Thanks for a great season of MBB!

Wrecked

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
567
It was a good finish to the season, at the beginning of the year I felt this was a tourney team, and once we were whole I thought we would finish 8-1 over our last nine, we went 7-2. The injuries and the inexplicable loss to Ball St. cost us a great year. Next year I fully expect to be playing on the second weekend of the tourney and I think Tech fans should get behind the program and expect the same thing. Attendance has to be better to give the Dome a home court advantage again. A non appearance in the tourney should be the end of the Pastner era, but I really don't see that happening.
 
Techster

Techster

Helluva Engineer
Messages
17,840
connell62 said:
I was going to create a new thread for this, but this seems like a good place to put it. I could be entirely wrong about this in the long run, but I feel strongly that the way we finished this season could be a turning point for our program.

I posted this on a different forum and thought I’d post here as well. There’s a really good article on the Athletic about Pastner and the season. With all things considered, I feel like he did a really good job with this team. We were all expecting more, but he battled through a lot (injuries, doubt, etc) to finish strong. This quote from James Banks sums it up well:

“He’s an amazing coach and an amazing person,” said Banks, the senior center. “He never hung his head once. He’s always kept it positive. He didn’t curse us. He works with you. He talks to us. Everybody in this locker room loves him.”

It’s fools gold to think that we are going to ever spend freely on our basketball program. With that being case, we need to support this coach. I’m not prepared to call him the second coming of Bobby Cremona, but whether we want to admit it or not, we’ve got a good man at the helm, that cares about our program, and he’s not that far away from getting us where we want to be.

For once, I’d love to see this fan base put as much effort and energy into supporting a coach as some do in tearing him down. He’s proven capable of being a team in the top half of the league, and with a few breaks and a good class in 2021, we could be well positioned for sustained success over the next 5-6 seasons.

Perhaps these last 10-12 games were the turning point!
Click to expand...

In 1989, Bobby Ross ended the season winning 7 of the last 8 games which set up 1990. Everyone knows what happened in 1990. Keep in mind, Ross had a miserable 1988 season where he was questioned left and right, and their was a lot of turmoil within the team. 1989 didn't start off well either, but the team bounced back to for the foundations of what would become our National Championship team in 1990.

I'm not saying Pastner is taking us to the Championship next season, but with the vast majority of the team returning, including one of the top backcourt tandems in the country, this team is setting up to be a special team that can give us a special season. The way this season ended has a similar feel to the 1989 season under Ross (of course, I was in elementary school at the time :)). Sometimes when you're in the middle of living it, it's hard to see the big picture and it's especially hard to look past the trees for the forest. Honestly, I don't blame some fans for souring on Pastner, as some of it he brought upon himself, but he isn't one of those coaches that has bad intentions...maybe just bad judgement at times. Next season is Pastner's "get old, stay old" mantra coming to fruition. All of his recruits will finally be upper classmen, and he'll have his best recruiting class coming in. It's an important year for Pastner, but I'll go a step beyond that: Next season will be one of the most important seasons for GT basketball. If we can make it back to the NCAA tournament next season, it will give Pastner and GT cache that our plan is working. It can set us up for years to come. If we fail in that, then Pastner will most likely be fired, and the rebuilding process will have to begin again...and who knows when we will ever be able to recover.

BTW: Who the heyall is Bobby Cremona?! :)
 

lv20gt

Helluva Engineer
Messages
5,566
This year will always be a big what if year. What if Jose didn't go out early. What kind of impact would that have made for us, not just in the games that he missed, but in the games after, because this team certainly progressed as the year went on.

IMO it's a fair criticism to say that Pastner should have had this level of team last year in year 3. I think it's also fair to still have doubts about whether he is the long term answer for us as a head coach. I think even if you have concerns though you have to concede that as a program we're probably in a better place than we have been in a long time. Finishing with a winning record, losing only one rotation player, and adding a solid recruiting class

This year Pastner did a good job of fielding a team with a starting 5 that could compete with anyone. He also did a good job of addressing the consistency issues that plagued last year's team. With the exception of the first Syracuse game we had winning chances in all other ACC games. Lastly he did a good job of coaching the team up to finish games which was a big reason we finished as strong as we did. We weren't a complete team though. We really lacked the depth that we need and we turned the ball over too much. Also even late in the year we struggled some in putting teams away when we had a big advantage. Those are all things he needs to address in the off season.

