AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2008 > July > 24 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USHoopsters play the transition game
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I know football looms large, but a break today toward basketball …
Obviously, now that Tech has landed yet another respected commitment (from Walton High guard Glen Rice Jr.), coach Paul Hewitt has — at least in verbal form — the foundation of a whale of a recruiting class for 2009. That is four players committed, and if the Jackets were to land South Atlanta High center Derrick Favors, it could end up the best recruiting class — or at least most-hyped — in Tech history, especially if a sixth player of significance is added down the road. Oh, and if they all stick to their commitments.
None of this addresses the upcoming season.
Say what you want about Ra’Sean Dickey’s on-and-off engine. When he was right, he was a valuable asset. Period.
With him, this was going to be a shorter roster than Hewitt typically works with. Without him, much shorter.
If the Jackets get a transfer (graduate student) like Hewitt hopes, and that person can play right away (coach said the kid is a frontcourt player), it may help quite a bit.
At a minimum, some fans who’ve longed to see Hewitt work a shorter player rotation on a game-in/game-out basis figure to get what they’ve been looking for.
What is it they say, be careful what you wish for?
As currently constituted, the Jackets’ three primary X-factors in terms of personnel for the upcoming season will be freshman guard Iman Shumpert, sophomore center Brad Sheehan and senior guard Lewis Clinch. Not necessarily in that order.
Can Shumpert play both guard spots, and play them well? Can Sheehan learn to apply his size, and the increased strength he’s acquired in the weight room, or will he leave it in the weight room? Will Clinch return to the form of his sophomore year, when he was a prolific scorer?
Then, you wonder if PG Moe Miller will continue growing at the pace he did the second half of last season? Who will rebound? Will the Jackets defend more consistently? Will Lance Storrs, Clinch, et al, be able to utilize the new 3-point line sufficiently?
A big-picture question: if not enough of these questions are answered satisfactorily, the Jackets have a poor season, and perhaps miss the NCAA tournament for the third time in four seasons, would Hewitt’s job to be in jeopardy?
Or, might the promise of a massive (in size, talent and hype) 2009 recruiting class change the thinking on that? Would that recruiting class be a job security safety net?
As for Dickey, he left largely for family reasons. Personal matters. It’s not for us to know what those issues are in specific, but I believe his mother back in S.C., weighed heavily in the decision.
In my mind, there is this, too: Dickey has a chronic knee problem, as you all probably know, that is the result of a very serious childhood football injury. It wasn’t treated properly. It likely will always be a problem. Given that, he may only have so much basketball left in him.
So maybe the thinking was to go get paid for it while he can? Dunno, just theorizing.
Later.
Matt
Comments
By George P. Burdell
July 24, 2008 11:45 AM | Link to this
Even with a poor season, given the recruits it looks like he may have coming in, I think Hewitt will be safe through the 2009-2010 campaign. Now if we have two poor seasons in a row, I think he will be in serious jeapordy and it could become quite uncomfortable in a hurry.
To me, it just seems like he is starting to develop a reputation of not getting the most out of players. Dickey was a perfect example. When he was on his game, he was a huge asset. But too many times he lacked effort or concentration and was a huge negative for the team. A lot of that has to fall on the player, but when it continually crops up time and again with numerous players, you have to start looking at the coaching.
By Ben Moore
July 24, 2008 11:56 AM | Link to this
Wait until Georgia State beats Tech at Tech and the fans mindsets on Hewitt will change. With 5 high major transfers and a team that lost by only 5 points last year. Our Panthers are hungry. We want to move back to the Top spot in the state like we had in the beginning of the decade.
Go Panthers!
By old gold engineer
July 24, 2008 1:02 PM | Link to this
If Hewitt’s team succeeds this season by going to the NCAA tournament as a high seed and surviving deep into the tournament, many of the doubts regarding Hewitt’s coaching abilities will be removed. Any less successful campaign will leave us all wondering if it is the players or the coach or what.
By Matt Winkeljohn
July 24, 2008 1:34 PM | Link to this
Check the time of the posts. I think you got it backward.
By Wreck7
July 24, 2008 3:23 PM | Link to this
Ben Moore is a laugher! Even if GSU beat Tech this year, they will NEVER consistently be able to hang with them.
By Gordon
July 24, 2008 7:38 PM | Link to this
18-15 (7-9), NIT. Hewitt’s fate will be decided in the following season. If we get Favors, it will be only for that year. If we don’t do very well (at least 20 wins and second round NCAA) Hewitt will be fired. That would be 5 years without an NCAA win. His contract is about up at that time so there won’t be much of a buyout. But I hope that doesn’t happen.
