Jackets fizzle again, but Radakovich in Hewitt’s corner
Georgia's Gerald Robinson drives past Tech's Daniel Miller for a layup in the second half, and the Bulldogs rallied for a 73-72 win. (AP photo)
For most of the evening, it looked like early December basketball: Missed jumpers, mistimed passes and long stretches of mediocrity interrupted by the occasional highlight.
Actually, if you flipped back the calendar a couple of weeks, it was the Georgia vs. Georgia Tech football game.
In the end, the Bulldogs won this one, too, 73-72 at Alexander Memorial Coliseum. The difference: a 3-pointer by the Dogs’ Dustin Ware that broke a tie with 18 seconds remaining, followed by a Tech team that looked again as if it lacked either a plan or an ability to execute thereafter.
Why would Glen Rice drive the lane for a layup with 6.8 seconds left rather than attempt to set up a three-pointer to tie it?
Why, with the Jackets inbounding the ball with 2.8 seconds left, would Brian Oliver attempt a low-percentage pass the length of the court to center Daniel Miller when there probably was time for a mid-court pass, a dribble and a shot? (The pass was intercepted by Travis Leslie.)
Neither team looked March-ready. Or even January-ready. But only one made plays to win the game, and it wasn’t the Jackets.
Georgia coach Mark Fox wasn’t thrilled with his team’s performance but said: “We feel like we’re leaving here with a good win.”
That’s more than Paul Hewitt could say. Of Oliver’s pass, he said: “Just a [bad] read. The next time he’s in that situation, he’ll make a good decision.”
But an impatient fan base isn’t allowing Hewitt much room for error. This was only the second time in 16 years since the Tech-Georgia game was shifted back on campus that the home team lost. Both times, the Dogs have won at Alexander. The last time: 10 years ago in Hewitt’s first season.
The masses aren’t happy on North Avenue. That’s when there are masses. It doesn’t speak well for the feeling around the program when there are 2,000 empty seats in a 9,000-seat arena.
But before the game, Tech athletic director Dan Radakovich stood up for Hewitt.
“We went to the finals of the ACC tournament last year,” Radakovich said. “We went to the second round of the NCAA tournament. That wasn’t a bad year.”
So you’re satisfied?
“You’re never satisfied unless you win it all,” he said. “But there was significant progress over the previous couple of years. I feel like we’re going in the right direction.”
He said he’s aware of the concern over the direction of the program, adding: “I’m not oblivious to it. But Paul and I talk an awful lot about where the program’s going the next couple of years, bringing in some players that we think will [not leave early]. One-and-dones aren’t bad if you understand them from the beginning. It’s the ones who leave when you don’t expect it that really put the program behind the eight ball.”
Three weeks ago the Jackets lost at Kennesaw State. That left the impression the program was under the eight ball, not behind it. (If the loss wasn’t humiliating enough, consider that the Owls are 0-5 since.)
Radakovich, with a slight smile: “Yeah, we hit a bump at Kennesaw State.”
A bump?
“OK, a pothole. A crevice. An iceberg.”
It pays sometime to have a sense of humor when the barbarians are at the gate. But this end-of-game fizzle won’t help Hewitt’s cause.
The teams shot a combined 25-for-62 in the first half. Georgia at least had an excuse. Leslie sat for most of the half with two early fouls. When he returned in the second half, so did some semblance of flow to the Dogs’ offense.
They made five consecutive three-pointers in one stretch. They finally took their first lead at 48-47 on a three-point shot by Sherrard Brantley with 11:36 remaining. The Jackets fought back. Effort wasn’t the issue, execution was. But that has become a familiar sight.
– By Jeff Schultz
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489 comments Add your comment
SCJacket
December 8th, 2010
8:47 am
That’s it……I’m done with GT basketball until we get a new coach. Jackain’t time again I guess.
MURPHY
December 8th, 2010
8:47 am
2 time UGA Alum?Then Im really ashamed of your comments. You sound more like you belong on North Ave. I have a kid that play,s college baseball and your view’s and comments are not welcomed by me on this situation.
Buckeye
December 8th, 2010
8:50 am
Neither team is ranked. The empty seats were quite apparent on TV. A big “who cares?”
