AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2007 > December > 05 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USStop thinking, and start balling
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The good news is Tech played with some moxie down the stretch Wednesday night. The bad news? Well, you need a list.
If the Jackets didn’t summon moxie or something of the sort from deep within over the final 10 minutes last night, they would be 0-3 this season against three mid-majors who entered their games against Tech with a combined record against ACC teams of 1-72.
Georgia State had Tech on the ropes, for sure, with leads of 40:32 with 15:32 remaining, and 51-45 with 10:01 left.
The Jackets haven’t played a solid 20 minutes this season. They played pretty well over the final 10 minutes Wednsday to win by 5 against a team that lost by 30 to Florida State.
After missing four straight free throws (three by Jeremis Smith, one by Matt Causey), Tech made its final eight. That’s progress.
And Causey, Lewis Clinch and Zack Peacock made several critical plays down the stretch. It’s great that Peacock (17 points) is back, but where have some other players gone? Anthony Morrow, who was scoreless in the first half Saturday at Vandy, made Tech’s first basket, and then hit 2 of 9 the rest of the way to finish with 7 points. Jeremis may still be injured (back). Alade Aminu, who was replaced in the starting lineup by Gani Lawal, has fallen off a cliff.
He was Tech’s second-leading scorer and rebounder through the first six games, but has scored 2 in back-to-back games.
Maybe it’s just me, but he looks like he’s playing as if worried about screwing up. It looks like a lot of players are playing that way … THINKING FIRST, AND PLAYING SECOND.
Over the final 10 minutes or so, the Jackets just played. They stopped seeking perfection, and just played. That seems a solid strategy. Play your butt off, like Wednesday night spectator Mario West once did, and worry later in film study about your mistakes. Don’t think about that stuff on the court.
Causey played 31 minutes at the point after starting, Miller 9. Bell played all of his minutes, I’m pretty sure on the wing.
Causey pushes the ball instinctively, which Hewitt prefers. He was pushing with a rocket on his back over the final 10 minutes.
He made a fabulous long pass, cross-court, on the run to Clinch for a 3-pointer to tie the game at 58 with 6:28 left. Clinch dribbled into the middle of the lane on the next possession, elevated in traffic, and hit a big 16-footer.
Peacock’s jumper with 5:13 left gave the Jackets the lead for good, at 60-58.
A few minutes later, Causey poked the ball loose from Kevin Lott near the top of the (defensive) arc, pushed, and still couldn’t separate from Lott. Good thing Jeremis was busting his you-know-what to catch up. Still, a helluva play was yet to come from Causey. He probably wouldn’t have made the shot with Lott looming, but kept his dribble, pulled up hard under the basket, and after a 180-degree turn hit the hard-charging Smith for a layup. He missed the ensuing free throw, but Causey led a runout on the next play and fed the ball hard and deep to Clinch for a dunk and a 64-58 lead with 3:02 left.
Free throws sealed the deal; two by Causey, two by Clinch, two by Peacock, and two more by Clinch.
This was shaping up as a nightmare for Tech, playing at State for just the second time, and first time since 1973 (a loss). The crowd was jacked. UNC-Greensboro was 0-24 against ACC schools, and beat Tech. Winthrop was 1-29 against the ACC, and beat Tech. State was 0-19 against ACC schools (both wins against Tech came in the 70s, when Tech wasn’t in the ACC).
Tech can thank Paul Hewitt’s friendship with Ga. State AD Mary McElroy (also a neighbor, and former Tech association AD) for what almost happened. He joked with her after the game that he was not going to be in a good mood when the kids are picked up for car pool Thursday morning.
He wasn’t in a good mood Wednesday night, either. The Jackets ran into three blue streaks. The Panthers (2-5) and their crowd first, and then Hewitt. He saved his blue for the post-game, where players only were his audience.
At 4-4, this team is below where it wants to be, likely should be. Talent isn’t the issue, even if the point guard situation is unsettled (it didn’t completely settle itself in one night, by the way). This is not to say the Jackets should be 8-0, or 7-1, or that they have the material to be a 23-win team.
But tough schedule or not, they have the makings of better than 4-4 with a 5-point win at Georgia State.
The Jackets, though, need to stop thinking, and start playing. Clinch said after the game, “We’re focusing so hard on execution … “
They need to do everything with more force. Trying hard isn’t enough, and sometimes they don’t try hard enough anyway. This team can’t afford anything but max effort all the time. And they have to attach force to their actions on every play.
Just play fellas, and leave the quest for perfection to gymnasts.
Comments
By Jim Grogan
December 6, 2007 4:51 AM | Link to this
Regardless of early losses, in ACC basketball, if you win your last 10 games, ACC tourney and NCAA tourney, you’re National Champions. So, likely or not, there is still time to grow and gel and have a great year. That’s why it’s called March Madness.
By Greg
December 6, 2007 6:23 AM | Link to this
Matt, you write: “Maybe it’s just me, but he looks like he’s playing as if worried about screwing up. It looks like a lot of players are playing that way … THINKING FIRST, AND PLAYING SECOND.”
This is the Hewitt legacy in a nutshell.
By aw
December 6, 2007 6:25 AM | Link to this
GaTech could possibly get a better deal on a football coach if they would go for a two for one deal.They dont have much of a basketball coach. iN watching several games, it is evident they are not a well coached team.LET THEM PLAY AND THEY WILL PLAY.