By Mo Miller
July 25, 2008 12:24 AM | Link to this
Hewitt will get us in the tourney this year. We’ll finish 9-7 in the ACC and get an 8 seed. Peacock breaks out, Shumpert is the real deal, Gani among ACC leaders in blocks.
By GT45
July 25, 2008 9:27 AM | Link to this
I think it will be a tough year in which we will have to fight the whole game to win, but we should be okay. The schedule is certainly not as tough as last year’s. As far as Coach Hewitt goes, I would like to see him here. I think he is good for the Institute and the program, as well as a class act.
By TONY SHUMPERT
July 25, 2008 9:49 AM | Link to this
Don’t worry. GT will be going to the elite eight this year. Just consider them a sleeper. They are going to surprise a lot of people this year, and yes, Iman is the real deal.
By RAMBLE ON!!!
July 25, 2008 9:58 AM | Link to this
Hewitt can’t coach. He should have been fired last year. He can thank Gailey and the 2 million he’s still getting for that.
I guess after another losing season this year, his defense will be, we got a great recruiting class coming in.
The only two things Hewitt can do is recruit and make excuses.
How I long to be a force in the ACC again. One season at 9-7 out of eight, WHOPEEE!!!!!!
By Rags
July 25, 2008 11:08 AM | Link to this
How many times will the fan base accept that lame “just wait until NEXT year’s recruiting class” excuse for the fact that Hewitt cannot coach? We have no offensive identity, cannot hit critical foul shots, play streaky defense, adjust poorly at halftime and during the game; he whines to the refs instead of coaching, and he gets very little out of first round NBA caliber players. Those are just facts, not opinions. He has a poor record in the conference. What good is a goldmine of recruiting if you cannot use it correctly?
By BLAZER
July 25, 2008 12:17 PM | Link to this
NEED CLINCH, STORRS, ANMINU TO COME THRU
By lakebuzz
July 25, 2008 12:34 PM | Link to this
People forget Paul Hewitt took this program to the NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP game!! While our most recent seasons results are not acceptable, look primarily at the PG position. You can’t have a new PG every year and have success in the ACC. Lets see what this team can do this year with MO in his second year. Hopefully Coach Hewitt will have the team focussed on REBOUNDING as this has been one area we seem to struggle in. But if you are bashing our coach and you really are a Tech fan you have the vision of a blind person. This does NOT help the program even if it makes you feel better.
By John
July 25, 2008 12:50 PM | Link to this
Have no idea who these recruits are. Some background would have been good. Are they white or black? Did they grow up playing street basketball or the old-fashioned way learning the fundamentals of the game; passing, shooting, etc? We certainly don’t need anymore track stars who have no concept of fundamental basketball. We need players like Mark Price, John Barry and Matt Harpring!
By john
July 25, 2008 12:53 PM | Link to this
lakebuzz, most teams that go to a Nat’l Championship game sustain their quality and level of basketball for years to come. We went straight down after that and it has been 4 years of mediocrity. It is true, the only reason Hewitt is still around is because our AD did not want to fire both football and basketball coaches in the same year.
By charles
July 25, 2008 12:59 PM | Link to this
nice post lake
By TheBlogger
July 25, 2008 2:52 PM | Link to this
Welcome to the new recruits and nice post, Matt.
Two things that I have always hoped for regarding PH at Tech:
A good 7 footer that can run the court.
Players that stay for their full 4 years of eligibility.
We shall see if this new recruiting class will at least accomplish one of these two things!
By GT45
July 25, 2008 3:12 PM | Link to this
Wreckers Heee Hawww, I,m a coming down fer some real manly fun, any youngins need a “ride”? Hot Ford Bronco, bed in the back, real convertible for a swettie boy with a Souther accent, Whoopieee.
By The Blogger
July 25, 2008 3:19 PM | Link to this
Lord..I was born a NAMBLA MAN,..Trying to make a itting and doing the best I cans…When its time for Evenings, .. Hope you,ll understands, that I was born a NAMBLA Man…Dont listen to the Hype, Just gets in my Van at the Waffle House at Peidmont and Spring, and I will “Drive” you toany game you wants,..after a Peek or two. Zowie.
By GT45
July 25, 2008 5:15 PM | Link to this
That’s cute. You think about that long?
By BravesFan79
July 25, 2008 10:33 PM | Link to this
your a punk matt….you talked down about GT Hoops JUST this past spring!
You even acted like LSU was a more attractive job than GT! HA!
