AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2007 > November > 19 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USErratic 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
Comments
By Tech05
November 19, 2007 8:55 AM | Link to this
We’re already talking about basketball? I guess we just going to lay down and UGA beat the snot out of us again in football.
By Matt Winkeljohn
November 19, 2007 10:13 AM | Link to this
“Already” talking basketball?
Football talk will come. But I didn’t come to this tournament to ignore Tech.
There will be plenty of football chatter all week.
Matt
By Mirna from smyrna
November 19, 2007 10:15 AM | Link to this
I think we take you in hoops also!
Go Dawgs…
By quaildawg
November 19, 2007 10:19 AM | Link to this
Let’s see…It’s UGA-GT week and the AJC leads Monday AM with a blog about BASKETBALL???!!!! In the words of Colorado’s FB Coach. “This ain’t INTRAMURALS!!! THIS IS BIG (12) TIME FOOTBALL!!!” Screw a blog on BB even the DAWG fans want to read some inside on Tech football. Shame on me, what should I expect from someone named…Winkeljohn?!
By yellarjacket4life
November 19, 2007 10:49 AM | Link to this
Matt, I found the game on some crazy Fox College Sport station I didn’t even know I had. We definitely outplayed Winthrop in the first half. Our half court defensive was pretty impressive and we made some outside shots early. We had a big advanatage over Winthrop in the post, but never went back to Aminu or Smith late in the game. It seemed like we settled for contested jump shots either off the dribble or from deep three.
Once we had the 10 point lead, we seemed to relax too much with the ball. Winthrop hit two 3’s and stole a pass from Causey and he got called for a bogus intentional foul and all of sudden the lead was 3. It could have been worse.
We looked totally confused on offensive in the second half. Bell is a great defender, but he does not have enough ball handling skills to run the point. Also, when Bell is at the point our offensive sets are slow and anemic. I think Bell should get significant minutes, but not at the point, especially when Mo Miller comes back. Causey gives us the best chance to be able to run an offense, but so far he stays in foul trouble.
Clinch has got to get back into form from last year. He really hurt us in the second half by taking very tough shots off the dribble and throwing the ball away. I counted at least three times in the second half on crucial possessions where Clinch turned the ball over by trying to force passes through traffic and leading to fastbreaks for Winthrop.
Take nothing away from Winthrop, they shot lights out in the second half, but this is a game Tech should win period. We have too many athletes to let a team as small as Winthrop beat us on the boards!
By yellowblood
November 19, 2007 11:16 AM | Link to this
What troubles me is the total lack of intensity. If we are having this kind of problem out of conference what is the ACC going to look like. All in all we won’t be having many Tickle Piles this winter!
By Joe
November 19, 2007 11:22 AM | Link to this
That was a good one Quaildawg!!!!! Bulldog fans can read!!!! If so, go read your own team’s blog and stay out of ours.Besides, I think an Auburn fan read it to you!
By DawgHouse
November 19, 2007 11:54 AM | Link to this
Hang On Nerds, here we come!!!
WOOF WOOF!!!
By RAMBLE ON!
November 19, 2007 12:51 PM | Link to this
Matt the bottome line is our coach stinks!!
He’s worse than Gailey, the team will quit on him again this year, like they have the past two.
But, no body in the country can dunk a basketball better than we can.
By George P
November 19, 2007 1:09 PM | Link to this
Winklejohn just wanted a boondoggle to the beach. He somehow talked his editor into it, and thus must at least blog about BB, even though its rivalry week and Chan is hanging by a thread.
By GT45
November 19, 2007 1:20 PM | Link to this
You mangey illigitamates are bragging about beating a .500 record ACC team, already? Well, I guess if we have to throw in the towel, already, all I can say is, “Go Vols!” Man, if they win out, there goes your BCS dreams.
By stings to lose
November 19, 2007 1:47 PM | Link to this
second half…very few rebonds…and like Matt said…did not hit shots.
Even if Wint did “pack it in”, why would Tech just settle for long jumpers? Tech was taller, so why not still go inside???
So, now just beat ND…it also is on Fox Sports.
By quaildawg
November 19, 2007 1:57 PM | Link to this
Joe, Better that you try to encourage your,Ahem, Team to protect their turf than worry about my viewing the Tech blog. You speak as though you have never ventured into the Dawg blogs (doubtful). To point out your ignorance the dig is more at the consistent AJC incompetence than anything to do with your precious Jackets. I truly don’t expect to decipher any game secrets from Tech beat writers. Good luck on Saturday and may the best team win!
By CAS
November 19, 2007 2:53 PM | Link to this
If you want to sell your UGA-Tech football tickets, send an email to cs2209@att.com. I need 5.
By Chris
November 19, 2007 3:03 PM | Link to this
Let’s see…the AJC sent Winklejohn to the Virgin Islands for the basketball tourney so he could write about…football? That’s dumb. His assignment was the basketball team and Knobler is covering the football team (although his blogs are usually just a question for the commenters to debate.)
So why would Matt write a football blog again?
By ben
November 19, 2007 4:36 PM | Link to this
What happened to Hewitt? He seemed so full of promise…
By scooter11
November 19, 2007 5:06 PM | Link to this
Wait ‘til baseball!!!
By RAMBLE ON!
November 19, 2007 6:19 PM | Link to this
ben Hewitt worries about stuff like the NCAA should increase the tourney field, or Dick Vital shouldn’t say things about Duke because it helps recruiting, or how many blacks coaches are there. He talks about everything, excepting coaching his freaking team (which he can’t do very well anyway).
How did we make it to the championship game, two words (Jarrett Jack). He was the coach on that team.
He should be fired halfway through the season. GT will not win 4 ACC games this year.
By stings to lose
November 19, 2007 8:15 PM | Link to this
WOW…Tech led for two seconds…and WON!!!
That had to break the heart of ND!
By cooter11
November 19, 2007 8:19 PM | Link to this
scooter11…just wait until Sat! Tech will beat uga just like they beat ND tonight!
By John
November 19, 2007 10:14 PM | Link to this
**Awesome shot tonight to win game - seems like most in the stands love the Jackets! He reminds me of Mark Price. Nice to see some color on the floor for GT.
Good omen for Saturday when we shock the world and beat the Dogs. I love that Gailey says he has no surprises for Saturday. He might not - but we do - we’ll beat those sorry a@s dogs once and for all!!
SEC Championship Game!? BCS!? Ha HA - more like BS! I mean, after all, they lost to Tenn but about 30 points!!**