Overall Pastner has us set up pretty well going forward. He still needs to prove that the payoff is there. Both on the court with an NCAAT appearance, and hopefully more, but also recruiting landing a big 2021 class. Still a lot of work to be done, but I think there is sufficient reason to believe he can do it.
 
DvilleJacket

DvilleJacket

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,675
I have a small bit of optimism going into next year the way we ended the season. Could've easily been 20 wins had we beat ugag, Ball State, and Arkansas. ND games were both winnable along with the five point loss to UVA.
 

MtnWasp

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
807
So, Miami just upset Syracuse in over time, leaving GT in sole possession of 5th place and one of only five ACC teams that finished above .500 in conference. GT looking down at 10 teams in the final conference standings in not common territory for GT teams.

In context of where the program has been and what it has been going through in recent months, that is one heckuva accomplishment. We leap-frogged a lot of ACC programs this year and that is not easy to do. Even if one wants to bite deeply into the ACC being down this year, we didn't sink with them.

I really enjoyed this season. The team was sloppy but had talent and was exciting. I liked what they were trying to do and one could see that the group was tight with one another. The team demeanor was very good (which as been true of Pastner teams). I wonder what the record is for the most ferocious dunks in a season? I bet this team might have challenged that record.

I am in Pastner's corner. I think this season is a step towards turning the corner. I think he can do it and I am pulling for him to do it and am going to defend him. He seems squarely behind GT and I think it is time for GT fans to get behind him and the program. This upcoming recruiting class is sooooo important. Just as important as how the team does next year. But, I am excited. I think GT finally makes its move in the ACC. Been too long.
 

glandon1960

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
174
This is the most optimistic I have been at end of a season in many years. Barring significant injuries to the wrong people - anything less than NCAA will be failure next season.

We will discuss over the offseason who and how well Banks shoes are filled .... that is a big loss which will hurt us on defense, but (hopefully?) could make us a more difficult team to defend and better on offense. Unless there is a signee in the spring - either Saba and/or Jordan Meka will need to deliver solid backup minutes. Additionally I am curious how CJP and staff plan to work on reducing the number of turnovers next year.

I listened to what CJP said when he started (get old, stay old plan), and while the path here has not been as smooth as any of us would like - he is positioned to be NCAA tournament team next year, and if he can land a solid class coming in behind those that leave next year - I can see it being sustainable for foreseeable future. The next 18 months will determine whether he is here a lot longer or not.

I live in metro Atlanta, and have had season tickets for many years. Most years I make it to almost all home games (work/etc sometimes gets in the way), This year I made it to every home game (even Morehouse and Ga College), and two road games (UGA and FSU (having daughter that went to FSU gives me reason to go to Tallahassee with her whenever GT plays there)).

What I challenge all of you that live reasonably close to Atlanta is to get to McCamish next year! Even if all you can do is make weekend games or the ones over the holidays .... having more gold in the seats will only help! For those of you not in the metro Atlanta area ... if GT plays somewhere within an hour or two of where you live - please make the effort to get out there in person at least once next season!
 
Silk3

Silk3

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
875
The most encouraging thing about this year and heading into next year was that we changed the offense and running more p&r’s and letting are best players make the plays and get the ball where it needs to go instead of running the princetonish offense we were running last couple years
 

g0lftime

Helluva Engineer
Messages
5,421
I am really happy for the kids on this team and the way they continued to play hard and worked to improve. Way to go guys. You went out in style this year.
 

RamblinRed

Helluva Engineer
Featured Member
Messages
5,736
I would not call this a great season, though there are a couple of great accomplishments. The big item to me is that for the first time since the end of his first season here there feels like a little tail wind behind the program rather than strong headwinds. Hopefully the staff and program take advantage of it.

They need to do 2 things over the next 12 months. They need to have a big class of 2021 recruiting haul (Top 25 quality) and they need to make the NCAA Tourney.
The finish to the season actually could give them a little cred on the recruiting trail.

I'll post my post-season thoughts in the next couple of days.
 
