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AJC > Sports > UGA > Blog > Archives > 2008 > February > 24
Sunday, February 24, 2008
A lost season?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
You gotta feel bad for Sundiata Gaines.
This was supposed to be the year that all that hard work during those early first few rebuilding seasons under Dennis Felton paid off. After riding the bubble and barely missing the NCAA tournament last season, Georgia looked primed for a tournament run this year.
Then the Luck of Dennis Felton kicked in and, well, you know the rest of that story, unfortunately. Two of the top-performing players kicked off the team, academic suspensions, disciplinary suspensions, injuries. …
So we’re back to the way it was when Gaines first came to Georgia, with the Bulldogs barely having enough players to have any bench to speak of, and Gaines nevertheless playing his heart out … in vain.
The senior guard has played so impressively of late that he was named SEC player of the week last week for his efforts in a couple of losses (how often does THAT happen?!).
And so here the Dawgs are, now officially below .500 for the season, having lost eight of their past nine games, and with a dismal 3-9 SEC record. And having played almost every minute, Gaines seems to be running a little out of steam. His streak of three consecutive 20-plus-point games came to an end against Kentucky, and while he was back at 24 points against Vandy Saturday, only eight of those came after halftime.
Still, nobody can question Yata’s effort. He even drew applause from the Tennessee fans still hanging around Stegeman Coliseum after the Vols’ recent win there, a game in which Gaines almost tied it with a would-be 3-pointer that bounced off the rim twice at the buzzer.
And this is a kid who’s taking 20 hours of courses this semester so he can graduate in May with a sociology degree.
But it all comes to naught because of a combination of problems on and off the court and the seeming inability of Felton’s team to play at a consistent level throughout a game and finish strongly.
So the season when the rebuilding was to be officially over drags on with the Bulldogs spiraling down the drain, despite the stalwart efforts of senior leaders Gaines and Dave Bliss.
It has turned out like fans feared when all that pre-season drama played out. All in all, a lost season best forgotten. Only trouble is, it’s Gaines’ last as a Bulldog. And I hate that for him.
