Tough loss at FSU, but Tech again shows its potential
Here we see four Jackets: All of them freshmen, all good. (AJC photo by Jason Getz)
I caught a lot of grief for suggesting back in December — it was the day Georgia Tech first played Florida State — that the Jackets “should have a splendid chance of reaching the Final Four.” On cue, Tech lost to the Seminoles, prompting one and all to question my eyesight and sanity. (And by “all,” I include myself.)
You know by now Tech has again done what has become a Tech tradition — it lost another winnable game to Leonard Hamilton and his ‘Noles. It missed as many free throws (11) as it sank. It made 20 turnovers. It ended the game with a turnover when a 3-pointer would have won. By checking The Hive, I know what many observers are already saying, and I’m thinking you have some idea what this observer is about to say. But here I’m going to disappoint you.
I don’t think this FSU game was a failure. When one good team plays another good team, one of them’s going to lose. It helps if you’re the good team playing at home, and that’s one reason this game troubles me far less than the first Florida State loss.
The other reason, the bigger by far, is that we’ve learned much about Tech in the past five weeks. And we’ve learned (I say again) that this team should have a splendid chance to reach the Final Four.
In December, Tech hadn’t beaten anyone of consequence unless you count Siena. In January the Jackets have beaten Duke, North Carolina and Clemson. Had it beaten Florida State, we’d be crediting Tech with victories over the four ACC teams that figure to play deep into the NCAA tournament. (Sorry, but I still don’t trust Wake Forest.) Even in losing, Tech showed enough to make us believe it’s no less capable of a long postseason run.
Gani Lawal scored only five points and Derrick Favors 10 and even Zachery Peacock, who’s the best sub in the land, had a quiet day — and still the Jackets led inside the final 30 seconds on the road. Brian Oliver scored 20 points, and Brian Oliver is Tech’s seventh man. And there’s the reason I’m so high on these Jackets.
They won’t play a team with greater overall talent. They won’t be awed in any game anywhere. They’ve already beaten teams led by Coach K and Ol’ Roy, who have five national championships between them, and they’ve gone against the likes of Kyle Singler and Ed Davis and Trevor Booker and Solomon Alabi.
During the strange week that saw Tech lose to Georgia but beat Duke, Paul Hewitt said, “This team knows it has a high ceiling.” The Jackets know this because they look across the locker room and see talent everywhere, the deepest collection of talent in Tech annals.
And these guys are learning to coexist, which wasn’t readily apparent five weeks ago. They lost Sunday by two points, but they’ll handle Wake here Thursday and they’ll be better in Feburary than they are now, and they’ll be a load come the Ides of March.
Understand: I’m not ready to say, “Tech will reach the Final Four.” But at least now I don’t feel I was insane when I suggested this team has that potential. Because it does. And for those who say Hewitt can coach them there, I say this: He took a team to the national title game in 2004, and this team is far more gifted.
(Oh, and I’ve seen some Tech fans complaining about the shot Lawal took inside the final 10 seconds. I had no problem with it. Hewitt called a timeout — yes, Hewitt had a timeout in his pocket — and got the ball to his best player. The same happened out of a timeout against Duke, and Lawal hit the game-clinching turnaround. That was a tough shot, but he nailed it. This was a tough shot, and he missed. It happens.)
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238 comments Add your comment
GTech
January 24th, 2010
6:45 pm
It’s the persistent “Tech has so much potential” line that is the definition of Tech basketball since the 2004 championship game. Butts Wagner hit the nail on the head – This year we’ll see 7-9 in the ACC (8-8 at best), 2nd round ACC tournament loss, and a 1st or 2nd round NCAA tournament loss. The most disappointing thing is UNC and Duke are down this year and we were unable to reach up and take the top spot. Makes the UNC and Duke wins really not unimpressive. Gani and Favors will leave at the end of the year and we suffer through a see-saw 2010-2011 season. Differnt year, same story. Next winter, Duke and UNC will be back ontop of their games and again we’ll be muddling around the middle of the ACC year at 6-10 or 7-9 losing to mid-tier ACC teams (ala UVA, VA Tech, F$U) sprinkled in with the occassional win against Duke or UNC. The losses to mid-tier ACC teaams will be chalked up to inexperience and youth. I believe Hewitt is 20 something games under .500 in ACC play. That record is abosolutely atrocious. True, you can’t win ‘em all, and yes I do believe that there is such thing as a “good loss”, but there have been wayyyy to many “good losses” under Hewitt. Its the same old story and same old excuses year in and year out.
