On November 22, Georgia Tech lost by 35 points to Cincinnati. This was following an ugly 3-point loss to UMass-Lowell. Georgia Tech sat 2-2, with a daunting schedule of ranked teams and road games in the next 3 games.
Damon Stoudamire is in their first season in Atlanta, and no matter what the final record ended up being patience had to be shown in year 1. Even a debacle of a 2022-2023 season for Louisville’s Kenny Payne had him back for a second season.
After the last week though, Damon Stoudamire’s proof of concept has been completed. There will be ups and downs for Georgia Tech this season, but in the last week the Jackets beat previously unbeaten and #21 Mississippi State. They followed that up with a 72-68 win over #7 Duke in a week that was one of the best in college basketball.
Against Mississippi State, Georgia Tech held the Bulldogs to 30% shooting and beat them on the glass 42-39. Against Duke, the Jackets shot better than 50% from the field, and again won the rebounding battle 31-30. Winning different ways is a sign of quality and improving team.
This doesn’t happen by accident. Stoudamire recently inserted Naithan George into the starting lineup as a guard and he’s responded with a double-digit scoring effort against Mississippi State and 9 assists against Duke. Baye Ndongo with 21 points Saturday was the best big man on the floor. These are two true freshman Stoudamire picked up, that prove the former NBA assistant has an eye for talent.
The offense is fun to watch and produces a ton of open looks. It is fast-paced and looks light years better than Josh Pastner’s more deliberate offense of years past.
Georgia Tech suddenly looks like a team that could cause some real headaches in this year’s ACC.
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