AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2008 > March > 10
Monday, March 10, 2008
Hey look! Basketball can be fun
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This is not just lip service: when I say there is a very different air around the basketball team, I mean it.
Do not misinterpret. I’m not suggesting Tech is going on a tear to win the ACC tournament. I’m not making a prediction on what will happen in sum in Charlotte.
But these are not the same Jackets I saw lose five straight.
After the first 10 minutes against Clemson, when the defense was as bad for as long as at any point all season, the Jackets have had their act together.
The offense has been more efficient over the past four games than all season. They’re hanging onto the ball (15 turnovers combined in the past three halves). The defense has dialed in (28 steals last two games) with the exception of that gash against Clemson. The pressure, which coach Hewitt prefers to play, is making a difference.
So often early in the season, the Jackets played pressure as if it hurt them. Not of late. Their pressure defense has been their best defense.
They’re playing on both sides of the play without the indecision that plagued them in the five-game losing streak, with confidence like that of their three-game road winning streak.
A few individual notes, and then one very painful summation:
Gani Lawal has made 16 of his previous 23 free throws. Very good. Seriously. He also has just five rebounds in the previous three games, going three, zero, two. Not good.
Past four games, Jeremis Smith has rebounded 13, six, seven and 10 times. Very good. He had four steals at B.C.
Lewis Clinch made four of six shots, two of three 3-pointers at BC., and looked like he was comfortable shooting for the first time in ages.
Peacock has made 18 of 32 shots in the past three games, and 20 of 23 free throws over the past five games. Want him at the FT line. That’s a big reason he’s playing more minutes than Lawal (even though Gani’s been better at the line recently than he was most of the season). That and the fact Peacock has a 10-4 assist/turnover ratio lately (25-32 on the season), and Lawal’s ratio is 2-11 in the same span (9-51 for the season).
Now, Tech finished 6-8 on the road, and 4-4 in ACC games, best since the year the Jackets went to the national title games, and one of the best seasons in decades.
But the reason they’re in the pickle they’re in: 6-7 at home, 3-5 in ACC games. Those five ACC losses came by eight points. No matter the margin, that’s the reason Tech is where Tech is.
Actually, I’ll make two predictions: Tech will play very hard in Charlotte, and will beat Virginia Thursday. After that?