Jeff Turner
December 8th, 2010
8:51 am
Plain and simple….CPH has got to go! It is obvious to me that he is just collecting a paycheck. The guy simply cannot coach. There is absolutely no offensive flow or anything that looks like GT is trying to run an offense. The last 5 minutes of the game, he just turned Mo Miller loose to go one on one?? Come on. GT gives up more wide open 3’s than any team I have ever watched. They always look lost on D. DRAD…get rid of Hewitt before it is too late. There is obvious apathy amongst the GT faithful
Jeff Turner
jarvis
December 8th, 2010
8:51 am
Oh and Murph, I looked up the ratings. They were down by 50% for game one of the Championship series and 29% for Game 2. It had 1.8 million viewers for Game 1.
Because it was on cable, I’ll put that into an apples to apples perspective for you, thats about half the number of viewers Sponge Bob Squarepants had last Sunday at 7 PM.
rxdawg79
December 8th, 2010
8:53 am
Don’t know if this point has yet been posted, but I’ll offer it just in case:
The loss is certainly not a deathknell for Hewitt. After all, a one-point game can be decided by myriad events. However, that GT plays its in-state rival and 20% of the arena is empty is the bad sign. Or a good one, if you’re hoping DRAD pulls the trigger on CPH. My thinking says that if attendance sags, esp. in games with UNC/Duke/UGA (opponents who should fill the arena), then CPH’s tenure may get shortened.
the real Old Gold
December 8th, 2010
8:54 am
“DodgerDAWG” (aka Chris): UGA baseball couldn’t beat the Calhoun High School Yellow Jackets.
MURPHY
December 8th, 2010
8:54 am
jarvis,
Im ashamed you are a Dawgs fan!
Arthur Redding
December 8th, 2010
8:55 am
@Buckeye—If you don’t care about basketball in the state of GA, why are you even on this blog?
Reality Bites
December 8th, 2010
8:55 am
Way to go Pewwitt, we for dammnn sure dont run this State. In fact, we r 3rd, behind Ugag and some team called the Owls. Someone please win the lottery and buy out Hewitts contract.
jarvis
December 8th, 2010
8:55 am
Right back atcha Murph.
Junior Samples
December 8th, 2010
9:02 am
all is not lost…the jackets did beat the uga girls in basketball
i guess you have to hang your hat on something
reality check
December 8th, 2010
9:03 am
The is the problem you get when you hire someone as Athletics Director who is not a Tech Man.
A true Tech Man/Woman feels pain every time we lose to The Cesspool of the South, regardless of the sport. This guy walks around in a fog with a Joker-like smile on his face claiming “the program is headed in the right direction.” It’s more like headed in the FRIGHT direction.
The is the problem you get when you hire someone as Athletics Director who is not a Tech Man.
G
December 8th, 2010
9:03 am
GO DAWGS!!!!!
Billyboy
December 8th, 2010
9:04 am
Hewitt resigns!
Hewitt resigns!
Hewitt resigns!
Hewitt resigns!
This is everyone’s Christmas wish. The worst coaching job during and at the end of game that one could imagine.
How can Hewitt continue to embarrass himself and the school. The message to Hewitt should be simply – - – be a man and resign, but, Hewitt doesn’t know what it means to be a man.
DooDooBrown
December 8th, 2010
9:09 am
Agree with DawginTx, both teams were pretty bad last night. UGA looked like the more athletic team, and should have won by 10, but they just don’t seem to have it all together. They don’t look like they are playing hard. GaTech just isn’t that good this year. They will struggle in the ACC. UGA will finish behind UT, UK, UF and Vandy unless they start playing with passion.
robodawg
December 8th, 2010
9:09 am
Not January form for sure … a lot of shots rimmed out, and free throw shooting was mediocre. But glad we were nailing the threes. Great win for the Dawgs. And a solid win on a tough opponent’s court.
Pago Pago Dawg
December 8th, 2010
9:12 am
Not really a round ball fan, but gt coach/team looked lost.
Dostoveyskiy
December 8th, 2010
9:13 am
Dawg fans like to consider UGa as a FB school (debatable), but one thing is not debatable – they are not a BB school.
JOE
December 8th, 2010
9:13 am
Hewiit is our Jim Donnan. He is killing this program
Ozzy
December 8th, 2010
9:16 am
They didn’t look lost Pago, they are lost.