Mark Bradley
January 24th, 2010
6:47 pm
Michigan’s Fab Five, Techophobia. And Carmelo’s title team had three freshman in the first five.
Observation1002
January 24th, 2010
6:49 pm
last
Jacket3
January 24th, 2010
6:49 pm
I am sure DRad cringes every time Hewitt gets in front of the microphone to talk about the “one that got away”……..
Punch 'Em in the Mouth
January 24th, 2010
6:49 pm
Aw……Tech lost.
Technophobia
January 24th, 2010
6:50 pm
ND, didn’t BJ Elder sit out or was severely limited the NC game due to an ankle sprain? Didn’t we blow UConn out earlier that year when their star big man (name escapes me right now) was having back spasms?
Supersize that order, mutt
January 24th, 2010
6:50 pm
I’m sick and tired of hearing the “young team” EXCUSE. Because Blewitt continues to rely on recruiting the STARS who are either one-and-doner’s or two-and-through’s, then he will ALWAYS have that excuse. If he were really a good recruiter he would be able to sniff out good but possibly undeveloped talent and build a team. But, of course, that would mean he would have to DEVELOP players, which he has shown over and over that he cannot do.
Technophobia
January 24th, 2010
6:50 pm
I agree with everyone about the contract. Total financial irresponsibility.
Observation1002
January 24th, 2010
6:51 pm
Mark I think Dave Braine was giving all tech fans the finger with the contract he gave Hewitt. I want Hewitt to succeed unlike many because the idea of 6 or 7 mil to do nothing angers me.
Golden Tornado
January 24th, 2010
6:51 pm
ASHEVILLE DAWG, I think you’re onto something, in comparing Hewitt and Crimins. Bobby Crimins was an excellent recruiter, and really established Tech in the ACC. But he was so-oo deficient as a sidelines coach. I was glad when he left Tech (for the second time).
Hewitt can obviously recruit, but see the above posts to get an idea of his game coaching ability, or lack of it. The questions are: Does he teach them anything, and does he have any smarts once they’re out there on game day?
GTech
January 24th, 2010
6:52 pm
Just curious, how much longer on Hewitt’s contract?
Supersize that order, mutt
January 24th, 2010
6:54 pm
Cremins was defintely a poor sidelines coach, and I was glad to see him go too, but I would rather have him than Blewitt. At least somehow or another, Cremins won a few ACC season and tournament championships and took Tech to the Final Four once with HIS talent and not that of his predecessor.
Supersize that order, mutt
January 24th, 2010
6:55 pm
GTech, Blewitt’s contract is self-perpetuating. It never ends.
HAHAHAHAHA!!!
January 24th, 2010
6:57 pm
FSU JUST BEAT YOU!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
UGA BEAT YOU!!!! UGA73 – gt 66!!!! HAAHHAAHHAHAHAAHA!!!
OH YEAH, THIS INCLUDES FOOTBALL UGA 30 – gt24!!!!!!
LOSERS!!!!!
WE RUN THIS STATE!!!!!!!!!!!
WE RUN THIS STATE!!!
BS Patrol
January 24th, 2010
6:59 pm
You have Clough to thank for letting Braine get Tech into the Gailey/Hewitt nightmare. He is the bumbling idiot who is responsible. He should have been fired.
Technophobia
January 24th, 2010
7:00 pm
Artie
January 24th, 2010
6:28 pm
Hewitt has been betting his career on one-and-dones and it’s blowing up in his face!!!!
That’s what I’m saying in a nutshell. If he had done a great coaching job, we wouldn’t have had the bad years. If he couldn’t coach at all, 2004 would have never happened. It’s my “Unifying theory of Georgia Tech basketball” lol
Technophobia
January 24th, 2010
7:01 pm
Bradley, I meant to say a Tech team. Even with your examples though, it’s still rare. “Slab fives” are much more common.
Technophobia
January 24th, 2010
7:02 pm
Hewitt’s contract is why he’s still here or at least not as much in the hot seat. I don’t buy that racial garbage.
Tough loss at FSU, but Tech again shows its potential | Mark Bradley economic university
January 24th, 2010
7:03 pm
[...] post: Tough loss at FSU, but Tech again shows its potential | Mark Bradley tags: ajc, bradley, florida-state, from-mobile, georgia, hours-ago, nearly-the-way, [...]
