had a soft pass tipped away in the open court in the waning moments only to have the FSU player then tap it out of bounds. When Smith’s lob on the inbound was intercepted in the final minute, I knew it was probably not going to end pretty. As Coach Hewitt said after the game, “We teach that lob passes are loose balls.”
There’s a tendency at first, when Hewitt points the finger at himself and his staff for failing to get players to learn and deploy the basics to believe that he’s just trying to relieve pressure on players. But when you see some of the Jackets’ passes, it becomes more believable.
When you watch FSU’s Andrew Wilson catch the ball in three-point range (having made 53.3 percent of his three-point shots this season) and see nobody fight around a screen to get a hand in his face in the final 95 seconds of a drum-tight game, maybe Hewitt’s right; he’s not getting through. There’s NO WAY players are taught to let that guy shoot that shot uncontested in that situation.
When you watch Zam Fredrick dribble quickly down the right side in the final minute, and put up an 18-footer with about 40-some seconds left in the game, a ton of time on the shot clock and nary a teammate yet on the glass — without squaring up and a defender almost right in his face — you know that’s not taught.
Anthony Morrow had eight TOs, including dribbling out of bounds with four seconds left. Tech still had a shot after fouling; FSU’s best FT shooter, Mims (92-plus percent), missed both freebies. Alas, Smith rebounded, got the ball to 55 feet, and heaved it off the backboard as time expired.
Player accountability, in my estimation, may be as big an issue as the absence of a true point guard. The teacher’s teaching, but the students may not be listening. And ball security is a problem across the board.
Permalink | Comments (14) | Categories: Basketball
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By adam
February 10, 2006 04:32 PM | Link to this
Excellent analysis. Now maybe some people will understand that Hewitt didn’t forget how to coach all of a sudden. The simple explanation is that some of these players are downright stubborn and a little arrogant. That’s poisonous to good coaching. Keep the great coverage coming Matt.
By Ga_Tech_92
February 10, 2006 05:02 PM | Link to this
Agree Agree!!
By Dissatisfied
February 10, 2006 05:25 PM | Link to this
Matt, glad to have you aboard covering the GA Tech beat. I read Coach Hewitt’s post-game comments after last night’s game…that he blamed himself and the coaching staff for his team’s struggles. I think these comments were made more out of frustration with this losing streak and to take the heat off of his players, which is the right thing for him to do. But to me, moreso than having a problem with x’s and o’s, I have a problem with some of the players that Hewitt has signed in the last 2 recruiting classes. I think you’ve basically got 3 guys on this team that are wasted scholarships…Zam Frederick, DeAndre Bell and Aladi Aminu. I’ve seen these guys play last year (Zam) and this year, and I just don’t see their level of talent being upto ACC standards. And honestly, these guys look more like Division I-AA players. I’ll be very surprised if these 3 guys actually become solid contributors on future Jacket teams. As a coach in college, if you’re gonna win big in a major conference, you just cannot afford to miss on a recruit (in terms of talent level).
By M.C. Dawg
February 10, 2006 06:06 PM | Link to this
I’m a ramblin wreck from ga tech and a helluva freakin queeeeer! TuckFech
By Gaines Wilburn
February 10, 2006 07:15 PM | Link to this
Matt, great analysis! From what I’ve read so far, we’re really going to enjoy having you cover the Jackets. Keep up the good work. GW Greensboro, NC
By Mike Sargent
February 10, 2006 07:30 PM | Link to this
Matt,
Where have you been? Finally an intelligent AJC Sports writer!
By BIGG DADDY DOGG
February 10, 2006 07:45 PM | Link to this
these kids are killing this program with their efforts. they don’t have that killer instinct. the are too soft and seem to be daydreaming on the court. there is no confidence among these players. “j.jack” stuck a knife to this program. THEY NEED A LEADER TO EMERGE ON THIS TEAM. Because they don’t have one at all !!!!!!
By Kay
February 10, 2006 09:43 PM | Link to this
I think this team could win the ACC tournament. They do have what it takes and they, with Hewitt, will put it together. I know losing is frustrating, but it will end! Just be patient! It will happen!