Have been for the last three or four years, and I was a season ticket holder. I witnessed it in person.
The end of the NC State game last year was the last straw for me. They’re lost as last years Easter eggs under Phew.
Cobb Jacket
December 8th, 2010
9:17 am
Please fire Paul Hewitt!!!!!
Smyrna JAcket
December 8th, 2010
9:19 am
Same s%#@, different day. The guy cannot coach. Sure, he recruits some talent, but he never develops the kids. Just plain pitiful.
Always a Jacket
December 8th, 2010
9:21 am
Groundhog Day. DRad needs to go. We’ve known for years about Hewitt. The product Hewitt puts on the court is only entertaining to the opposing team. “Going in the right direction”???? DRad needs to team up with Damon Evans and form some type of support group for former ADs. GT BB stopped getting my support years ago.
Buzz
December 8th, 2010
9:22 am
CPH needs to go and needs to go now!!! MR. AD can’t you tell by the lack of attendance for a RIVAL game that fans are done with CPH and his lack of winning???? He continually makes the same coaching mistakes game after game, year after year….. Examples>>>> Always calling his time outs after we score??? Losing possible momentum. Wasting time outs (last night calling one with 6:50 left when the next dead ball occurred he would of gotten a TV time out) No offensive plays??? Even the commentators were in disbelief. Lack of defense and toughness. I could go on and on…. 11 years is enough fire he today… Losing to K st and that isn’t Kansas St!!! and now being brutally out coached by Fox down the stretch!!! EAT THE 7 MILLION NOW!!!!!
SoCal Dawg
December 8th, 2010
9:23 am
Jarvis asked what’s the third best college sport… ladies softball. Way more exciting than baseball. (and by the way I use to coach high school baseball)
Paul Hewitt bookie
December 8th, 2010
9:26 am
THANKS AGAIN & AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Buzz
December 8th, 2010
9:26 am
BILLYBOY would you resign if you were CPH???? Why would he resign he’s not stupid, just in coaching!!!! FIRE CPH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FIRE CPH!!!!!!!!
redhairpimplefacetechnerd
December 8th, 2010
9:28 am
If we tell UGA grads how much more money we will make than them,then why don’t we buy out his contract?
Dirty Dawg
December 8th, 2010
9:31 am
I’m obviously no Tech fan, but for you, Jeff, to question the decision to get the ‘2′ then foul was exactly the correct one. As ‘bigdawg’ posted earlier, we can’t shoot free-throws for crap, and if we hadn’t had young Mr. Robinson, and is speed, that allowed several seconds to click off the clock before Tech could foul us they’d have had a real chance to win it at the end.
Tell you Jeff, if I were Tech’s AD after this ‘interview’, I’d offer you an ultimatum – ‘Lay off the smarta$$ cracks about our program or find yourself with no access to any of our coaches and/or players on any team…get it?’ Then you, Jeff, can make your living being a smarta$$ with Georgia (don’t count on that lasting very long) or the pro teams here – they love that stuff.
reservoirDAWG
December 8th, 2010
9:33 am
Why does GT think they are a basketball school anyway? Two final fours? Gt will always suck at sports.
bloggin for RChaps
December 8th, 2010
9:34 am
back in the 90’s my Dad had a shirt that read, “Double Dippin’ the Dawgs”…it referred of course to Tech beating UGA in both Basketball and Football. But now this sports combo makes that impossible for me to get my own “Double Dippin’ the Dawgs” shirt. I think that Kennesaw State fans might be able to get a ” Double Dippin’ the Jackets” shirt if they ever decide to play football in the future.
Coach Keith
December 8th, 2010
9:34 am
I honestly think Tech played a good game last night but went cold early in 2nd half. I’m a Tech grad and have lofty aspirations but I have realistic side. We played a UGA squad with a bunch of Seniors and Juniors. Most of our minutes come from Freshmen and Sophmores with Iman and Miller being the exception. I don’t care how good of a coach you are, player EXPERIENCE does matter. I could hear Hewitt telling the young guys what he wanted and they would go out and do something completely different…….lack of EXPERIENCE or they’re just stupid. Believe it or not, GT has a better FT shooting percentage, less turnovers and better movement on the offensive end of the court. We still need to work on our shot selection and hitting open shots when we have them. I think we’ll upset some teams as we go into the ACC stretch…….but what do I know. It’s always easier to coach a game the day after it’s over.
