UGA’s hoops epitaph: It gave itself a chance but lost anyway
It was both the end of the road and the story of the season. (AP photo)
Charlotte — “Losing in the tournament,” Mark Fox said, his voice a rasp as Friday night became Saturday morning, “there should be no shame in that.” There shouldn’t, and there isn’t. You could even describe the presence of Georgia in the NCAA tournament as a breakthrough. And yet …
The season that ended here didn’t feel quite that emphatic. Georgia won 21 games and made the Big Dance, yes. It also lost 12 games and was gone from the NCAA after 40 minutes that could stand as the season in miniature.
The Bulldogs got what they wanted against Washington — the game, the pace, the score. They just couldn’t win it. “Yes,” said Fox, the Georgia coach, “that was frustrating.”
Two years ago it was possible to wonder if the Bulldogs would ever again grace the only tournament that matters. That they made it in their second try under Fox says much about this coach, and in a different era we would look on Georgia and foresee, to borrow from the late Al McGuire, only seashells and balloons. But we live in a colder time, where this season’s team can bear little resemblance to next’s.
There’s a chance we might have watched one of the more talented Bulldog assemblages come and go without registering even one NCAA tournament win. Not since the early ’80s, when Dominique Wilkins and Vern Fleming worked in tandem, has Georgia had a duo as gifted as Trey Thompkins and Travis Leslie, but what are the chances we’ll see either or both of these juniors play another collegiate minute?
Said Fox: “They could come back and we could have a great team. They could leave and we could have a young team. One could stay and one could go.”
Fox has signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, a shooting guard from Greenville High who should become Georgia’s first McDonald’s All-American recruit since Carlos Strong in 1992. (Louis Williams was a McDonald’s All-American but didn’t enroll; Damien Wilkins was, but arrived as a transfer.) Put Caldwell-Pope alongside Thompkins and Leslie and you’d have a Top 10 team. But the probability is that Thompkins will leave, and with him would go any hope of such a lofty ranking.
Georgia left so many winnable games on the table this season they needed an extra leaf to accommodate them all. Friday’s was just the last of a series. The Bulldogs led by seven in the first half, saw Washington tie it at the break, fell behind by 10 with 12 1/2 minutes left and still trailed by eight with 36 seconds remaining. But they cut it to two and had a chance to tie on Leslie’s fling off a deflection at the buzzer.
Afterward Thompkins didn’t care to ponder missed opportunities. “We gave it every shot we had,” he said. And then: “I don’t regret anything. We’re a tough bunch.”
But they weren’t tough or clever enough to turn a good season into something more. Big men Jeremy Price and Chris Barnes were inconsistent. Guards Gerald Robinson Jr. and Dustin Ware were too much alike — neither a true point guard, neither a knockdown shooter. And there was nothing beyond Barnes in the way of depth. Said Fox after Georgia’s full-tilt rally that fell one basket short: “We’re just not deep enough to play that way all the time.”
Georgia scored 65 points against Washington; Thompkins and Leslie accounted for 38 of those. And now their partnership could end after three seasons, and if it does, Fox will have a hard time finding a starting five, let alone filling out his bench.
And that’s why college basketball has become such an ephemeral thing: You must win big when the opportunity arises, for next season holds no guarantee. (Indeed, who’s to say Caldwell-Pope mightn’t be a one-and-done?)
There was no dishonor in anything Georgia did this season: Its losses were all close, all to worthy opponents. But it would be wrong to suggest there wasn’t disappointment. The Bulldogs gave themselves a chance against Washington, same as they’d given themselves a chance against everybody. Chances, alas, aren’t the same as victories.
By Mark Bradley
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284 comments Add your comment
Delta Stewardess
March 19th, 2011
9:20 pm
Butler and Pitt what a finish do we get OT? Big East is looking like the Big Least.
OldTimer
March 19th, 2011
9:26 pm
UGA will never have a bench. The type of recruits that they attract won’t sit on the bench.
kral
March 19th, 2011
9:33 pm
was that nice ds or was that ….life is funny…my wife took up for me…i put her down…with out knowlege believe it are not…try to protect me ….you even pizzzed her off..if you meannt it I send a blesing of your heart too
kral
March 19th, 2011
9:45 pm
hope you mean it….married late in life to a wonderful women after a long previous..wish you the same blessiing..you never know when they will come …keep your eyes open wide
kral
March 19th, 2011
9:45 pm
hope you mean it….married late in life to a wonderful women after a long previous..wish you the same blessiing..you never know when they will come …keep your eyes open wide
Delta Stewardess
March 19th, 2011
9:54 pm
.married late in life to a wonderful women after a long previous..WHAT a Drunk Spell?
