AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2007 > November > 19
Monday, November 19, 2007
Erratic Jackets look for identity
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Four games isn’t enough to write bottom-line conclusions about Tech’s basketball team, but it’s enough to get some ideas.
First, Winthrop is not your run-of-the-mill mid-major, having been to seven of the past nine NCAA tournaments, and finishing No. 22 in the final rankings after last season, when the Eagles beat Notre Dame in the first round.
But they’re undersized relative to Tech, not as deep, and trailed by 10 a few minutes into the second half against the Jackets.
And then they won.
You’re going to have nights when you don’t shoot well, and/or your best shooters can’t throw it in the ocean. Morrow (3 of 17) and Clinch (5 of 13) didn’t have good games, and that wasn’t because Winthrop was scheming for them. It was the contrary in the second half, when the Eagles packed it in.
They just couldn’t find their rhythm, especially in the second half (combined 3 of 18). Again, there are going to be nights like that. Although Clinch is not shooting the ball nearly as well so far this season as last, I don’t think this is symptomatic.
But Tech has been outscored in the second half of three of four games, including both losses. The only game were the Jackets outscored the opposition was at Tenn. State state, where they walloped the Tigers after trailing at half. They got jump-started when they were behind a team that had never hosted an ACC team.
Sunday night, they went slack with the 10-point lead. In both losses, they led at halftime, and looked like a different squad in the second.
The Jackets are having a hard time keeping their foot on the gas, which is a little more hard to understand because they are deep (although missing PG Maurice Miller, and post men Zack Peacock and Ra’Sean Dickey hurt), but perhaps easier to understand because they’re not getting sufficient leadership at PG.
Tech is hurting at PG, where Miller’s back likely will keep him out tonight against Notre Dame. Causey and Bell are high-effort guys, neither nearly as dynamic as Crittenton last season, but you knew that going in.
Tech had some beautiful alley-oops in the first half, a couple great follow dunks, etc. The Jackets were out-athleting Winthrop for sure. But there was a failed long alley oop in there, I believe in the second half, they were picked clean at several key junctures, and sometimes Tech’s help defense hurts.
How many times did a defender sag off his man to help on the ball only to leave somebody wide open on the weakside, or baseline, and then have that guy nail a wide-open shot once the ball was reversed or dumped deep ahead of a defense that was all above, or nearly above, the free-throw line?
Contrast that against the number of easy, uncontested shots Tech got. Big disparity.
There is a long way to go, enough talent to have a good season, Miller’s return (I’d guess by Indiana Nov. 27, but really don’t know yet) should help, and so will that of Peacock. Dickey’s still out for another month or so.
But this is more about tending to details, and intensity. “We didn’t do the little things that we’ve been taught to do,” Jeremis Smith said. “We’re a team full of veterans.”
If they are being taught, shame on the players. If they’re not, it’s a good time to start.
Matt