SECWasteManagement
December 8th, 2010
9:35 am
Glad Georgia can now brag about 2 sports that dawg fans actually care about. Sorry If I’m not caring about UGA’s dominate gymnastics, tennis, swimming, golf, and equestrian. Dawgs will have to set it up once they play better SEC teams, but a W is a W. Mark Fox has them going in the right direction.
jarvis
December 8th, 2010
9:38 am
I remember the Double Dippin shirts. It says a lot about your obcession with Georgia.
Notice we don’t print shirts when we beat you.
norris
December 8th, 2010
9:38 am
They think they are a baseball school too, with zero titles.
GT man
December 8th, 2010
9:41 am
Please some wealthy alumni—instead of contributing money for stem cell growth—please contribute to buying out Blewitts contract!!!!!!
Ted M
December 8th, 2010
9:41 am
Jeff,
I’m curious…did you get last night assignment because GT wouldn’t Bradley in AMC?
kimble
December 8th, 2010
9:44 am
The problem with this UGA team is that they are literally playing down, or up, to the level of their competition. I don’t think they’ve had a game yet, win or lose, that exceeded an 8 point margin.
TechGuy
December 8th, 2010
9:46 am
I am tired of being a Tech fan. We always lose to UGA! There is no way of getting around it. UGA owns us!
Coach Hewitt...
December 8th, 2010
9:48 am
Nice showing last nite …2500 empty seats & prolly 25% UGA fans…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgNIULxolI8
Ted M
December 8th, 2010
9:49 am
GT’s next game is Savannah State; they’re 1-9 unfortunately GT will likely overwhelm them with size and athleticism and won’t have to run a single play to win. But could a miracle upset be the straw that breaks Hewitts back?
Coach Hewitt...
December 8th, 2010
9:50 am
I take that back…lookin at that video i’d say 4000 empties….sad
RambleOn84
December 8th, 2010
9:51 am
Personally, I don’t care. Tech’s athletic department, whatever the reason, doesn’t make a lot of money, as the clown who calls himself “UGA AD” will tell you. He has plenty of other monikers I’m sure, but that’s beside the point.
Gailey’s contract comes off the books this year. We have to pay off Hewitt regardless of whether we keep him or fire him. I say we keep him and let him keep embarrassing himself. Spend the money that we are getting from Gailey’s contract on a special teams coordinator for the football team. At this point, do any Tech fans care about basketball anymore?
Football makes more money anyway, and Johnson is actually a good coach. He deserves our support. Let Hewitt continue to embarrass himself against the elite ACC competition (and even the dregs of the basketball world in UGA). He’s gonna make his money one way or the other. Why pay him to leave?
Ted M
December 8th, 2010
9:53 am
that YT video of tipoff made it look like there were only 2000 people at the game.
superDawg
December 8th, 2010
9:53 am
I told you nerds to invest in kleenex stock last year.Man its hotter than gold.
Paul Hewitt
December 8th, 2010
9:55 am
Jeff: There you go again. You could have put a positive spin on everything and written about my coaching brillance, butno, you and your ilk only write negatively. What you should have said is how, if I hadn’t been the Tech coach last night, we would have lost by 30 points.
PS: also you could have written about how good I am at calling time outs and how well I dress.
RambleOn84
December 8th, 2010
9:56 am
It honestly makes no sense to pay the money to buy out Hewitt’s contract. It’s a giant game of chicken at this point. Who gives up first? Will Hewitt quit because he is so embarrassed or will Radakovich get so sick of Tech basketball being a laughingstock?
The bad thing for Radakovich is that Hewitt just might have no shame at all…it really might only be about money for Hewitt. He is laughing all the way to the bank.
Where da money?
December 8th, 2010
9:56 am
Hewitt’s contract just got extended again!
Ted M
December 8th, 2010
9:58 am
The cost of firing Hewitt is exactly equal to the next coach’s salary for the next 7 years. GT has to pay Hewitt either way.
Does anyone know when the last time was a college BB coach got fired mid season? I can’t think of any at all.