AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2007 > November > 28 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USJackets fought; Gordon threw haymakers
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia Tech showed up for a basketball game Tuesday night in Bloomington, Ind., and a football game broke out. Or rather a football player broke out.
Eric Gordon is desribed as a physical player, unusual for a guard. I’d describe Indiana’s supremely talented freshman two-man as a Clydesdale with moves, a handle, a shooting stroke and a different set of rules by which to work.
He’s really, really good. No doubt. He’d be a heck of a running back, too. He should have been called for charging at least three times in Indiana’s 83-79 win over the Jackets.
Dude blasts to the basket with impunity. He has remarkable body control, and gets off a good shot often even with players leaning on him. Often though, there are defenders leaning on him because he runs into them.
His 3-pointer for a 75-65 lead was a blatant example of what I’m writing about. He hit Matt Causey twice, the second time knocking him backward while dribbling the ball. Then, he stepped back and drilled the long ball.
He’s the best player I’ve seen in two years. But it helps to have a different set of rules.
Even with Gordon, and all the talent of D.J. White (18 points, 14 rebounds) and a very nice — if short-staffed — supporting cast, the Hoosiers had their hands full.
If the Jackets play with that kind of intensity on a regular basis, and Zack Peacock and Maurice Miller knock off the rust accumulated from their recent injuries, Tech can compete with just about any college team I’ve seen on TV so far.
Tech hit 47 percent from the field, Indiana 49 percent.
Tech was out-rebounded 25-16 in the first half on the way to a four-point deficit, but had four more rebounds then Indiana in the second half, when both teams scored 45.
Tech had 17 assists and 13 turnovers. Indiana had 10 assists and 17 turnovers.
Tech outscored Indiana 40-30 in the paint, 16-9 on second-chance points, 13-4 in layup points, and 22-2 in bench points (helped hugely by Gani Lawal’s 17 points, three rebounds and three blocks in just 16 minutes).
It came down to this: Indiana hit 28 of 38 free throws, Tech 11 of 20. Sure, that’s bad free throw shooting by the Jackets, but the disparity in attempts was the difference.
Gordon hit 13 of 16 from the line. Yes, he puts the ball on the floor, and attacks, kind of like North Carolina’s Tyler Hansbrough does in the post. But after a while its silly watching almost every instance of contact ruled to be a blocking foul on the defensive team and NOT ONE charging call whistled on Gordon.
Peacock was rusty, Miller too. Lawal looked great, and Lewis Clinch is hitting his stride in consecutive games. (7 of his last 9 3-pointers). The Jackets had one really bad stretch, late in the first half, when they took some poor shots and missed some bunnies. Jeremis Smith hoisted and missed a 3-pointer, and another shot where he was standing on the line. Clinch missed two very short shots, D’Andre Bell and Lawal one each in that stretch as well as Indiana used some zone, a rarity for the Hoosiers.
Hewitt did not play Sheehan, Faye or Storrs. That probably doesn’t guarantee that they’re going to be out of the rotation, but Hewitt made it clear after the game that some of his players have been hard-pressed to learn that wanting to play doesn’t mean getting to play, and that playing times comes with the willingness to pay a price — max effort.
The return of Peacock, and the production of Lawal meant that Aminu played just 21 minutes. It doesn’t matter if he’s happy about this. It’s not about keeping everybody happy with their playing time. It’s about getting production. And again, Tech outscored Indiana 40-30 in the paint. The shorter player rotation worked, not that it’s the sole reason Tech’s effort was encouraging.
Tech lost to a talented team that played in a building where it has won 21 straight and was ticked after losing by 15 to Xavier Saturday. Plus, the Hoosiers got some home cooking, or at least Gordon did, from officials.
There were plenty of positive signs, less from any one player than from a collective sense of urgency the Jackets played with.
“That’s the type of effort you have to put out if you’re going to be a good basketball team,” Hewitt said. “I think we’re a talented group, but two of our losses early in the year I don’t think we sustained any kind of effort. If we keep doing that, and we get those guys that came back from injury to knock the rust off, we’ll be a better team.”