You could not see what i saw coming last winter…and thats that GT was on the rise again! Hewitt is a good coach whos a GREAT recruiter… ive always said at the very worst GT should change the assistants, not the top man!
Loosing Dickey hurts big time for this season, but regardless go GT!
D Favors jump aboard!! I bet if Favors comes this year, Shumpert stays for next year for shure…and well be a top 10 team!
By BravesFan79
July 25, 2008 10:37 PM | Link to this
haha….what GT fan is worried about ga state? And RAMBLE ON…your STILL a idiot!
I bet youll keep hating on GT hoops even after we land the #1 recruit in the Nation! I think your really a uga fan…in discguise….or just plain stupid because your comments do nothing but hurt the program u supposidly love…
By Ramblin' Rack
July 25, 2008 10:45 PM | Link to this
With the past failures of folks leaving early from Tech (except for Bosh), I think these kids are starting to understand that one and done will only get you a big signing bonus but after that…3 years down the road, they’ll be doing color commentary for FSN.
W/ the exception of Favors (if he committs to Tech), none of these kids are considered one and dones BUT you can’t disregards those blue chippers. If you do, Duke, UNC or Florida will pick them up and beat you every year regardless. So I don’t blame PH for going after the big fish. WHY NOT?
By bh
July 25, 2008 10:47 PM | Link to this
Hey, if you can find coach like NC’s William in your every day garden, we’ll fire any coach we have here for him.
By WFC
July 26, 2008 7:49 AM | Link to this
I think that Hewitt is learning from his mistakes. The first thing he asks his recruits is: “Does your mama have a nice house?” Critt is riding the pines in obscurity in Memphis but I bet mama has a nice house. Wonder why Hansbrough is still in Chapel Hill? His mama has a nice house cause his daddy bought it for her. Recruit with care!
By CS
July 26, 2008 8:46 AM | Link to this
So I hear JPrice and his homies have a new place to hang in Athens. How’d they swing that? Interesting.
By Ghetto
July 26, 2008 8:50 AM | Link to this
We be living bad in the Ghetto
By RAMBLE ON!!!
July 26, 2008 10:34 AM | Link to this
bravesfan79 “stupid, idiot” how could I ever debate such intellect.
I should never allow the facts and history ever get in the way of reason.
maybe you can teach me…no wait, I’m to “stupid”.
By 3Dscott
July 26, 2008 12:10 PM | Link to this
If Tech lands Favors this will be the best recruiting class Tech has ever had. This class would be good enough to make a run to the final four even as freshman. Great job CPH!
By surfrider
July 26, 2008 3:18 PM | Link to this
As keeping up with basketball at a distance this recruiting class sounds excellent. To think it may rival the early one Cremins brought into Tech with Mark Price, John Salley, Yvonne Joseph, Petway and the others is something to think about. That class was around for awhile and lost to Georgetown with Patrick Ewing in final 8 NCAA’s and then next year was preseason #1. Now Cremins continued to recruit excellent talent but not the 5 or so he brought in that year. Now if Hewitt can get some sort of recruiting plan in place to deal with these early jumpoff’s which has effected Tech since the late 90’s then he will probably be around a long time. This class sounds great but this next year we may be short of depth it sounds.
By Rags
July 27, 2008 12:53 PM | Link to this
Lakebuzz, I know this is a late response to your post. I apologize - I have been off line for a bit. I am a Tech fan, and it does not make me feel better to state those facts about Coach Hewitt’s tenure as head coach. Yes, he did take us to the National Championship game. But that was a long time ago, and few teams have profited so little from that accomplishment as Tech has. You state that the problem is point guard, and I agree. But Tech used to be known as the home of some of the best point guards in the country - so under whose tenure did that deteriorate? What I stated in my previous post is factual. No one who has followed Tech the past few years really disputes those facts. From those facts, I conclude that Hewitt, who has gotten less out of NBA-level talent than any coach in the conference, cannot coach - or perhaps better, should not be a HEAD coach. I do not think that factual criticism constitutes “bashing our coach”, but even if it does, it does not damage our program nearly so much as man on the sidelines - admittedly a nice guy and good recruiter - who cannot coach. The only people who see my thoughts are on this blog. The conference and the country see Hewitt.
By Matt Winkeljohn
July 28, 2008 1:05 AM | Link to this
John,
Do you like only white players?
You didn’t mention any black players when you suggested that Tech needs more …
Have no idea about these players? Do some research, and bring yourself up to the level of your reading colleagues.
This is a blog, not a recruiting website.
Matt