GT vs FSU - 3/2/2024 (GAME THREAD)

[MWBATL]

I know this has been mentioned before, but looking ahead to next season where freshmen like George and Ndongo gain a year of strength and maturity combined with three really talented incoming freshmen next year and we could be scary good. Throw in the potential that Gapare has and the possibility that Kelly comes back for his last season plus Reeves and who knows. Oh and I almost forgot we have Terry coming back and hopefully Coleman as well. What is obvious to me is that CDS recruits the rangy high athleticism type guys the likes of which we have not seen in a long time. Also, I think top transfers will give us a much stronger look than we have gotten previously. I'm very optimistic with this coaching staff that we are going to see much more talent heading our way in the future.

Isn’t it funny though…after Clemson some on this board thought CDS was a bad hire.

 

[Bogey]

With this team winning the first game will be hard. We are simply an inconsistent team that can play very well or very poorly.

There are no ACC teams where we can simply say we are a much better team. If we play really hard for the full 40 minutes we have a chance to win any g as me. If we play a sloppy game with less than full effort we will likely lose any ACCT game.

A party pooper has entered the room.

 

[MWBATL]

With this team winning the first game will be hard. We are simply an inconsistent team that can play very well or very poorly.

There are no ACC teams where we can simply say we are a much better team. If we play really hard for the full 40 minutes we have a chance to win any g as me. If we play a sloppy game with less than full effort we will likely lose any ACCT game.

Season long histury….you’re correct. Last 2 games history….you’re not correct. In the last two games, our DEFENSIVE effort in the 2nd half has been stellar leading to wins in both games after so-so first halves. Is that a corner being turned with this group? Or an anomaly? There are now reasons to watch the last two regular season games….

 

[orientalnc]

So what's people's opinion about the ACC Tourney? Separate thread is fine. We won't get any byes, but maybe make some noise? NIT seems out of the question unless we win the tourney (1% vegas odds?) and then it'll be the NCAA.........

If we win in Winston-Salem and Charlottesville our record will be 15-16. Post season is possible only with a winning record. Given we will lose once in the ACC tournament unless we win it, we have to win three times in DC. Is that possible? Yes, but not likely. For that to happen we will have to win five straight games from here out. That would give us a seven game winning streak and we just won back to back games for the first time since December. So, don't book a flight to DC just yet.

For our seeding chances, here are the games to watch this week. Preferred winner in brackets:

GT@WF Tuesday (GT)
VT@UL Tuesday (UL)
ND@UNC Tuesday (UNC)

BC@MIA Wednesday (MIA)

ND@VT Saturday (VT) We cannot pass VT in the standings
Mia@FSU Saturday (FSU)
BC@UL Saturday (UL)
GT@UVA Saturday (GT)

If all this happens we will be the 11th seed and open the ACCT with BC on Tuesday. If we win, our Wednesday opponent will be one of the teams bunched in the middle right now trying to be #6. While we would be the underdog, any of those teams would be a winnable game for us. I hope it's not Clemson. Next would be the #3 seed. It could be Clemson or UVA, but Cuse could slip in there if the tiebreakers work in their favor.

But, looking at the bracket, #11 is the best possible seed for us to play in the semifinal.

 

[57jacket]

Georgia Tech maintains momentum in win over Florida State

Tech secured its first back-to-back wins in ACC play this season and its largest margin of victory in a conference game.

www.ajc.com

 

[Northeast Stinger]

If we win in Winston-Salem and Charlottesville our record will be 15-16. Post season is possible only with a winning record. Given we will lose once in the ACC tournament unless we win it, we have to win three times in DC. Is that possible? Yes, but not likely. For that to happen we will have to win five straight games from here out. That would give us a seven game winning streak and we just won back to back games for the first time since December. So, don't book a flight to DC just yet.

For our seeding chances, here are the games to watch this week. Preferred winner in brackets:

GT@WF Tuesday (GT)
VT@UL Tuesday (UL)
ND@UNC Tuesday (UNC)

BC@MIA Wednesday (MIA)

ND@VT Saturday (VT) We cannot pass VT in the standings
Mia@FSU Saturday (FSU)
BC@UL Saturday (UL)
GT@UVA Saturday (GT)

If all this happens we will be the 11th seed and open the ACCT with BC on Tuesday. If we win, our Wednesday opponent will be one of the teams bunched in the middle right now trying to be #6. While we would be the underdog, any of those teams would be a winnable game for us. I hope it's not Clemson. Next would be the #3 seed. It could be Clemson or UVA, but Cuse could slip in there if the tiebreakers work in their favor.