.you never know when they will come …Usually a few seconds of breathing deep and moaning for myself.
phillip
March 19th, 2011
9:55 pm
I agree with Thompkins comments that the NCAA tournament is something every player should experience. Especially the Alabama players that got shafted after beating Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and won the West going away. Damn shame they couldn’t enjoy it.
kral
March 19th, 2011
10:02 pm
you just can not let it it go…you arre the epitamy..spelliing,,,of dang..do not know what to say exactly…sugar or without ..did not mean to throw you off dizzzy …look left..look right ..oohhh..oyu you do not understand,,,that is okay….you and I live and work on two different levels you correct grammar..I call out fools
CP_Bulldawgs
March 19th, 2011
10:05 pm
I think that the 2012 recruiting class is very important for Mark Fox in order to turn the corner and make UGA b ball program more relevant. The state is loaded with talent with players like Tony Parker, Jordan Price, Evan Nolte, Shaq Goodwin, to go along with the two guys from GA playing at Oak Hill Jordan Adams and Damien Wilson. And that is just to name a few. I am not sure how many we can sign this years but if we could get a couple of those guys then that will really set UGA basketball up for success. Maybe Adams, Wilson, and Price will want to follow each other since the play AAU ball together for years.
What do you guys think?
kral
March 19th, 2011
10:09 pm
game on darling …stay for some more..read what has gone as bine posted or blogged,,,,you the man or the woman…keep going I have at the moment nothing better to do….go for it
kral
March 19th, 2011
10:13 pm
sorry boys just got personal…kinda love it….a
Delta Stewardess
March 19th, 2011
10:14 pm
kral
March 19th, 2011
6:41 pm
good- bye dizzy life is to short to waste anymore time with you…but thanks for the English lesson…bill me…you got me I give…kral
March 19th, 2011
10:02 pm
you just can not let it it go…
kral you said BYE 4 hours ago and you keep coming back. I am watching games and look over here and there you go running your mouth. Now who can’t let it go? OK you win I just can’t ready your post anymore. They make a sane persons head hurt.
Snoop Dawg
March 19th, 2011
10:18 pm
I’m sorry folks, but I’ve rarely seen such stupid play in my life. Our team might be talented, but the players are dumber than a box of rocks. Did you see those Washington players consistently sneaking around them and then dunking the ball at the goal? How bout the fake-outs that midget Isiah Thomas pulled on our team? We played only offense, absolutely no defense. I’m trying to give Fox as much credit as I can, but frankly I just don’t see a lot of coaching or basketball strategy on the court. UGA’s trademark: wait ’till next year…
kral
March 19th, 2011
10:33 pm
last blog lost to eternity…went away…but your stupididity made me stay…woe is me…dupe by another blogging ..idiot
kral
March 19th, 2011
10:40 pm
now watch and learn..an kiss my …I do not have one…okay ds….kiss somebodie’s jac azz good bye…pleasure meeting you will look forward to your guidance and coorection…arrogance………lack of knowlege…and the superbub …wonderful..life….you got it to many beers whats your excuse
Fox's Job
March 19th, 2011
10:52 pm
has fox scheduled a presser to explain the NC state rumors and whether he will stay at UGa? if so, will it be televised so I can watch it on my Ipad while traveling?
Spot the troll
March 19th, 2011
11:05 pm
Note:
100% of comments on this page from same blogger (not this post of course).
Just so everyone knows.
Bawbie
March 19th, 2011
11:17 pm
diamond Dawgs lose to SC. Fire Dave Perno!
5150 UOAD
March 19th, 2011
11:24 pm
Richt lost to SC, Colorado, and UCF. Fire Mark Richt.
Archbishop of Canterbury
March 20th, 2011
12:33 am
Football and basketball as irrelevant as a picture of Billy Carter urinating on the runway with a bottleof Billy Beer in his other hand.
Just a sad and pathetic athletic program that has not won a BIG game in one of the revenue producing sports in over a quarter of a century—BIG games are those when you either win pr are close to winning one of those really BIG bowls that come after the LAST game of a season.