ND
January 24th, 2010
7:03 pm
Techno-Beating a team in Nov has nothing to do with playing them in April. Elder played 28 minutes in that game a scored 14 points. They lost by 9. Wanna know how many FTS they missed? 9. What is it you want anyway, why do you continue to defend Blewitt?
GT/Falcons fan
January 24th, 2010
7:03 pm
Now this is the Pewitt team I know and love….hahaha. I think our two wins in ACC are more from Duke and UNC not being very good as opposed to our coaches getting the most out of players. Kwik question…inbounding, free throws and running set half court plays…arent they a factor of coaching. Wouldnt it be great if the President of the BCCA doesnt have a job after this season…..Please let the sufferin stop. FIRE POS Hewitt!!!
Observation1002
January 24th, 2010
7:07 pm
Anyone know a lawyer. I want to know if we can sue Braine for the contract he gave Hewitt. Probably not.
Observation1002
January 24th, 2010
7:10 pm
I’ll spell it out.
I have season tickets to both football and basketball.
I don’t want the millions going to Hewitt.
I want us to have a good year and RAD to pressure Hewitt into a new contract.
I just can’t see why Braine would give such a contract unless he hated the people who had paid him for 10 years.
What an a$$
Supersize that order, mutt
January 24th, 2010
7:11 pm
Observation, that sounds good, but do you really think Blewitt could even be forced into signing a new contract. He may be dumb, but he’s not stupid.
Luv The Dawgs
January 24th, 2010
7:11 pm
Mark Fox Runs This State. Take notice tekkies. He is showing how you coach ‘em up.
Coach Paul Johnson
January 24th, 2010
7:15 pm
Agree with the basic assessment here, Mark Fox IS better than CPH.
Observation1002
January 24th, 2010
7:19 pm
Tell me how we can get at Braine then.
Where does he live?
I’ll at least pay teenagers to roll his trees or egg his house.
Technophobia
January 24th, 2010
7:22 pm
ND, Elder was totally hobbled in that game. Yeah he scored 14 but was only 4 for 15. That really doesn’t help.
Limited to just 15 minutes in Tech’s two games in the St. Louis Regional after spraining his right ankle just two minutes into the Nevada game … Played three minutes in that contest, and then started the next game against Kansas but managed just 12 minutes … Did not score in either game, but had an offensive rebound and an assist against the Jayhawks.
Recovered enough to play 19 minutes against Oklahoma State, but scored just two points (1-4 FG, 0-3 3 FG) … Scored 14 points (4-15 FG, 3-8 3FG) in 28 minutes in the national championship game against Connecticut.
My point? It’s posted at 7 pm. Gotta watch the NFC game now. I’ll check back later.
Buzzed Driving
January 24th, 2010
7:26 pm
We need to restructure Hewitt’s contact based on performance. Hell, throw in a clause for just getting good recruits. Hewitt could bank on that part. Maybe Hewitt will be reasonable and take a restructured contract. If not, we be bite thee bullet and can him.
We need some good lawyers to get us out of this one. Please contact D-Rad.
Supersize that order, mutt
January 24th, 2010
7:29 pm
Buzzed, again that sounds nice, but there’s no way to “restructure” the contract; it is as it is until cancelled. And Blewitt’s not stupid; he won’t let it be cancelled without getting 7 million out of it.
Supersize that order, mutt
January 24th, 2010
7:31 pm
And Buzzed, I am afraid that “biting the bullet” is exactly what DRad is going to have to do. There comes a point of diminishing returns, and frankly, I think we’re already past that point.
tech hater
January 24th, 2010
7:34 pm
It is ok, we are Ga Tech, we are supposed to suck.
Observation1002
January 24th, 2010
7:34 pm
It is not going to happen but I would like DRAD to take the issue of a new contract public.
To expose what Braine did and embarrass him.
And also to e in public pressure might work.
But it is a long shot and I doubt DRAD wants to ry it.
Ben Dover
January 24th, 2010
7:35 pm
Pretty funny that Blewitt did it again……You need to fire that loser of a coach. Will the Knicks still take this bum?
Observation1002
January 24th, 2010
7:36 pm
tech hater. you’ve just lowered my taxes.
Every time u guys say someone smart I stay home instead of eating out.
Could fix my kitchen but that would mean paying the ga fan I usually use for home repair.
You probably don’t pay attention to sales tax revenue but Georgia needs it bad.
