AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2006 > November > 21
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Jackets show mettle in first test
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
So Tech was finally tested Monday, getting kicked where it hurts in the first half by Purdue. And then, the young Yellow Jackets bowed up. Good stuff.
You knew this was coming, it had to happen. After three scrimmages in which it was easy to rave about so much of what the Jackets did, somebody had to bang ‘em around a bit. And Purdue did. Tech didn’t help itself much in the first 17 minutes or so, jacking up some ridiculous shots while missing 19 of the Jackets’ first 26 — often even when covered by multiple defenders.
And Paul Hewitt acted exactly like he knew it was coming, and hardly cared (though you know he did). The Tech coach was much louder and more animated in the second half, even after the Jackets pulled away. As he low-keyed it in the first half, it was like watching a parent let his kids climb a tree for the first time, knowing they’d fall and hurt themselves.
So after flailing repeatedly, and slipping behind 24-17, the Jackets got up, didn’t bother dusting off, and climbed like mad. They scored just a point a minute for the first 17, and then 62 points over the next 23 minutes. They sorted out their own mess and cleaned it up. Purdue could do little about it, and this Purdue team, by the way, is considerably better than the mess that was 9-19 last season with a slew of injuries.
There’s a moxie about this squad unlike whatever pox draped the Jackets last year, and it starts where it should, at the point. Javaris Crittenton not only gets it, but he can play. It’s quite possible to have one of the two going for you, but not the other. He has both, and enough fussing about him forcing his offense. He took just nine shots, hit four, and nailed 11 of 12 free throws. Add five assists, and you have more good stuff.
Subplots abound for Tech, which figures to be tested even more today by No. 12 Memphis, which, like Tech, is young, deep and frenetic (and similarly poor at the free-throw line, other than Crittenton, Lewis Clinch and Anthony Morrow).
Talking to Ra’Sean Dickey after the game, he made an interesting comment on how he’s decided to focus on rebounding and defense. He lost his starting job to a freshman, yet hasn’t caved. He’s leading the team in rebounding off the bench, scoring some, defending far better than ever (he had two blocks and disturbed several other shots Monday). Now there’s a team mentality, although I still think the Jackets may find themselves counting on his scoring at points this season.
The guy who replaced him, Zach Peacock, hit a three-pointer and a few jumps shots on the way to 13 points. Before you say a center shouldn’t be shooting treys, know that Hewitt has warned to watch for that part of Peacock’s game. Paul doesn’t have a problem with Peacock taking that shot, as long as it’s in rhythm, and within the flow of the offense. That’s diversity.
Plenty of hoops to be played, and who knows whether injuries will be a factor. One potential problem that jumps out at me concerning Morrow. Clinch has started because Morrow missed the first few weeks of practice while mending from a stress fracture in his back. He’s still not completely right physically, I don’t think. There’s a real possibility that as long as Clinch keeps playing the way he is, Morrow remains a reserve even when he returns to full health. How will he react? If he handles it the way Dickey handled his move, good news (not that Ra’Sean was happy, but he was professional even though he’s not a pro). It doesn’t seem like Morrow’s personality, but if he were to go the other way, or even to brood too openly, what effect might that have?
Tech’s top two players from last year, Dickey and Morrow, are coming off the bench now, and another who struggled down the stretch last season while battling back and knee problems, Jeremis Smith, is playing like a rejuvenated — and healthy — man. Who couldn’t predicted such a turnaround? Can he stay healthy?
Who knows if any of this will matter? Nobody. But it might.
There’s a lot of positive mojo around the Jackets, and I don’t think a loss will derail it. Hewitt says defense will determine his team’s success rate. Perhaps it’ll come down to something else that’s much more difficult to predict, or explain. Ebb and flow will come. It always does. The freshmen eventually will struggle. Morrow probably will get healthy. Players will ail. None of that may be as important as egos remaining so wonderfully checked and balanced as they are right now.
