After his team’s third consecutive loss, all by five points or less, Georgia Tech coach Josh Pastner was sounding a familiar refrain. The Yellow Jackets are close to breaking through.
“I’ve got to do one heck of a job to get us through the door,” he said Friday. “Look, the players play the games, and I coach, but me, our staff, we’ve got to find a way to help these get through the door.”
One method that Pastner has contemplated but has not used as much recently is using more of his bench. In the team’s loss at No. 6 Louisville on Wednesday, Pastner allocated 23 minutes to two subs, guard Bubba Parham and forward Evan Cole, and Cole played only four minutes. The same two combined for 43 minutes in last week’s loss to Virginia.
Particularly for big men James Banks and Moses Wright, the playing load could be taking a toll late in games. Banks is averaging 30.6 minutes per game, but played 37 minutes against Duke, 35 against Notre Dame, 36 against Virginia and 33 against Louisville. In Tech’s past seven ACC games, Wright has played 32 minutes five times. For players their size, a range of 25 to 30 minutes might be more optimal.
Pastner’s reluctance to sit them (as well as guards Michael Devoe and Jose Alvarado) for longer might be having an effect on Tech’s play late in games. In the Jackets’ past seven ACC games, they’ve outscored opposition’s 355-331. In the final 10 minutes, Tech has been outscored 156-130.
Fatigue appeared to play a part in the 73-64 loss to No. 8 Duke, when the Jackets missed their final 11 shots as the Blue Devils pulled away for the win.
Tech is paying the price for not being able to sign a post player in the past recruiting cycle, someone whom Pastner could put in the game and give Banks a rest. When Banks goes on, Wright moves to center, a lineup that gives up size.
“I want to get (forward) Khalid (Moore) in,” Pastner said. “And maybe we’ve got to play James less minutes, or Moses less minutes. Or (play) just one of those guys and you go four perimeter guys. But how do I do that? I’ve got to do a better job of that.”
Pastner also has forward Evan Cole as a possible sub for Banks (and Wright), but his minutes have been inconsistent.
Pastner gave the example of the games against Virginia and Louisville, when he wanted to take Banks out for longer, but “they were both so big that I thought when James left, we got hurt a little bit. And that’s where Moses, he’s got to be more physical.”
Pastner sometimes can also be a captive of the moment, keeping a lineup in that’s working perhaps longer than a player like Banks or Wright should be in. The extended time early can pay off at that point but have a deleterious effect later.
Banks didn’t use fatigue as an excuse, but acknowledged that Louisville exploited its advantage of having two post players, Steven Enoch and Malik Williams, take turns on him. The two combined for 40 minutes while Banks logged 33.
“And the way (Louisville) coach (Chris) Mack coaches them, they were really attacking me the whole game, whether it was making me go from ball-screen defense to post defense, just really trying to wear me out, trying to get fouls on me early, and he did a good job in doing so,” Banks said.
Players such as Moore are options that Pastner was considering. Moore started the first nine games of the season, playing between 23 and 39 minutes. With Jordan Usher taking his spot in the starting lineup and Pastner’s opting to play guards Bubba Parham, Alvarado and Devoe to spread the floor, Moore’s playing time has nearly vanished. In the past seven games, the sophomore has played a total of 15 minutes and did not get for the past two, just the second and third games he has not played in his career.
“It’s kind of tough at this point, but, honestly, you’ve just got to keep a positive attitude,” Moore said. “I’m ready whenever I get my opportunity. I’ve been working hard and I’m just doing whatever I can to help my team, whether that’s on or off the court, whatever opportunity I get.”
Guards Shembari Phillips and Asanti Price are two more who Pastner wants to play.
“At least one of the three, and maybe get two of them in there and (then) maybe three of the three,” Pastner said. “It’s been easier for me to say that than for me to actually do it. I’ve just got to make it happen.”
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