Ramblin Wreckt

Ramblin Wreckt

Georgia Tech Fan
Messages
26
Hi, I don't post much on this board, and mostly just lurk on the fb forum. But I am a little miffed about the NCAA postseason ban, and though we did not have a great season, it had its moments. I'd like to post some thoughts, and can someone please tell me where I have it right/wrong:
  • GT MBB finished above .500 in ACC league play for the first time since 2007.
  • We had bad out of conference losses this season, so we'd be a bubble team regardless, but we had some good wins in league play. The best league.
  • NCAA postseason ban from when a certain booster took a certain recruit to a certain strip club in Atlanta on a recruiting visit 2 years ago. Said recruit did 1&done @ Puke, and was never ineligible.
  • NCAA made an example of us, because we have enough name recognition in hoops, but we don't have the $$ or "cachet" to affect their bottom line.
Is that the gist of it? Thanks & THWg
 

JacketOff

Helluva Engineer
Messages
2,819
Backstreetbuzz said:
Whether CPJ is the person the resurrect GT basketball remains to be seen, but this year was a significant step forward.
Click to expand...
I agree. I was very critical of JP early in the year. They way the team closed the year was very encouraging though. Losing to Georgia again, and then getting blown out by Ball State and Syracuse at home had all but sealed the deal of me on Pastner. Especially that Ball State game. It looked the team had completely quit on him. It looks like his recruiting is picking up some also. I really want to see him close on Maxwell. If he can’t land him with his Tech connections I’ll probably be out on JP for the future again
 
Connell62

Connell62

Helluva Engineer
Featured Member
Messages
2,972
glandon1960 said:
This is the most optimistic I have been at end of a season in many years. Barring significant injuries to the wrong people - anything less than NCAA will be failure next season.

We will discuss over the offseason who and how well Banks shoes are filled .... that is a big loss which will hurt us on defense, but (hopefully?) could make us a more difficult team to defend and better on offense. Unless there is a signee in the spring - either Saba and/or Jordan Meka will need to deliver solid backup minutes. Additionally I am curious how CJP and staff plan to work on reducing the number of turnovers next year.

I listened to what CJP said when he started (get old, stay old plan), and while the path here has not been as smooth as any of us would like - he is positioned to be NCAA tournament team next year, and if he can land a solid class coming in behind those that leave next year - I can see it being sustainable for foreseeable future. The next 18 months will determine whether he is here a lot longer or not.

I live in metro Atlanta, and have had season tickets for many years. Most years I make it to almost all home games (work/etc sometimes gets in the way), This year I made it to every home game (even Morehouse and Ga College), and two road games (UGA and FSU (having daughter that went to FSU gives me reason to go to Tallahassee with her whenever GT plays there)).

What I challenge all of you that live reasonably close to Atlanta is to get to McCamish next year! Even if all you can do is make weekend games or the ones over the holidays .... having more gold in the seats will only help! For those of you not in the metro Atlanta area ... if GT plays somewhere within an hour or two of where you live - please make the effort to get out there in person at least once next season!
Click to expand...
JacketOff said:
I agree. I was very critical of JP early in the year. They way the team closed the year was very encouraging though. Losing to Georgia again, and then getting blown out by Ball State and Syracuse at home had all but sealed the deal of me on Pastner. Especially that Ball State game. It looked the team had completely quit on him. It looks like his recruiting is picking up some also. I really want to see him close on Maxwell. If he can’t land him with his Tech connections I’ll probably be out on JP for the future again
Click to expand...

Assume you mean Cleveland and not Maxwell. Tristan Maxwell signed his LOI months ago.
 

MtnWasp

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
807
Backstreetbuzz said:
Whether CPJ is the person the resurrect GT basketball remains to be seen, but this year was a significant step forward.
Click to expand...

I think that those of us who were around to see Hewitt take GT to the championship game, get the big contract and proceed to tank will never feel safe and secure about a coach again. For us, EVERY season is just as much an opportunity to fail as it is to succeed. Every year a coach has to prove that he is "The Guy." GT fans only give one year contracts. Coaches that we feel good about are the ones we can look back at their body of work and look at their numbers and say, quantifiable, that they were good.

But that pendulum can swing too far. I think our fanbase is too aloof, too analytical, too much "show me more." The refusal to invest has become self-sustaining and habitual. To get the best dividend one has to invest in ground-floor opportunities. I'm in. And even if the market corrects, the losses won't hurt any less if I had been a pessimist.
 

MtnWasp

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
807
C
JacketOff said:
Yes lol. I believe I was thinking about Maxwell and Saba when I mentioned recruiting improving. But Cleveland is the big target I want to see JP land.
Click to expand...
Cleveland would be a great get that would boost morale. However, we are on a LOT of good wings and if we were to land one or two of them instead of Cleveland, that should not be interpreted as any kind of failure. So, Cleveland is not a "must" get IMO. And in my experience, fixating on one recruit is a good formula for disappointment.
 
Top