Asked why the Jackets were suddenly able to summon this energy, Hewitt — who earlier said that it also was apparent against Notre Dame last week — said, “Immaturity. That’s a great question.”
Pressed, he said, “Because they’re tired of losing. I’ve been preaching it every day of my life in this game. It’s a team game. Help the helper on defense, pass the ball, be in position to help your teammates out all the time. Good teams do it. Some teams take a little longer to get it. I think we’re going to be fine.
“If you watched the Greensboro game and this game, you’d say it was two totally different teams out there. Against Greensboro, we had no interest in helping anybody on defense. We didn’t defend well on screens. Today, I thought our effort was much better.”
It stinks being 3-3, but Tech looked like a very good 3-3 team last night, a team that may be able to make noise if they keep their internal noise in check, and pay the price.
Comments
By chuck m
November 28, 2007 2:18 AM | Link to this
home cooking? this reads like someone who doesn’t know basketball from touch football. when someone gets a step on someone else, the defender has to move their body and their feet. it’s not up to the offensive player to slow down or top unless someone has position. if it was touch football, sure, then gordon was downed and dead where he was. this is basketball though, and gordon understands how to play… and score. i’m sure some refs might have called it differently, but the game didn’t look all that strangely officiated to me.
if they’d played gordon as well as xavier did, he would have scored less. can’t blame a scorer for scoring. you can blame a defender for giving up position or being slow. jackets will be fine. give it up though… even if the refs were to blame, it would be up to the defenders to play differently. gordon can be neutralized. the jackets had the whole game to do it - and didn’t - so they got beat. besides, d.j. white is the reason they really won. if they’d held position against him and quit doubling him, they’d have been able to keep gordon around 20. let white get 25, and shut the guards down. it was the late guard play of indiana that was the difference - when they collapsed on white more - that won the game. it’s not the refs. the author is serving home cooking, not the refs.
By charlottebuzz
November 28, 2007 6:01 AM | Link to this
Matt, I too was impressed with the effort but thought Tech lost the game because of the little things they didn’t do. They didn’t make free throws finishing with 11 of 20. If they make 4 more to get to 75% its a different game. Several layups were missed, even a 3 on 1 break, that looked to be sure baskets. Its not doing the fundmentals that has dissapointed me with Hewitt’s teams over the last few years and certainly cost Tech a few games. I can say that I’m more optimistic about the team after seeing this game and that Eric Gordon was a monster. I can’t remember us not being able to guard anyone like that since Felton used to just blow by people on his way to the hoop.
By Burdell's Brother
November 28, 2007 7:54 AM | Link to this
Hate that we lost the game, but the effort is there. Our lack of a tru PG is going to hurt.
By Rickster
November 28, 2007 8:02 AM | Link to this
Until Tech rids themselves of Paul Hewitt, they will never have a decent basketball team. Every year we get high hopes only to have a mediocre team at best. The man should be forced to repay part of his earnings since he’s not providing the services he was hired to provide.
By GT
November 28, 2007 8:31 AM | Link to this
Rickster,every year would be the year that Hewitt got to the finals of the NCAA. This team has some good material and the man represents the school with some dignity, enough already. Indiana has always had “home cooking” and Matt has never been known as a homer and MW shows guts bringing up what is his honest opinion. The kitchen may be getting hot for the Indiana coach with the NCAA investigation, which is a fact Matt was nice enough not to bring up, so while you are lecturing about charging as if you invented basketball, explain in 100 words or less how your coach is not cheating.
By HIAWASSEE
November 28, 2007 8:41 AM | Link to this
COACH,THE WHITEBOY IS YOUR POINT GUARD.
By scooter11
November 28, 2007 8:57 AM | Link to this
Wait ‘til baseball season. Matt still getting paid by the word. Must be a different set of rules he writes under.
