Georgia Tech coach Josh Pastner wants his team to care for the ball like it’s a firstborn child. The Yellow Jackets, as the coach analyzes the issue, are too frequently treating it like it’s the thirdborn.
“When I had my third and they fall, and you say, ‘Eh, get up, you’re fine,’” Pastner said. “My first, I want to take it right to the hospital and make sure it’s fully checked. Third, if food’s on the floor – ‘Eat it, no problem.’ The first, you wouldn’t do that.”
If you’re wondering, Pastner has a stepson and three daughters. Tech will play at No. 2 Virginia on Wednesday night. Against the mighty Cavaliers, the Jackets don’t stand a great chance no matter how they play, but they will surrender virtually all opportunity for the biggest win in Pastner’s tenure if they are as carefree with the ball as they have been since the start of the season.
Tech averages 15.0 turnovers per game, last in the ACC and 310th in Division I. The Jackets’ season low is 11. They are the only team in the ACC team that has not had a single-digit turnover game all season. Tech’s frivolousness with its possessions will be particularly punitive against the Cavaliers, who commit the fewest turnovers in Division I (9.2 per game), play a slow-tempo game and are highly efficient on offense. And while Virginia doesn’t excel at forcing turnovers, the Cavaliers challenge shots as well as any team in the country. On top of that, Tech’s field-goal percentage in ACC games is 41.5 percent, 11th in the league.
An examination of all 29 turnovers in Tech’s past two games (a win over Pitt on Feb. 20 and a loss at Miami on Saturday) revealed a shortage in sound decision making or fundamentals. Some turnovers were made in the name of aggressive play, like a charge called against guard Jose Alvarado against Miami. The opposition deserved credit for some, like a deft strip by Hurricanes guard Chris Lykes of guard Michael Devoe as he drove to the basket.
Of the others, perhaps 10 could be judged passes that shouldn’t have been made.
Against Miami, Alvarado tried to fit a post-entry pass to forward Abdoulaye Gueye as the defender had him well covered. On a fast break, guard Curtis Haywood tried to lead guard Brandon Alston with a bounce pass, but there was a Miami defender between them. Forward Moses Brown overshot Gueye on a lob pass into the post.
Against Pitt, forward Kristian Sjolund threw a pass into the post to Gueye, but it lacked zip and was also into the teeth of the Panthers’ zone, and was stolen. Gueye tried to throw a pass from the high post to Sjolund on the wing, but it was deflected. Each pass resulted in a steal and most turned into fast-break opportunities, a compounding penalty.
“A lot of it is decision making, and you have to make the pass and hit a double or just hit a single,” Pastner said. “And sometimes our guys try to hit a double or a triple, and we’re not in position to hit doubles, triples or home runs. We’ve got to hit singles.”
Perhaps six were the result of physical mistakes. Against Miami, Banks bobbled an entry pass, Alston lost the ball on the dribble and Gueye was called for a moving screen. Against Pitt, Wright shuffled his feet under the basket going for a putback and was called for a travel.
There were also were three shot-clock violations.
All in all, too many avoidable errors with the ball. It’s another reason why the Jackets are 12-16 overall and rank last in the ACC in offensive efficiency (KenPom).
“Our turnovers have been beyond frustrating,” Pastner said. “We’ve watched a lot of film. We emphasize and reinforce and a lot of it is decision making.”
Tech is turning the ball over more this year than in either of Pastner’s first two seasons – 13.4 per game in 2016-17 and 12.8 per game in 2017-18.
Part of the reason is that Banks is not as adept at the facilitating role that the post man plays in Tech’s Princeton-style offense than Ben Lammers was. Also, the offense calls on all five players to handle the ball, and that may not be the best style for this team, relying heavily on freshmen and sophomores that are still developing.
“It’s a very equal-opportunity (offense),” Pastner said. “I don’t know if our team is an equal-opportunity team, but that’s we’ve played, to be very equal opportunity. And when that happens, the ball’s in everyone’s hands, including different pick-and-roll situations, including decision-making situations, which would result in turnovers. Again, that’s not anyone’s fault – we have to get better at that.”
To have a chance Wednesday, it has to get better quickly.
“We’re not in any position to give away possessions,” Pastner said. “You’re going to have turnovers, but if you’re around the seven to nine range (per game), that’s really good. But once you get into double digits, 10 or above, then you’re playing with fire on that. We don’t have any margin for error to be playing with fire.”
