AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2006 > February > 13
Monday, February 13, 2006
A game worth cloning
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s about time.
If you didn’t see Georgia Tech play N.C. State Sunday, you may not know what I’m getting at. Finally, players didn’t just take to what coaches have been preaching, they “did it for 40 minutes, not a half,” as Ra’Sean Dickey said after the Jackets won 71-68.
Zam Fredrick was most obvious in the way he selected his shots. Almost every one of his 12 (he made nine) was relatively prudent, something coaches have been working (and working) on with him lately. He said seeing it on film finally drove the points (play on words) home.
The only one I can remember that was borderline was when the shot clock was running out on Tech’s next-to-last possession, and Fredrick made that one — a 14-foot jumper from the right side of the lane for Tech’s final points. That was proof the old Zam is still in there, but if he continues to go to that score-score-score mentality ONLY in times of desperation, like when the shot clock is running out or a half or the game is about to end, Tech’s better off.
And although there were still some sloppy passes, the Jackets were far more careful with the ball, making 15 turnovers, five in the second half.
They made plays off the ball, too, either to get open or get over to N.C. State shooters. That’s not easy against the Wolfpack, for they move very well without the ball and almost all of them can shoot. The defense was far from flawless, but better in that regard.
A couple other keys to the game that went somewhat un-noticed: N.C. State center Cedric Simmons, a talented player who’s averaging more than 12 points and six rebounds, fouled out with five points and three rebounds with nearly half a period to go. That helped.
Also, at one point the Jackets tried a long, lazy inbounds pass in the backcourt and N.C. State’s Cam Bennerman chased it down before Lewis Clinch could. He was headed for a layup.
Clinch, though, hustled back, contested the shot, forced a miss, and Tech rebounded. That was a big play.
Back to Zam. He’s scored back-to-back career highs of 19 and 22 points while playing 23 minutes each game off the bench. He’d been averaging about 30. Coach Paul Hewitt said he thinks the reduced minutes might make him fresher, and he sure had fresh legs a couple times when blowing by defenders.
Coming off the bench seems to help him mentally, too. He said he gets a chance to watch the way things are unfolding for one thing. That helps him get a feel for the game. Also, when starting, he said if he misses a shot or two he starts to feel like he’s at fault. Perhaps that messes with his psyche. There may be more pressure — although Hewitt loathes that word — when he starts.
Anyway, it’ll take a lot more of the same Wednesday at North Carolina, where Tech will need Anthony Morrow to re-join the offense and probably will need a little more offense inside from Jeremis Smith.
Later.
Matt
Permalink | Comments (12) | Categories: Basketball