By WPinAZ
November 28, 2007 9:56 AM | Link to this
We need a STUD point guard. I’m not impressed with Miller. I don’t think it’s rust. I think it’s FEAR. Same with Lowal. Tech’s biggest problem (other than the coach) is the lack of a STUD point guard. All the GOOD teams have one. Tech is not a good team, just an average team. Another disapointing season ahead on the flats. Go Jackets!
By ND
November 28, 2007 10:01 AM | Link to this
The main thing that bothers me is all the subbing. GT scored I think the first 7 pts of the 2nd half. Once that first media TO passed the same 5 didn’t stay on the floor for more than a min and a half. My expectations aren’t high simply b/c for years we never know what team is gonna show up to play. Better to not expect much and then be happy when they play well and win then to think they will play like they did last night every time out. It won’t happen. And my gosh hit some freakn FTs.
By chuck m
November 28, 2007 10:09 AM | Link to this
seems like something someone typed touched a nerve with GT… in any case… blaming the refs is a sure-fire way to excuse actions that should be addressed. anyone who’s rooting for a team (the name “GT” suggests that you’re a tech fan) would want to have better actions taken in the next game. who cares if a ref does just what YOU think is the right call? the fact is that the ref has a job to do, and will do it the way they see fit. so, even if they call it favoring a certain team, the team you favor will need to address certain changes if they want to win a game the next time they are in a game with that ref calling it. ed hightower was calling the game, i believe, and he is a very acive (and usually well-respected, but apparently you GT and MW will not be sending him any christmas cards) official in the midwest, so the yellowjackets may face him again, if they play an NCAA tournament game, particularly if it’s in the midwest. if you think the smart thing to do is whine, then enjoy it. doesn’t change the fact that the jackets would be smarter to address their defensive lapses. they really could have won the game if they’d played better.
By yellarjacket4life
November 28, 2007 10:58 AM | Link to this
WPinAZ - I agree with your statement about Mo Miller playing scared, but you can’t lump Lawal in with Miller after last night’s game. Lawal played great, especially on the offensive end and he had a couple of blocks as well. Jeremis and Aminu had off nights offensively and Lawal came in and gave us some much needed low post scoring. He definitely looked like a different player than what we saw in the Paradise Jam Tourney.
Also, Miller is just a freshman and missed the previous three games with a back injury, not to mention he was playing in his first real road game, so I would not give up on him just yet. I like his quickness, but his decision making with the basketball must get better. Indiana started to pull away right after Miller tried to throw the behind the back pass to Peacock which led to a fast break for Indiana. On the next possession Miller was wide open underneath the basket and missed a point blank layup and Indiana went right down the court and hit a 3 and we never recovered.
I was very pleased with our effort in this game, which makes me think we could be pretty good if we can start defending and get consistent play from our point guards. By the way, Indiana has no business being ranked #15. Aside from Gordon, I was not overly impressed.
By reebok
November 28, 2007 11:04 AM | Link to this
Absolutely appalling that a team at this supposed level can shoot this badly. Can’t make layups, can’t make tip-ins, CAN’T MAKE FREE THROWS. Blaming the officiating is even worse. Make a shot now and then and you’ll be surprised how many calls start going your way.
By GT45
November 28, 2007 11:25 AM | Link to this
I haven’t seen the passing and unselfishness that I saw last night in a long time. Even if we may not win them all, it was as enjoyable to watch as any I’ve watched in a long time. We got to make free throws-our old nemesis, and got to make the easy ones, which will come.
By ArkyTech
November 28, 2007 11:36 AM | Link to this
When you don’t stop a team off the dribble - ever, all night - they are going to live at the foul line. Gordon’s a stud, but my gosh he’s a freshman who played 40 minutes and was still going to the basket at the end like it was a cone drill! I thought the officiating was fine - Tech was slow to rotate all night and was just hoping someone run over them.
We saw this two years ago with a “moral victory” loss at Michigan State. Tech never got any better that year. I’m not going to believe any differently about this year until I see it.
