Whacker
11-17-2009, 10:03 PM
Cincinnati (OH) -- Dayton opens the San Juan Shootout Thursday afternoon against the Georgia Yellow Jackets. Despite going just 12-19 last season and 2-14 in the ACC, they were picked to finish fourth in the ACC this year and started the season with a consensus top 25 ranking.
Head coach Paul Hewitt has won when he has had talent, but has struggled to maintain that talent since a 2004 run to the National Championship game. Since then the Yellow Jackets are just 58-65 (21-43) and Hewitt has to be feeling pressure to return Tech back to the national spotlight.
The pre-season giddiness starts with a recruiting class loaded with top 100 players highlighted by consensus top five recruit Derrick Favors (6-10 246). Favors is a rim-wrecking phenom with a 9-ft wingspan. He was voted pre-season Rookie of the Year in the ACC and should make his presence felt immediately.
“The thing I like about Derrick is that he’s not a big guy trying to impress you with his perimeter skills,” Hewitt said. “He would like to dominate the paint area before he steps out. That’s how he approaches each game.”
Hewitt needs Favors to anchor an aggressive defense with his shot-blocking ability. Favors lacks a reliable shot or any type of low-post arsenal, but could average 15 points a game just finishing plays around the rim and attacking the offensive glass.
Junior forward Gani Lawal (6-9 234) had a breakout sophomore season averaging 15pts and 10 rebounds and was voted third team all-ACC. The rugged post-player was the focal point of ACC defenses and saw a steady stream of double-teams, but still managed to shoot 56% from the field. This year he has to learn how to recognize those double teams better and avoid the costly turnovers. Hewitt can ease that transition by finding reliable scoring options on the perimeter.
Sophomore point guard Iman Shumpert (6-5 209) passed out 154 assists last season – putting him in the Georgia Tech record book with the 20th best single season mark. A natural playmaker better suited to playing off the ball, his superb first step allows him to get into the paint against anyone. Shumpert led the ACC in steals with 64. Hewitt hopes Shumpert spent all summer in the gym working on this three-point shooting after making only 31% of his attempts last season.
Senior wing D’Andre Bell (6-6 222) will be back after spinal stenosis caused him to miss last season. Bell is one of only two seniors on this year’s team and is a lockdown defender. Two years ago he started 22 games and remains the emotional leader of the team.
Another highly touted freshman Mfon Odia (6-2 187), should start at the point allowing Shumpert to slide over to shooting guard. The top 50 recruit has excellent speed and ball-handling skills. He has the physical skills and basketball IQ to defend from Day 1.
“Mfon, he’s the energizer bunny” said senior forward Zachery Peacock. “The dude never stops.”
Senior forward Zach Peacock (6-8 235) and freshman Brian Oliver (6-6 220) will back up Favors and Lawal. Peacock seemed to shy away from physcial play last season, but has soft hands and an effective half-hook down on the blocks. He'll also knock down the 15-footer if left open.
Junior Lance Storrs (6-5 221) and freshman Glen Rice, Jr (6-5 195) will be counted on to provide perimeter punch off the bench. Storrs has an advantage in experience and he shot 35% form behind the arc last season. Still, Hewitt can't afford to sit anyone that can consistently drain the triple and Rice has the stroke to shoot his way into the rotation.
Hewitt has Tech defending at a high level – last season they blocked 5 shots per game and racked up over 8.5 steals per game. With the addition of Odia and return of Bell they should be even better.
Too often they negated any defensive advantage they had by giving the ball back; turning it over almost 17 times a games. Another year of experience may help, but too often Tech’s offense devolved into individual players going one-on-one. They simply were not moving enough off the ball and couldn’t make enough shots from the perimeter to keep defenses honest.
Like Dayton, Georgia Tech did not shoot the three-ball well last year (.323) and that will again be a weakness. Dayton gives up open threes to teams that can break them down off the bounce, and Tech should be able to get into the paint. However, Tech doesn’t have the shooters to exploit the Flyers collapsing defense they way Creighton did.
Another weakness last year was offensive rebounding, which Favors should immediately improve. The kid is just too athletically gifted too keep off the glass, especially from the weak side. Besides Lawal, Tech didn’t have anyone else consistently going to the offensive glass. Teams double team either one of them on the blocks at their own peril; they would be inviting weak side tip dunks.
Despite the wealth of talent, the Yellow Jackets will still be inexperienced and Dayton has to maintain their poise to exploit this advantage. Tech has the talent to run many teams out of the gym, but Hewitt has to have a steady hand and cool head to keep his team from self-destructing.
