AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2008 > February > 17 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USWhat’s going on here?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’m not sure what to make of Georgia Tech’s men’s basketball team. And I haven’t seen a satisfying explanation for what has happened to the Jackets this season.
They had the talent to go toe-to-toe with Kansas to the final minute, and they showed that was no fluke by doing the same thing to North Carolina. But they’re 11-13. And they lost to UNC Greensboro. And they keep losing home games.
They looked awful and sluggish at Clemson. But they played hard on Sunday against Miami, played good defense and still lost, by missing 9 of 21 free throws and by making 15 first-half turnovers against a team that didn’t press or trap. Coaches like to talk about “valuing possession,” and Tech doesn’t seem to do that. (In ACC games, only Virginia Tech has more turnovers than Georgia Tech, 165-164.)
So that’s part of the problem. But is there something bigger? Is it the lack of a dominating player, the kind you can depend on game after game?
Matt Causey plays with as much energy and guts as anyone on the team, and if that means a few bad decisions that might just be a price Tech has to pay. Anthony Morrow, who worked hard to become more than just a spot-up shooter, still doesn’t have enough game to be sure of finding a way to get things going when that shot isn’t falling. Maurice Miller is up and down at the point.
Jeremis Smith is good for about 10 points and 8 rebounds. D’Andre Bell has become more than just a defense-first role player.
Gani Lawal, like many freshmen, looks full of potential one day and disappears the next. He did the latter on Sunday, with two points, two rebounds and 0 for 3 shooting from the field in 16 minutes. But what happened to Lewis Clinch (0 for 5, 0 points, 4 fouls, 15 minutes)?
The parts look like they should be a little better than the whole that the Jackets have become. Why?
By the way, whatever it is, this is bad timing. Tech plays neither North Carolina nor Duke home-and-home this season. Virginia Tech and Wake are the only other teams that get that advantage. And Wake only gets to play one game against last-place Virginia.
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Comments
By I saw the game
February 18, 2008 9:01 AM | Link to this
Yes, the whole season has been a roller coaster ride. Just when I’m about to give up, the boys finally play with some intensity and a spark of “TEAM” work. They have actually run some plays this year! That being said, Sunday’s game versus Miami was the worst excuse for officiating I have ever seen. I’ve seen lots of bad officials, but the crap those guys pulled was downright ridiculous. I tried to watch as an unbiased observer - but even fouls that should have been called both ways were ridiculous. Poor Matt Causey took the brunt of it - the Miami coach was on his case for carrying the ball the whole game, until the ref finally called him for carrying - when he WASN’T. And the last second three pointer that he hit was OUTRAGEOUS. There was no way to not call the foul on that - he’s probably still covered in bruises from being body checked so hard. If I was an administrator at Tech, I would be requesting a review of that game to the ACC. I don’t care that you won’t get much in return - just make sure those refs never get to call a game in Division I again.
It sure is hard to win a game when you’re playing 5 on 8!
By Jimmy
February 23, 2008 3:08 PM | Link to this
Unbiased observer?? Who are you kidding?? During that last three by Causey, HE jumped up into the defender, while the guy just stood there. It’s obvious Causey(smartly) was trying to draw a foul, but it was a good no call.