AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2009 > February > 05 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USFSU’s Hamilton on Tech hoops
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Can Tech build off its 76-74 upset of Wake Forest? We’ll find out starting at 7 p.m. tonight. The game is on ESPNU.
Tech is 10-10, 1-6 in the ACC, while host Florida State is 16-5, 3-3. The Seminoles have had more than a week off since their last game, an 80-77 loss to North Carolina.
FSU is led by senior guard Toney Douglas out of Jonesboro, who ranks third in the ACC in scoring (20.1) and steals (2.0).
FSU won the only meeting last season, 66-64 in Atlanta, but Tech has won eight of the last 12 in the series.
Coach Paul Hewitt described FSU as a long, athletic team with some quality wins (at Cal, Florida, two ACC road wins).
“We need to go down there and play with the same sense of urgency, and execute the way we have been executing, and hopefully come out with another W if we shoot free throws well and don’t turn the ball over,” Hewitt said.
FSU coach Leonard Hamilton described Gani Lawal as a “man-child” and “a guy who has really come on as fast as any player that I have seen in the ACC in several years.”
He called Tech’s ACC record a bit misleading.
“When you look at Georgia Tech you see that they have lost three overtime games that could have very well gone either way, so they could be four-and-whatever, 4-3, as opposed to 1-6…
Even in the Duke game, Duke had to really step it up in the latter part of the game to extend the lead if I remember correctly. So when you take those factors into consideration, they are a typical ACC team where the ball just hasn’t bounced their way a couple of times this year. They could have very easily won those three games and been right in the thick of things. We respect that and made our players aware of it. I believe that they are very close to being in the middle of the pack, if not for those balls bouncing in the wrong direction.”
Comments
By RAMBLE ON!!!
February 5, 2009 8:11 AM | Link to this
“if we shoot free throws well and don’t turn the ball over,”
20 games into the season, and our 1.3 million dollar coach has figured it out.
Watch out bubble, here we come!!!
By Observer
February 5, 2009 8:37 AM | Link to this
Maybe if Hewitt actually COACHED them to protect the ball better and shoot free throws. Nevermind, that’s probably asking too much.
By UGA is so last year
February 5, 2009 9:01 AM | Link to this
I love all the people that voted in the poll the other day saying we’d now make a run after the Wake game. All delusional. Hope after last nights’ massacre of Wake at Un of Miami - you have all come to your senses. We weren’t 0-6 in the ACC for nothing. We are not good. Coach is even worse. Fire him now and get Bobby (Knight)! We do well with Bobby’s!
By ggodsey
February 5, 2009 9:05 AM | Link to this
Shumpert likes little boys
By ggodsey
February 5, 2009 9:06 AM | Link to this
UGA is so last year…for all intensive purposes, don’t you think Knight is too old?
By Hey Larry
February 5, 2009 9:13 AM | Link to this
Why don’t you get rid of ggodsey’s comment about Shumpert liking little boys? We all know thats CMR’s bag anyways (little boys). But the intensive purposes is still funny, sorry UGA is so last year, but it is.
By UGA is so last year
February 5, 2009 9:29 AM | Link to this
By asking if Knight is too old - in reference to what? Joe Pa or Bobby Bowden - ah….no he isn’t. Knight is super young compared to those big college, exceptional coaches.
By Mike
February 5, 2009 9:41 AM | Link to this
I have no idea what Favors was thinking committing to this train wreck of a team and coach….
By BLAZER
February 5, 2009 12:31 PM | Link to this
I WISH THE AJC WOULD CLEAR UP ALL THE USELESS
GARBAGE THAT DOES APPLY TO ANYTHING WITH SPORTS
By JC
February 5, 2009 1:09 PM | Link to this
First off, we can not afford to fire Hewitt. He’s guaranteed almost every bit of his contract and we could not afford to pay him and a decent coach, especially not Knight. Secondly, is firing Hewitt really the best option. Sure, he hasn’t prospered since his Final Four run but we have a great class coming in next year and these are guys who bought into the program. Hewitt has been placed into difficult situations because of player’s actions too. But firing Hewitt to get a mediocre replacement will only hamper any future successes. Fire him and you may lose these guys that have committed for next season, and then we’re 5 years away from a competitive team. Look at Ga! The SEC sucks and they can’t even compete there. My advice is to take our lumps this year, maybe burst some other teams tourney bubbles, and get geared up to truly compete next year.
By edward
February 5, 2009 2:08 PM | Link to this
Hey Mike, let me guess, uga fan? Favors wanted to stay home and he came to by far the best program in the state and one of the best year in and year out in the acc, gets to play on national tv every game, and get ready for the nba. Sec and uga basketball is a joke. Worst conference maybe in the last 30 yrs and uga is at the bottom of that garbage. Just wait til favors and lawal take us back into the top 10 next year. And hewitt? Uga would kill to have him as their head coach. Good luck with whoever yal get to run that horrible program, maybe pat sumitt is available??
By TONY SHUMPERT
February 5, 2009 2:31 PM | Link to this
Ok GT, we have been written off this season. The fat lady is in the building, but she isn’t singing. Let’s send a message to the other teams in the ACC tonight and let them know that christmas is over and we are getting ready to handle the business at hand. Hey ggodsey, tell his dad in person at the Maryland game, if you are man enough?
By gt4ever
February 5, 2009 2:31 PM | Link to this
come on guys, Hewitt is the man for GT. I just hope that UGA doesn’t hire Bobby Knight!
By Zach
February 5, 2009 2:44 PM | Link to this
I’m pretty sure Hewitt and the entire team has been well aware of their faults all season long. Firing Hewitt for Bob Knight would be just a ridiculous move.
This is why UGA mocks us. We have the most cynical, unsupportive fans. Geez, like the coach or not, show up to the freaking games and support the team and the school.