GatornAtl
March 20th, 2011
12:39 am
Was this necessary? First, say Ga deserves NCAA..then, say it lost its chance…I am not sure of this kind of reporting…maybe yellow journalism? and MB, i do know what YJ means…AJC is wasting its reputation….
ugared
March 20th, 2011
12:51 am
Dawgs program is headed upwards. Glad to see Tech ousted Paul . He couldn’t get the job done with good talent. UK and UF are the 2 best SEC teams and are showing it . I still think the Big East flexes its muscle and wears the crown this year. Duke has a shot . UNC too young this year. Look out for SDSU to have a shot at the final four . Aztecs have talent.
Moof,Moof---TheHairLipDog
March 20th, 2011
9:24 am
How about those dogs? Moof, moof, moof, moof!!
Freehawk
March 20th, 2011
10:24 am
Mark, two days in a row you wrote the same column. Premise = Fox is a good coach and did a good job. Substance = facts may or may not support that. He seems a nice guy and good basketball coach. His two seasons so far have been entirely with talent recruited by the prior (fired) coach. His team was picked to win SEC East this season and it did not. They showed a very consistent problem choking away leads at the end of games (some they lost, some they survived). Alabama should have had their NCAA spot (don’t get me started on “body of work” pablum nonsense). He may be a fine coach, but cannot tell from his “body of work” to date.
Freehawk
March 20th, 2011
10:26 am
Next season Richt will echo Fox: “there should be no shame in that.” He’ll be talking about losing to SC in the second game, as SC goes on to win the East again.
wildbill
March 20th, 2011
11:26 am
Finish the drill?????? Looks like our dawgs didn’t finish the drill. The bright spot? We got there.
1785 Dawg
March 20th, 2011
2:32 pm
Thank you Coach Fox! Thank you Georgia Basketball Team! We look forward to next season!
robodawg
March 20th, 2011
2:37 pm
As far as getting the game we wanted … we actually did for only a half. UW scored 40 second half points. That’s their pace, their game, not ours. They were just too fast for us.
We’ve come a long ways, but what we’ve been missing all season is real depth. We play well in the first half and in the last 5 minutes, but not for a full 40. But very good season still and a big step forward for the program.
LLUGA
March 20th, 2011
3:01 pm
Wow…never seen so much hand-wringing after Wash-UNC game over officials not getting clock time right…no one seemed to care about the officials in Wash-UGA game erroneously taking away basket from UGA…glad Wash lost…tired of seeing Isaiah Thomas’s father in the crowd…
As for UGA…what can you say…they lived up to expectations…heaven forbid a UGA team ever exceed them.
peak oil
March 20th, 2011
4:59 pm
Just Imagine…
PG Dustin Ware SR
SG Travis Leslie SR
SF Kentavious Caldwell FR
PF Trey Thompkins SR
C John Florveus SO
Bench
Gerald Robinson SR
Marcus Thornton SO
Tim Dixon FR
Donte Williams SO
Sherrard Brantley JR
lamar
March 20th, 2011
11:15 pm
If you call Chris Barnes DEPTH, then you dont know what the word means! This guy is GARBAGE! AGAIN, GARBAGE!! He played 21 minutes because Price got into foul trouble AND SCORED ZERO! ZERO! POINTS! Hell he could’nt even hit the rim on his only 2 foul shots! Mark Fox is a very young coach, but a dang good one but i would have left Price in in the 2nd half untill he fouled out because he finished the game with just 4 fouls. At least you could have gotten more out of him because with BARNES YOU HAVE NOTHING! PATHETIC IS WHAT YOU HAVE FOR DEPTH!
cdog
March 21st, 2011
12:41 am
trey and travis, you need another year in college.that will increase your stock tremendously next season. you have a dynamite recruiting class next year plus the bulldogs will have 3 of the states top hoopsters in jay rhome, nick marshall and kentavious caldwell.by giving yourselves another year would all but make the bulldogs highly favorites to make the final four.both you guys, leslie and thompkins are by no way ready for the next level. you will be next season so do the sensible thing, stay in school, please.
player notes
March 21st, 2011
3:23 am
ga basketball players don’t read this blog—begging them to stay in school instead of making millions in the nba may be the dumbest thing I’ve read on the internet in a 11 months.
King Gator
March 22nd, 2011
12:48 pm
Still better than losing to UCF in the Liberty Bowl! Go Gators!