If you followed this blog or podcast with my buddy @Hokiesmash_ASD, you know I was not a Josh Pastner fan. I was indifferent to the hire, marginally encouraged by his first season NIT team, and really frustrated most of the next 3 1/2 years.
After the Jackets fell to 9-8 (5-6) following a last second loss to Clemson, this Georgia Tech fan was ready to close the book on Josh Pastner. The largely pedestrian recruiting, the sanctions under his watch, and of course the losing all the losing. His 2020-2021 team had the talent to be a NCAA team – everybody could see it, but with opening losses to Georgia State and Mercer and now needing a near miracle finish to make the NCAAs the end looked near.
Then something improbable, unexpected, and stunning occurred. Georgia Tech started winning and winning and more winning all the way to an ACC Title.
First there was a decent, but not really noteworthy win over Pittsburgh. Then there was a win at Miami, but the 16 point win at Virginia Tech really opened some eyes. Beating Syracuse kept the momentum going, but victory over Duke ended a long losing streak to the Blue Devils. The Jackets took care of Wake Forest, and with Virginia knocking off Louisville ended up with the 4 seed in the ACC tournament.
Then after 28 long years Georgia Tech became ACC Champions. Georgia Tech ended up beating Miami, getting a walk through after Virginia’s COVID positive, and then defeated the favored Florida State Seminoles. Georgia Tech’s first NCAA bid since 2010 was locked up.
Josh Pastner and his staff coached Moses Wright to be ACC Player of the Year, Jose Alvarado to be Defensive Player of the Year, and Michael Devoe to the ACC Tournament MVP award.
That doesn’t just happen by accident. You and your staff have to being doing something right.
It’s not just about winning though. One of my biggest frustrations with Pastner had been the NCAA sanctions that occurred during his tenure. Lost scholarships, embarrassment, hits on recruiting were all part of Pastner’s Georgia Tech coaching history. Then in a surprising turn of events Georgia Tech won their appeal which will likely reduce the penalties against the Jackets.
Pastner hit his 5 year plan for Georgia Tech to make the NCAA Tournament. He just put together his best recruiting class at Georgia Tech. The sanctions appear to be a thing of the past.
I thought year 5 was the critical year for Pastner, and no matter how the NCAA Tournament goes, it was memorable successful season for Georgia Tech basketball.
It was Georgia Tech’s 2nd best basketball season since 1996, that happened under Josh Pastner. During a trying COVID basketball season, he produced his best Georgia Tech team.
What he does following this season -who knows? He definitely has earned more time to see if the 2020-2021 season was just a one off year or the foundation of something more.
I have to eat some crow, because Pastner proved me wrong.
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