"We have a big test on Thursday,” Hewitt said. “Dayton is one of the best teams in the country.”
It’s time for the Flyers to prove it.
Head coach Paul Hewitt has won when he has had talent, but has struggled to maintain that talent since a 2004 run to the National Championship game. Since then the Yellow Jackets are just 58-65 (21-43) and Hewitt has to be feeling pressure to return Tech back to the national spotlight.
The pre-season giddiness starts with a recruiting class loaded with top 100 players highlighted by consensus top five recruit Derrick Favors (6-10 246). Favors is a rim-wrecking phenom with a 9-ft wingspan. He was voted pre-season Rookie of the Year in the ACC and should make his presence felt immediately.
“The thing I like about Derrick is that he’s not a big guy trying to impress you with his perimeter skills,” Hewitt said. “He would like to dominate the paint area before he steps out. That’s how he approaches each game.”
Hewitt needs Favors to anchor an aggressive defense with his shot-blocking ability. Favors lacks a reliable shot or any type of low-post arsenal, but could average 15 points a game just finishing plays around the rim and attacking the offensive glass.
Junior forward Gani Lawal (6-9 234) had a breakout sophomore season averaging 15pts and 10 rebounds and was voted third team all-ACC. The rugged post-player was the focal point of ACC defenses and saw a steady stream of double-teams, but still managed to shoot 56% from the field. This year he has to learn how to recognize those double teams better and avoid the costly turnovers. Hewitt can ease that transition by finding reliable scoring options on the perimeter.
Sophomore point guard Iman Shumpert (6-5 209) passed out 154 assists last season – putting him in the Georgia Tech record book with the 20th best single season mark. A natural playmaker better suited to playing off the ball, his superb first step allows him to get into the paint against anyone. Shumpert led the ACC in steals with 64. Hewitt hopes Shumpert spent all summer in the gym working on this three-point shooting after making only 31% of his attempts last season.
Senior wing D’Andre Bell (6-6 222) will be back after spinal stenosis caused him to miss last season. Bell is one of only two seniors on this year’s team and is a lockdown defender. Two years ago he started 22 games and remains the emotional leader of the team.
Another highly touted freshman Mfon Odia (6-2 187), should start at the point allowing Shumpert to slide over to shooting guard. The top 50 recruit has excellent speed and ball-handling skills. He has the physical skills and basketball IQ to defend from Day 1.
“Mfon, he’s the energizer bunny” said senior forward Zachery Peacock. “The dude never stops.”
Senior forward Zach Peacock (6-8 235) and freshman Brian Oliver (6-6 220) will back up Favors and Lawal. Peacock seemed to shy away from physcial play last season, but has soft hands and an effective half-hook down on the blocks. He'll also knock down the 15-footer if left open.
Junior Lance Storrs (6-5 221) and freshman Glen Rice, Jr (6-5 195) will be counted on to provide perimeter punch off the bench. Storrs has an advantage in experience and he shot 35% form behind the arc last season. Still, Hewitt can't afford to sit anyone that can consistently drain the triple and Rice has the stroke to shoot his way into the rotation.
Hewitt has Tech defending at a high level – last season they blocked 5 shots per game and racked up over 8.5 steals per game. With the addition of Odia and return of Bell they should be even better.
Too often they negated any defensive advantage they had by giving the ball back; turning it over almost 17 times a games. Another year of experience may help, but too often Tech’s offense devolved into individual players going one-on-one. They simply were not moving enough off the ball and couldn’t make enough shots from the perimeter to keep defenses honest.
Like Dayton, Georgia Tech did not shoot the three-ball well last year (.323) and that will again be a weakness. Dayton gives up open threes to teams that can break them down off the bounce, and Tech should be able to get into the paint. However, Tech doesn’t have the shooters to exploit the Flyers collapsing defense they way Creighton did.
Another weakness last year was offensive rebounding, which Favors should immediately improve. The kid is just too athletically gifted too keep off the glass, especially from the weak side. Besides Lawal, Tech didn’t have anyone else consistently going to the offensive glass. Teams double team either one of them on the blocks at their own peril; they would be inviting weak side tip dunks.
Despite the wealth of talent, the Yellow Jackets will still be inexperienced and Dayton has to maintain their poise to exploit this advantage. Tech has the talent to run many teams out of the gym, but Hewitt has to have a steady hand and cool head to keep his team from self-destructing.
"We have a big test on Thursday,” Hewitt said. “Dayton is one of the best teams in the country.”
It’s time for the Flyers to prove it.