By M.C. Dawg's Daddy
February 11, 2006 12:09 AM | Link to this
M.C. Dawg go back to trailer park and stay off the Tech Blog. Does it really say M.C Dawg on your Jiffy Lube uniform. Was it MC hammer before that? I bet you have a mullet and look great at the county fair.
Enough talking trash with scum. Matt can you get the Fan Blog changed on the Web site? It has said, ” it hurts but there is hope” for two months.
Oh well.
By Greg
February 11, 2006 08:01 AM | Link to this
Let’s not forget that Hewitt’s teams, even the best ones, have often played tight and tentative, as if they were terrified of making a mistake. It’s not just this group of players. (I do count that against PH and his staff.) And let’s remember the youth and inexperience he’s got here. I agree with Bobby C. that this team has great potential. Zam’s not a PG, obviously (he doesn’t handle the ball well enough), but he seems to me to be trying his heart out. And I love (don’t you?) his drive-to-a-stop with the deadly mid-range fade-away. BTW, Matt, good analysis. One tiny correction: I do think it might be more accurate to say that Morrow accidentlally stepped out of bounds rather than that he dribbled out of bounds.
By JoeHamWasRobbed
February 11, 2006 09:44 AM | Link to this
Matt, you’re right. Zam does suck at PG and Mario is just an effort guy, which doesn’t bode well at the point. But teams have found a way to play well without a true PG. The Bulls used to have MJ or Pippen bring the ball up and then get into the offense, maybe we could try that. I think our best ball handler, and one of our best all around players is Clinch. Maybe we need to see about using his handling skills and speed to bring the ball up and then just get the offense started.
The other thing killing me is Morrow. For every good shot he makes on offense, there is a horrible turnover or bad play on defense. I love him for his big scoring ability, but his defense and passing kills us. We have got to find a way to keep the ball out of his hands until its time to let one go. Redick doesn’t handle the ball much when he’s running through picks down low. We just have to get rid of all these turnovers, and Morrow can’t continue to be the guilty party.
By ben
February 11, 2006 11:14 AM | Link to this
This team just doesn’t have 8 guys who belong on an ACC court. That never happened with Cremins, until the end. He always had one more star coming along to steady the ship. I mean Marbury, Ferrell, Hammonds, Price, Salley, Glover, Anderson, Forrest, Best, Scott- he kept a roster that could compete at the top of the ACC. I like Hewitt, but it’s asking a lot to recruit with the likes of Duke, UNC, UConn, etc. And even though the Jack years were great, it’s almost as if that was more of a coaching/chemistry team than a team loaded with talent like the Cremins teams or a typical UNC team.
By Teddy
February 11, 2006 11:55 AM | Link to this
Matt… your comprehensive conceputalization of Tech’s failings is excellent… if only you could take over the head coaching duties as a consulting head coach for a few games… do a better job of teaching fundamentals, and effectively promote discipline and focus!
By Ga_Tech_92
February 11, 2006 12:48 PM | Link to this
I think our recruiting is great.
Clinch was a 5-star blue chipper coming in. Dickey, Smith, Morrow, Zam all 4-star recruits the year before. We have 2 5-star recruits coming in next year along with a 6’10” project (needs a couple years of strenght added). 2007 almost every major recruit has us listed on their short list.
Our inside game is stronger than I’ve seen in a LONG time. We just lost JJ early and at the same time our incoming freshman PG decided to play Baseball….tough breaks…but my point is we aren’t recruiting badly at all imo.
I agree Cremins was able to get great recruits (Kenny was my favorite), but the team never felt like it was more than about 6-7 deep, which means you can’t play as tough a defense (hustle, energy level, fouls).
I like that PH has enough good guys that he is able to rotate 3-4-5 at a time. When these young guys deside to step up and refuse to loose by applying more defensive effort and out-hustle the opponent for 40 minutes…we will win…even without a point guard.
We’ve just BARELY lost quite a few games. If either JJ or the freshman point had been here this year we would have won those games and not be having this conversation.
Anyway…I still think these guys can hustle more than the have been…be more careful and deliberate with the passes turn things around too. We win a game or two and their confidence will take off.
I agree these guys can win the ACC Tourney…if they out hustle every team for 40 minutes they can beat anyone.