By TONY SHUMPERT
February 5, 2009 3:00 PM | Link to this
Hey ggodsey, I just do the road games his dad doesn’t go to. However, I will make an exception and come to the Clemson game on 02-22-09. I’ll be wearing a shirt with Oak Park written on it. Come and introduce yourself in person, and make that statement. GT is going to the big dance because the ACC tournament is in Georgia, and they will be ready. People, they got started late, but they are on there way now. Have a little faith.
By Jacket facts
February 5, 2009 5:29 PM | Link to this
Hewitt is a good coach. Knight would embarras this fine school and with a great recruiting class which includes the best big man in the country Tech’s future is bright. Just pray Favors stays more than one year. Have faith, Tech is not an easy school to recruit to, remember the concept of student-athlete still applies at GT.
By V8 Cat
February 5, 2009 5:46 PM | Link to this
Hewitt is “the coach” for GT. He has had some tough luck with players leaving (the down-side of being one hell of a recruiter). He is a class act and his players for the most part stay out of trouble. They have their hands full with the academics at Tech. He could have left Tech after the run at the NCAA championship, but he did not. He has lost a bunch of close games over the last two seasons that could have gone either way. He has an outstanding recruiting class coming. I could go on about how it would be a huge mistake to fire him. For real Tech fans, get behind the team and quit the complaining.
By Jacketnation
February 5, 2009 6:04 PM | Link to this
Tec is right on the cutting edge of being a good team. However, things just don’t usually go there way. Turnovers have killed them. The Jackets are horrible at the free throw line. That is why they can not get a lead on anyone and keep it.
By UGA is so last year
February 5, 2009 9:03 PM | Link to this
I laugh at the 60% of you who took the poll the other day and said after we beat Wake that we’re going to be on a roll! Lol. Ah..Wake got killed at Un of Miami last night. We weren’t 0-6 before Wake for nothing. We stink and the coach stinks worse!! Get a life. We all love GT but some of us have a brain and can realize pathetic mediocrity when we see it!!!
By UGA is so last year
February 5, 2009 9:06 PM | Link to this
V8 Cat you don’t know squat. How did ‘the coach’ do tonight????
By UGA is so last year
February 5, 2009 9:07 PM | Link to this
Jacketnation - you and V8 Cat should make out and make hideously stupid children since you both have no clue of what real basketball looks like. We stink and Hewitt needs to be fired now!
By UGA is so last year
February 5, 2009 9:11 PM | Link to this
Who is ‘Ramble On’? He should be banned from here. Watch out Bubble - here we come???? What is your IQ? 80?
By UGA is so last year
February 5, 2009 9:20 PM | Link to this
All together now…. ‘We’re 1 and 7! We’re 1 and 7! We’re 1 and 7!!’ Shout it out like you would ‘We’re Number 1’ since most of you have rocks for brains. I want every one of the 60% of you that voted in the poll and said GT would go on a run after the Wake game to come in here and write your blog and apologize for being the most insanely stupid individual in the world!!!
By haHAHA
February 5, 2009 9:27 PM | Link to this
UGA is so last year- for all intensive purposes, we lost this game
By UGA is so last year
February 5, 2009 9:32 PM | Link to this
no kidding. I picked us to go 0-16 in the ACC so I am not at all surprised. Like to hear from all the losers who thought after Wake we were - all of a sudden - going to start winning a bunch of games.
By BravesFan79
February 5, 2009 9:35 PM | Link to this
Tony Shumpert: ignore ggodsey. Hes just another example of a uga fan that knows nothing about college basketball and is jelous of GT’s program that draws top talent from across the country.
Fans like him that can do nothing but complain and argue with fans of other schools instead of focusing on the REAL problem of the greedy AD’s of Ohio State, Penn State, Oregon, etc… that keep the BCS in place, are the reason why College Football has the worst postseason in the history of sports, and is a secondary sport compared to all the major sports.
I have no problem calling out racist blacks like Kanye West, or pure trash like 50 or Little Wayne that white people so ignorantly support by buying their CD’s, but id do anything for a good hearted black person just like i would a person of any other color.
Mr shumpert has always handled himself with class on these blogs, and should be appreciated for his input.
By can't shoot
February 5, 2009 9:40 PM | Link to this
.
By UGA is so last year
February 5, 2009 9:41 PM | Link to this
Awfully quiet in here. Where are all those people? Nothing to say? Probably the same ones that voted and said our recruiting class in football was super great. Lol. Ah…it was picked 8th out of 12 in the ACC people. Average would have been 6th or 7th so we were below average in our conference. Overall, 49th in the country. Great? Not even remotely.
By You are gay
February 5, 2009 9:48 PM | Link to this
You suck uga is so last year. How about you go be a uga fan instead? You bitc^ and moan like one. O
By Jacket facts
February 5, 2009 10:15 PM | Link to this
It wasn’t long ago that GT fans supported their team through rough times. Paul Hewitt is a good coach, good recruiter and a good man. Talent wins ballgames and, at the present time Tech lacks the firepower to contend in the ACC. That will all change in the very near future and those of you calling for Hewitt’s head will look like fools. This is a team that plays hard refuses to quit and has lost three conference games in OT. Give the man and the team a break, realize how difficult it is to win in the ACC for a school like GT, and get ready to eat crow in the next few years when the Jackets again challenge for supremacy in the most difficult conference in the nation. Open your eyes and your minds and be thankful that we have a clean program and quality young men representing Georgia Tech.
By UGA is so last year
February 6, 2009 6:17 AM | Link to this
Hey ‘you are gay’ = the truth hurts - doesn’t it!?
By Rob
February 6, 2009 8:35 AM | Link to this
HEWITT IS A FAILURE.