Too early to tell on Miller. He’ll be starting again by ACC schedule. We need him. Also, glad to see the rotation cut down to players who could contribute.
It sure is fun to watch Morrow and Clinch shoot the rock!
By ben
November 28, 2007 11:59 AM | Link to this
Matt, agree that Gordon got all the calls, but so do all the great programs and players, so you live with it. The team looked greatly improved, but what bothers me is the hallmark of Hewitt coached teams- they just don’t play smart. 50% free throw shooting on the road will get you an L every time. And Hewitt’s insistance on having an athlete rather than a basketball player on the floor is disturbing. Causey has more point guard skills than anyone on the team. He’s undersized and doesn’t play defense like Bell, but you don’t try to force a square peg into a round hole. I understand the old Kentucky and Arkansas “40 minutes of hell” system, but it hasn’t worked in a while, and even Coach K has changed his style to adapt to the game this year.
By john
November 28, 2007 12:03 PM | Link to this
Please! We let down the conference again. 6 games into it so far and the ACC has won 5 - the only loss being ours. Add to that Indiana suspending a player that had been contributing 13 points a game, and you see we really aren’t that good. Our overall record has us presently in last place in our conference. Come March, no one will remember we fought hard and almost won. Come March, QUANTITY (of wins) is all that matters. Don’t believe the hype. You need, at the minimum, 20 wins. We have 3. Many other teams already have 7 or 8. Our schedule will not allow us to win anywhere near 17 more games. Poor DRAD, once he handles football, he will have to start on basketball. I hear the seats aren’t filling there anymore - sound familiar??!!
By Anthony Serna
November 28, 2007 12:06 PM | Link to this
I question P-Hew. I question the ‘individual instruction’ in practice that lead to individual play in games. I question the PGs. HOWEVER, let’s be fair. We don’t have our ‘full hand’ until late December — assuming Dickey becomes eligible and he gets a couple weeks to fit in. At that point — hoping our record stays positive — we can assess this team’s heart, soul and chemistry.
This was an improved effort in Bloomington, but my feeling is that Indiana is overrated. They started at No. 8, dropped to No. 15, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they drop out of the Top 25 early in the Big 10 season. This loss is not going to look that good in March. Indiana is thin in the post, foul trouble to DJ White will doom them, and teams will figure out Gordon and be able to slow him down a bit — especially if they become a perimeter team.
Hold all positive and negative comments in check until early January.
btw, Matt, keep the words flowing. If they don’t like your stuff, these ‘Monday morning journalists’ can go to espn.com and read Dickie V. jonesin’ on and on about Duke and UNC.
OG-T
By neilmarlowe
November 28, 2007 5:03 PM | Link to this
Tech needs a floor leader. Too bad Crit is not still with us. Somebody is going to have to take charge. PH needs to settle on 7-8 fellas and get them working together. foul shooting needs to improve.
Can we go 8-8 in the ACC? Maybe.
By neilmarlowe
November 28, 2007 5:04 PM | Link to this
Tech needs a floor leader. Too bad Crit is not still with us. Somebody is going to have to take charge. PH needs to settle on 7-8 fellas and get them working together. foul shooting needs to improve.
Can we go 8-8 in the ACC? Maybe.
By kshizzle
November 28, 2007 5:12 PM | Link to this
Without Dickey, our best low post option is probably Alade Aminu. He’s gotten a lot better, but he is better in the flow down low, no really making post up moves. I’m excited to see what we can do to with Dickey getting double if not triple teamed when he gets the ball. If he shows improvement in kicking the ball out (got better I thought last year) then Morrow and Clinch should have ample looks at the 3. I do not think there are many teams with the that have 2 guys with the skill that these 2 have at knocking down the 3 point shot. Dickey was said to be in great shape, has one of the best post moves I’ve seen in awhile and is at least our second best rebounder. Given that he’s having to sit out now my hope is that his previous motivational issues are non existant.