They’ll get it from someone besides me.
Luv The Dawgs
January 24th, 2010
7:41 pm
You tekkies are unbelievable. Over the course of two weeks, you beat Duke, UNC, and Clemson… with 4 freshmen. And now it’s time to fire the coach? The frustration of losing to UGA aside, time to check yourselves. If you think things are bad now, just wait until Mark Fox gets a couple of recruiting classes in Athens.
Supersize that order, mutt
January 24th, 2010
7:41 pm
Observation, it’s best just to totally ignore the comments of those guys. Once you say something back to one of them, they just keep it up. Several posted comments here earlier and were totally ignored and didn’t say another word.
ND
January 24th, 2010
7:43 pm
Techno-He was so hobbled he played 28 minutes and took 15 shots. And I don’t recall totally, but he probably only played 28 min b/c of foul trouble. Anyway, sounds like you are ok with 7-9 every year. I am not. Tired of beating this horse, I’m done until we start it over again after the WFU game. Blewitt sucks.
Mark Bradley
January 24th, 2010
7:44 pm
GTech asked about Hewitt’s contract. The deal always has five more years to run. It’s an automatic rollover.
Steve
January 24th, 2010
7:45 pm
Our big men play volleyball on the offensive boards. Rebound and go up strong. I am beginning to buy into poor coaching/teaching.
Supersize that order, mutt
January 24th, 2010
7:47 pm
so, Mark, how do we get rid of him? I know you’re not ready to support such a move, but if you were, is there really any reasonable way we could do it?
Butts Wagner
January 24th, 2010
7:52 pm
Butts Wagner hit the nail on the head
I rule.
Some other thoughts. When Hewitt first came to Tech, his teams were heart&hustle type teams, playing tenacious d and an up tempo style of offense predicated on wearing the other team down. Even through the champ game appearance, that was kind of the style with high flying wings like Ish and deadly shooters like Marvin Lewis. It seems like as the big men recruits have gotten better, the offense has gotten worse. Really, Dickey and Jeremis Smith were a very good tandem, and now there’s Lawal and Favors, and through all of these years, GT should be wearing teams down by pounding the ball inside. But it’s as if the team has no concept of how to do this. At best, it’s as if GT will figure it out and do it for 10 minutes, taking a sizeable lead, but then lose concentration and start jacking unnecessary 3s and next thing you know, the opponent has the lead and GT is scrambling to stay in a game they were completely dominating. All good teams have a defined offensive game plan. I don’t know what GT’s game plan is on offense. I haven’t known for a long time.
Supersize that order, mutt
January 24th, 2010
7:53 pm
Butts, that was a perfect description of Tech’s style of play, if you can call it style.
Technophobia
January 24th, 2010
7:56 pm
ND, Elder hobbling around the court was WHY he was 4 for 15. To answer your queston, NO I’M NOT OK WITH 7-9 in conference every year. But be aware, we are already a little cash strapped due to paying off Gailey. If we can Hewitt and take on that cost it may affect the rest of our athletic programs. Better make sure we have a better candidate who we can afford or we’re just screwing ourselves worse.
Supersize that order, mutt
January 24th, 2010
7:59 pm
sure wish there were something in that contract that we could sue Blewitt over breach of contract. lol
Paul Hewitt
January 24th, 2010
8:09 pm
Anybody know any good inbounds plays? We had 5 turnovers off them today so maybe I should actually teach the team some.
st. Clarkston
January 24th, 2010
8:13 pm
Wow Tech. We’re all used to you being the 2nd best football program
in the state. Now, you’re the 2nd best basketball program in the
state too. Too funny.
Supersize that order, mutt
January 24th, 2010
8:14 pm
Paul, how about you don’t call needless timeouts and you won’t have some of those inbounds plays to worry about. lol
RAM
January 24th, 2010
8:16 pm
MB, you don’t know much if you think Peacock is the best at anything.
StingerSplash
January 24th, 2010
8:24 pm
From HAHAHAHAHA: WE RUN THIS STATE!!!!!!!!!!!
WE RUN THIS STATE!!!
And you wondered why we have such a budget hole and why our education system is still ranked at the bottom… there’s your answer.
They run this state! Right into the ground!
Back to our original question — Tech has talent. It has very little coaching. This season will include a first-round ACC tournament loss and maybe an at-large bid into the NCAA, where Tech will lose by double digits to some mid-level mid-major team. Why? Because there is no coaching.