But, looking at the bracket, #11 is the best possible seed for us to play in the semifinal.

I can’t decide which you are better at, math, basketball, or lawyering.

 

[kg01]

I can’t decide which you are better at, math, basketball, or lawyering.

Wait, he's a lawyer? I'll keep that in mind in case I run into a ... situation out in the streets.

 

[orientalnc]

I can’t decide which you are better at, math, basketball, or lawyering.

I am lucky to have a neighbor who spent a good bit of his working life as a corporate lawyer. He is also an avid ACC fan. But I got my JD as a result of reading John Grisham novels. The Ga Bar Association, and now the NC Bar, treated my legal education as somewhat less than staying at the Holiday Inn Express.

 

[g0lftime]

He was never the star at Tech and many on the Swarm questioned why he was playing at all. But he has finished strong, has his GT diploma, and will be remembered by most of us a key guy in whatever success we enjoyed these past few seasons. I loved seeing him get 20 today.

I think he improved every year in the program. He developed a nice pull up jumper and he was the guy we wanted on the FT line with the game on the line. He really helped this team this year and was a good example to the younger guys.

 

[MtnWasp]

Every player that played worked hard to impact the game in some manner. Very few instances of passivity. I think the players might be starting to get it. FSU is a scrappy team and we competed and didn't wilt. The way Deebo played on both ends and the way Gapare played on the defensive end are good examples of players looking to aggressively impact the game in ways that they had not earlier in the season. Will they sustain it?

GT was +22 on the boards and +11 on the offensive boards. That is crazy and that can't make Leonard Hamilton happy. Kelly actually played a nice floor game. Teams are working hard to deny George the ball when he is in there and that means that their scouting reports are saying that GT's offensive efficiency is much better when George is triggering the offense. Gt is better on offense when Sturidivant shoots the ball. He is basically the only GT player that can manufacture his own shots. Ndongo has amazingly quick hands and lift..

Odd that Sacko did not play. I thought he would have been a good match-up against FSU.

I eagerly look forward to seeing the progress of Ndongo, Gapare and George moving forward. I see a lot of un-tapped up-side in all of them. Gapare's lightbulb has definitely come on. I wasn't sure if there was a basketball player in that great athlete, but I think that there is now. He's unpolished, but he's got a chance to tap his potential.

 

[g0lftime]

Great win! Fun game to watch! There were a few inbounding issues that made me think about Hewitt. Sturdivant was awesome. Kelly was as cold today as he was hot last game. Super glad to see good effort from everyone for 40 minutes.

We make it too easy to get into a double team trap in the corner. Need to work on better in bound sets. We need to not let the opposition roll the ball to mid court and the clock is stopped when we have a late lead and want to burn clock. Just keep a guy back to force an inbounds pass on the baseline.

 

[MtnWasp]

We make it too easy to get into a double team trap in the corner. Need to work on better in bound sets. We need to not let the opposition roll the ball to mid court and the clock is stopped when we have a late lead and want to burn clock. Just keep a guy back to force an inbounds pass on the baseline.

I think that stuff will get better when we have better back-court depth. When it turned out that Lance Terry and Amare Abram were not going to play, that left the team very light in the back court. Deebo and Reeves may be listed as guards, but they play like wing forwards and don't handle much.

Kelly was listed as a PG out of High School, and he has actually played quite a bit on the ball late this year. And he is better at that than Sturdivant, who I think is best as our primary shooter when he is on the floor. So, we have seen a bit of an inversion in roles of Kelly and Sturdivant late this season, with Kelly assuming a lot of ball handling responsibilities and Sturdivant being able to create his own shot and score rather efficiently.

I think we recruit another ball handling guard this Spring.

 

[Root4GT]

If we win in Winston-Salem and Charlottesville our record will be 15-16. Post season is possible only with a winning record. Given we will lose once in the ACC tournament unless we win it, we have to win three times in DC. Is that possible? Yes, but not likely. For that to happen we will have to win five straight games from here out. That would give us a seven game winning streak and we just won back to back games for the first time since December. So, don't book a flight to DC just yet.

For our seeding chances, here are the games to watch this week. Preferred winner in brackets:

GT@WF Tuesday (GT)
VT@UL Tuesday (UL)
ND@UNC Tuesday (UNC)

BC@MIA Wednesday (MIA)

ND@VT Saturday (VT) We cannot pass VT in the standings
Mia@FSU Saturday (FSU)
BC@UL Saturday (UL)
GT@UVA Saturday (GT)

If all this happens we will be the 11th seed and open the ACCT with BC on Tuesday. If we win, our Wednesday opponent will be one of the teams bunched in the middle right now trying to be #6. While we would be the underdog, any of those teams would be a winnable game for us. I hope it's not Clemson. Next would be the #3 seed. It could be Clemson or UVA, but Cuse could slip in there if the tiebreakers work in their favor.

