Hewitt looks for point guard, defenders
It will be difficult to do, but when Georgia Tech plays Carson-Newman in an exhibition game Friday night in Alexander Memorial Coliseum, fans should look deep.
Pay little heed to thunderous dunks or players hitting wide-open 3-pointers.
Pay attention instead to little things. These Jackets appear on paper at least to have enough depth to score when opportunities present themselves.
But what about when they don't? And can Tech slow talented teams?
The greater issues in predicting whether Tech can improve upon last year's 20-12 record even though it lost leading scorers Javaris Crittenton and Thaddeus Young to the NBA will be how well the Jackets master nuances. Oh, and two big issues, like who will run point, and how well will the team defend?
Senior Matt Causey was the leader to replace Javaris Crittenton at point guard and might still be although he missed nearly a week of practice after twisting a knee. Freshman Maurice Miller and junior D'Andre Bell, who has played chiefly as a wing previously, are in the mix.
"D'Andre's way ahead defensively," coach Paul Hewitt said. "I hope that [Causey] plays because he was playing the best of the point guards before he got hurt."
With the return of junior guard Lewis Clinch, who missed the second semester last season after violating the school's honor code, the Jackets have a player who can often create shots on his own. That was lacking at times last season.
Freshman Lance Storrs has been shooting very well from afar, and fellow first-year player Gani Lawal's work rate in the post continues to impress.
Yet for Tech to reach its potential, the Jackets must set the right screens at the right times, and players without the ball must move to the right spots. These were issues last season.
So too, at times, was defense.
This team will take its leads as much from two of four seniors (forward Ra'Sean Dickey is academically ineligible until the second semester) as from its point guards. Good thing forward Jeremis Smith and guard Anthony Morrow sound ready to go.
"I believe I'm in the best shape of my life," Smith said. "And I think the reason [Morrow's] shot is so impeccable is because of his conditioning. One thing that Coach Hewitt always stresses is that me and Anthony are going to have to lead, and since we're not point guards, we have to lead in a different way."
Tech has numbers inside, although sophomore forward/center Zach Peacock has been out with a "stress reaction" (a precursor to a stress fracture) in his right foot and may not play.
On the perimeter, Hewitt is looking for some offense and defensive pressure to replace Mario West (now with the Hawks), and Javaris Crittenton, whose size helped him be one of the ACC's steals leaders.
Perhaps it is good news that Clinch and Morrow, matador defenders in days gone by, say they have committed themselves to defense.
"I've been taking my defense more seriously," said Morrow, who weighs about 208 pounds, down from 220 a year ago. "I'm in the best shape of my life."
Tech's goal: bring heat for 40 minutes and be mindful of details on the way.
"Anthony is much better defensively than he's ever been, and he's going off the dribble stronger," Hewitt said. "I think that has a lot to do with him not being tired. I want to see us sustain a high level of effort. I think this team is gifted offensively. With our depth we have to keep tempo for 40 minutes."
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