By jimbo's boss
December 6, 2007 7:06 AM | Link to this
These teams have been difficult to watch for a while now. I love Tech basketball, but honestly Hewitt isn’t getting it done. How do you play for the title a few years ago and field teams like we have lately. You should be progressing every year. It’s like the football team in the early 90’s. Win the national title and 3 years later win one game. You almost have to try to screw a program up to accomplish this. The Tech guys look like they are playing together for the first time every time I watch them.
By Delusional Tech Crybaby
December 6, 2007 7:24 AM | Link to this
Don’t worry guys. Uh,….oh lets see here….um……oh I’ve got it!!! Golf season is right around the corner!!! We’re a golf school remember? Go Jackets!!!
By scooter11
December 6, 2007 8:17 AM | Link to this
Matt’s still getting paid by the word. I thought this was a blog, not the write-up on the game.
By bwash21
December 6, 2007 8:36 AM | Link to this
This team is so mechanical offensively. They look like a 7th grade team trying to get from place to place in the offense. If they don’t get a wide open 3 pt look or a layup off the break, this team can’t score. There is not enough movement and frankly now 8 gms in, I think we’ll be lucky to win 3 gms in the ACC. This team is not progressing with Hewitt running the show. I don’t know what’s happening in practice but Aminu plays 5 minutes last night? I don’t understand. Next on tap, Kansas by 30.
By RAMBLE ON!
December 6, 2007 9:22 AM | Link to this
FIRE PAUL HEWITT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He to busy heading up the Black Coaches Club or whatever it’s called.
By GTinNC
December 6, 2007 10:16 AM | Link to this
You want evidence about the Bball coaching at Tech - Hewitt has the team running a weave at the top of the key against a zone. He recruits athletes so that we are strong defensively which will lead to a high energy offense - we are last in the ACC in defense and it is painful to watch our offense. D’Andre Bell starting and having more playing time at point guard than Matt Causey? Time for a new basketball coach.
By RAMBLE ON!
December 6, 2007 10:31 AM | Link to this
Kansas’s bench will get more playing time against us then the starters. It’s going to be ugly!!!!!
Lets see, down by 20 against Vanderbilt at half time, this will be bad.
When it’s time for the UNC’s and the Dukies…it will be 40 point losses. It will be interesting to see if (no make that when) the team quits on us again under Hewitt.
By stings to lose
December 6, 2007 11:43 AM | Link to this
Wow…Tech won a road game!
By ben
December 6, 2007 11:52 AM | Link to this
Team needs a quarterback that it hasn’t had since Jarret Jack. Hewitt seems to feel that’s unimportant, that if you have 14 gazelles running at full speed 2 minutes at a time that your are better. Leave Causey at QB, let him get to know 4 other players on the court for extended periods and watch the team grow. No one in the history of basketball has succesfully played a 12 man rotation.
By RAMBLE ON!
December 6, 2007 12:34 PM | Link to this
Ben how right you are, sir!
It won’t happen, Hewitt can’t even figure out a starting line up.
By Zgoldatl
December 6, 2007 2:38 PM | Link to this
whats happening in the football coaching search? I have been really busy for about 24 hours and havent heard anything new. How did the interview go yesterday?
By Noah Langdale
December 6, 2007 3:35 PM | Link to this
Matt, Ignore scooter, I thought this was a great write up.
I’m a GSU grad but a lifelong Tech fan. I’m encouraged that Rod Barnes may get the bb program at State competitive in their conference. It would be great for the Panthers to put together an NCAA or NIT tourney team every couple of years. Congrats go to Paul Hewitt and Mary McElroy for bringing the crosstown rivalry to the concrete campus.
Having said that, Tech’s talent alone should have them 15-20 points better than State. Even the announcer on ESPNU noted that Tech had better get it in gear or this season will be a complete meltdown. Here’s hoping this team can find some chemistry and start playing up to potential.
By trout
December 6, 2007 4:42 PM | Link to this
its called OVER COACHING. And Smith is probably the worst at picking up his dribble 15 feet away from the basket. Happens 5 times a game. Just run and play.
By the way, what happened to Mo Miller? Is he any good or is his back still bothering him?
By West coast
December 6, 2007 8:23 PM | Link to this
Need to appraoch offense with the purpose of attacking and scoring and not passing and thinking.
By Pensacola Dog
December 7, 2007 11:19 AM | Link to this
I’ve watched Causey since he was 7 years old, he was the point guard on my sons AAU 15under state champs, he is a gamer, let him run the show and you will reap the benifits he is a winner!
By EasyCharlie
December 9, 2007 7:11 PM | Link to this
“… and start Balling?”
Last time I looked “balling” meant something else entirely. Oh, I get it, another AJC clever writer bein’ cute…
By Jack G
December 9, 2007 8:40 PM | Link to this
Hewett——DRAD just got rid of one of Braines big mistakes——You will be number two.——Then all will be right in Jacket land
By Jack G
December 9, 2007 8:47 PM | Link to this
Is Tubby available??
By Tubby ain't available
December 12, 2007 12:09 AM | Link to this
Hewitt is a Good Coach but GT ain’t Duke and will not rise to greatness under the guidance of any HC. PH has no control over young guys going pro,and the loss of JCrit to NBA will sting a little. It’s early and PH will get GT into Big Dance so the fans should quit calling for his job!
By Pensacola Dog
December 19, 2007 12:52 PM | Link to this
Coach Hewitt blew the Kansas game. Why try some oddball play rather than put the ball in Causey’s hands bringing the ball up the court, he is a point guard not a reciever!!!!
By Pensacola Dog
December 19, 2007 12:52 PM | Link to this
Coach Hewitt blew the Kansas game. Why try some oddball play rather than put the ball in Causey’s hands bringing the ball up the court, he is a point guard not a reciever!!!!