But, looking at the bracket, #11 is the best possible seed for us to play in the semifinal.

Seems to me BC or Miami are the most favorable matchups for GT in the first round ACCT Game. ND has won 5 of their last 6 games. Beat us 2 times. I will pass on playing them in round 1.

We have two tough road games left. Wake is15-0 at home and UVA is 14-2 at home. Winning either would be a very good win!

 

[78pike]

I think that stuff will get better when we have better back-court depth. When it turned out that Lance Terry and Amare Abram were not going to play, that left the team very light in the back court. Deebo and Reeves may be listed as guards, but they play like wing forwards and don't handle much.

Kelly was listed as a PG out of High School, and he has actually played quite a bit on the ball late this year. And he is better at that than Sturdivant, who I think is best as our primary shooter when he is on the floor. So, we have seen a bit of an inversion in roles of Kelly and Sturdivant late this season, with Kelly assuming a lot of ball handling responsibilities and Sturdivant being able to create his own shot and score rather efficiently.

I think we recruit another ball handling guard this Spring.

Our top recruit for next year is Jaeden Mustaff who is the #26 best player in the class of '24. I know he is 6'5" but I believe he plays some point as well. He might be that other point guard you are looking for. With his size, he could really cause matchup problems taking the opposing PG down low if the play M2M defense.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

Every player that played worked hard to impact the game in some manner. Very few instances of passivity. I think the players might be starting to get it. FSU is a scrappy team and we competed and didn't wilt. The way Deebo played on both ends and the way Gapare played on the defensive end are good examples of players looking to aggressively impact the game in ways that they had not earlier in the season. Will they sustain it?

GT was +22 on the boards and +11 on the offensive boards. That is crazy and that can't make Leonard Hamilton happy. Kelly actually played a nice floor game. Teams are working hard to deny George the ball when he is in there and that means that their scouting reports are saying that GT's offensive efficiency is much better when George is triggering the offense. Gt is better on offense when Sturidivant shoots the ball. He is basically the only GT player that can manufacture his own shots. Ndongo has amazingly quick hands and lift..

Odd that Sacko did not play. I thought he would have been a good match-up against FSU.

I eagerly look forward to seeing the progress of Ndongo, Gapare and George moving forward. I see a lot of un-tapped up-side in all of them. Gapare's lightbulb has definitely come on. I wasn't sure if there was a basketball player in that great athlete, but I think that there is now. He's unpolished, but he's got a chance to tap his potential.

I said back at the beginning of the season that my favorite lineup was Ndongo, Gapare, George, Reeves and Kelly.

We haven’t gotten that consistently, I think because of matchup issues with other teams. But next year, with growth as a team, that’s not a bad nucleus there.

 

[spdrama]

I think we recruit another ball handling guard this Spring.

I think we’ve already got the right guy committed. Jaeden Mustaf. He is unselfish #2 assist leader in OTE and handling the point for City Reapers all season. Listed at 6’5”/6’6”. OTE is in playoffs now. Reapers are 1-1 v Cold Hearts. Check out box score from last night where Mustaf led team to win w 8 assists. He can play 1 or 2 & any spot in 5-out. Drives to hoop & rebounds. Definitely going to be a CDS “guy”.

 

[MtnWasp]

Based on the film I've seen of Mustaf so far, he looks like a Bruce Dalrymple kind of player. I think the staff will look for another scooty, on the ball player this Spring.

 

[spdrama]

Based on the film I've seen of Mustaf so far, he looks like a Bruce Dalrymple kind of player. I think the staff will look for another scooty, on the ball player this Spring.

From what I remember, BD was more of a shooting guard, but excellent passer. I’ve watched some Reapers’ games on TV & Mustaph is definitely a combo and used at the point. He will help solve inbound & press issues. Really good ball handler.

 

[Dobeedobeedo]

Outstanding win Jackets! Keep fighting and winning!

 

[TechPhi97]

From what I remember, BD was more of a shooting guard, but excellent passer. I’ve watched some Reapers’ games on TV & Mustaph is definitely a combo and used at the point. He will help solve inbound & press issues. Really good ball handler.

Your post just makes me happy, because I feel like this is a great compliment to what we have in place.