By Clemson Mania
November 28, 2007 9:16 PM | Link to this
nice class!
http://georgiasports.blogspot.com/2007/11/why-tech-offensive-lineman-was-ejected.html
By Clemson Mania
November 28, 2007 9:16 PM | Link to this
nice class!
http://georgiasports.blogspot.com/2007/11/why-tech-offensive-lineman-was-ejected.html
By GT80
November 29, 2007 1:16 PM | Link to this
I watched the entire game and there were a few plays where Gordon drove, bumped his defender and then stepped back out. There were more plays where no defender got in front of him to stop the drive. No real bad calls as far I could tell.
This was a lot better than the first games of the season and if we can just keep from throwing the ball away things could be OK. Looks like some coaching has taken place.
If you haven’t noticed, college basketball is very completitive with parity the name of the game. There are no easy games anymore and if we can just keep working hard we will get our fair share of W’s.
By T-Bone
November 29, 2007 6:00 PM | Link to this
Some of you guys amaze me. I’ve been a GT fan since 1989, and I’ve come to accept something that I think would behoove all of you to accept: Georgia Tech will NEVER be Duke, UNC, Kansas, or UCLA. Those schools have too much basketball tradition to rise to that level. However, it is possible for GT to rise to that level on occasion (1990, 2004). The battle Tech faces is that it will always get fewer top recruits than the “big boys,” so those it does get need more time to mold and develop. In ‘05, the BJ Elder injury really cost the team four or five Ws, which probably would’ve earned a 2 or 3 seed in the tourney. After Jack left that gaping hole at PG in ‘06, it cost the program. Remember, Tech will never be able to get the volume of top recruits, so it must rely on certain groups gelling. The loss of players to the NBA affects Tech much more than the other top-tier programs because we don’t have the volume of top recruits to fall back on. To make a long story short, Tech fans need to have realistic expectations. Paul Hewitt has done a great job at Tech, and will continue to make the program competitive. They will get back to the Final Four sooner than later, but patience is the key.
By WFC
November 30, 2007 8:44 AM | Link to this
I liked what I saw vs. Indiana… improved passing and better defense. Gordon is a stud. Enjoy him this year, Hoosiers, he’s a “one and done” like Crit and Young. That brings me to GT’s problem. Hewitt can recruit but he needs to stay away from the “one and done” guys. Crit and Young helped us to a respectable but not great season as frosh but all those minutes they were given last year won’t be helping us now. We’re starting over. It’s evidence of the degeneration of the NBA that two players who couldn’t even dominate in the ACC were drafted so highly. They were good college frosh players but not Oden or Durant. You’ll never convince me that having two guys on your team who haven’t paid their dues but who have “one foot in the NBA” is good for “team basketball.” Also, Hewitt needs to re-evaluate his “long and lean” philosophy of recruiting and look for some players who understand the game. Got lucky with Causey as a competent fill-in til Miiller is ready. Watch how Duke’s frosh play.
By bill
November 30, 2007 12:49 PM | Link to this
Shortening the bench every game to 8-9 players defeats Hewitt’s philosophy. Tech will have their best players playing with 4 fouls virtually every game at crunch time. Storrs and Faye should be used 6-8 minutes to keep pressure on opponents. Right now, neither are playing well defensively to deserve more time. Again, Storrs and Miller are learning. Problem is that Clinch still hasn’t learned how to guard on the perimeter and since Miller, Storrs aren’t there yet, we are getting killed on the perimeter defensively. Causey gives everything he has, but against quick guards ,like Gordon, his slow feet feet could really hurt unless the others develop rapidly. Clinch has to score 15 a game to make up for his defense. This team still has a way to go, but don’t quit on them. The schedule they play will make them ACC ready. Question beckons on whether talent level is there. BTW…SICK of Jay “I COME IN PEACE” Bilas trashing Tech. Been blasting us since 2005. Comment that “Indiana should be pummelling Tech” is indicative of his bias.