Shumpert shoots Jackets past B.C.

By Matt Winkeljohn

For the AJC

Those who believe Georgia Tech’s NCAA Tournament hopes are as easy to figure out as following A-B-C’s might want to add an X after the Yellow Jackets beat Boston College 73-68 on Saturday.

Forget all the hypotheticals about the Jackets punching an NCAA ticket if they win two of their final three regular-season games, or if they win one plus at least one in the ACC Tournament, or if they win the ACC Tourney outright, or ...

If sophomore guard Iman Shumpert keeps playing as he did Saturday, when he scored 24 and disrupted the Eagles tremendously while on defense (six steals, several more deflections) in Alexander Memorial Coliseum, then Tech might turn out golden.

“Iman is the X factor,” coach Paul Hewitt said. “He’s 6-5, 215 [pounds], can shoot the ball, has great quickness, and when he forces [defenders] to help everybody [else] gets easier shots, and ... he and [Derrick Favors] routinely lead in deflections.”

The Jackets (19-9, 7-7 ACC) never trailed, led by as many as 15 in the second half, kept the ball moving briskly and looked like a team coming off a bye should, which is to say fresh.

Shumpert led the way, making four of eight 3 pointers including one on the game’s opening possession.

When he followed a missed shot by Gani Lawal by swooping in from the wing and tip-dunking to give Tech a 17-9 lead with 14:00 left in the first half, a template was in place.

That was aggression, which Hewitt and his staff keep begging Shumpert to bring game in and game out.

“I think it’s just attacking from the jump, getting it in my head that I’m going to attack,” Shumpert explained. “I’ve just got to beat it in my head to keep being aggressive.”

The Jackets who had lost four of six games entering Saturday, led 37-30 at halftime despite being out-rebounded 22-12 in the first half, thanks in part to Tech picking up six of what would end up 10 blocked shots. Lawal blocked three in addition to a modest five points and three rebounds, and freshmen Derrick Favors and Glen Rice Jr. had two blocks each.

“If fouls are not going to be called, then that’s going to allow shot blockers to be more aggressive,” said Boston College coach Al Skinner. “No fouls were being called; they felt comfortable being aggressive.”

With 14 points, Favors was Tech’s only other double-digit scorer, but the Jackets were never really threatened (Boston College scored seven consecutive points in the final 14 seconds to make the final score illusory) in the second half because they were so balanced on both ends of the court.

D'Andre Bell and Rice finished with nine points, each, and Zachery Peacock seven.

Forward Joe Trapani (26 points) and point guard Reggie Jackson (13 points, 10 assists) were a bit pest-like for Boston College (14-14, 5-9), but the Jackets were in control almost all the way.

“The real difference was Shumpert,” Skinner said. “He made some shots today that I don’t know if he’s been shooting that well this season.”

Hewitt wasn’t about argue, at least not with Skinner.

“When he’s good, he’s really good,” the Tech coach said of Shumpert, with a laugh. “I’m not going to add the other part. He’s got to remember that he’s a classic big guard. He can get into the paint, absorb a lot of contact, and still get a good shot off.”