Not a good week on the flats. Wednesday big frontline target Marcus Thornton committed to University of Georgia. This was an important recruit for Paul Hewitt. At 6-7 Thornton was the type inside player the Jackets sorely needed after the departures of Derrick Favors and Gani Lawal.

Thornton would never admit it, but I think the ACC’s intra-conference transfer rule that would have probably forced Thornton to sit a year played a role. It’s an out-dated rule and one that penalizes players under special circumstances. In Thornton’s case he committed to Clemson, and after former coach Oliver Purnell bolted for DePaul, Thornton was released from his letter of intent. That sounds like what should be an exception to the rule, but it isn’t and I believe Georgia Tech paid for it.

There’s more bad frontline news for the Jackets. It looks like 7-0 center Brad Sheehan is leaning towards leaving Georgia Tech. That will leave Jackets painfully thin inside. I sure hope Hewitt has a 7 footer that he’s hiding somewhere.

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Its official Georgia Tech is headed to the NCAA tournament, but Paul Hewitt isn’t a happy man. Oh he’s pleased his team made the Big Dance, but he’s steaming mad about how he’s been portrayed in the Atlanta media.

For some background this recent article from the Atlanta Journal Constitution, titled “Hewitt fires back at criticism“, details Hewitt’s displeasure that it’s been suggested that the only reason he’s still the Georgia Tech head coach is because of a near $7 Million buyout.

Obviously since Georgia Tech just made the NCAA’s for the 5th time in Hewitt’s 10 years he isn’t going anywhere, but what about Hewitt lashing back to defend himself? First I’ll admit I’m not the biggest Paul Hewitt fan. His teams turn it over too often, typically shoot free throws poorly, and especially in recent years have underachieved given their talent level. That said Hewitt has every right to defend himself. Who wouldn’t?

Even I said if Hewitt gets Georgia Tech to the NCAA’s this year, the talk of dismissal should end. He made it to the NCAA’s and (I can’t believe that I’m going to say this) he deserves a break. His team just completed an improbable run in the ACC tournament getting to the finals where the Jackets fought their way off the bubble.

Let’s see here the team showed fight to get to the NCAAs. Now Hewitt is fighting to defend his reputation. What do they say? Beware the wounded animal? I’m getting a sense this team and this coach have something prove. When you get that you might just have a team that’s ready to make a little NCAA run. It starts Friday night against Oklahoma St.

We know Lawal and Favors will be strong inside. It will all depend on the guard play how far Georgia Tech will go in the NCAAs. Battle tested with an attitude; we’ll see how far the Jackets can go.

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If you want to know what Georgia Tech basketball is go back and watch the Jackets 69-64 ACC Tournament quarterfinal win over co-league champion Maryland. The Jackets in the first half displayed all their incredible athleticism and talent in running out to a 41-25 half time lead.

The second half you saw Georgia Tech struggle to inbounds the ball, and commit turnover after turnover against a Terp team that is accustomed to winning.

A funny thing happened on the way to a Yellow Jacket disaster, Georgia Tech showed a resolve  rarely seen the last several years to hold off Maryland and win this game. The victory will put Georgia Tech in the NCAAs. Mark it down they are a lock, and they earned their way in.

Do you like Paul Hewitt? Do you hate Paul Hewitt? If you are a Georgia Tech fan put that aside for another day and time. Get behind these Jackets and cheer them on. The Jackets have a very real shot at winning the whole darned ACC tournament.

Thanks to Raycom Sports and some tickets they hooked me up with, I’ll be headed to Greensboro this weekend to root the Jackets on, and I can’t wait.

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I’m sticking with my prediction from the beginning year. If Georgia Tech finishes 8-8 in the ACC, they will make the NCAA tournament. Saturday they picked up a 73-68 win over a pesky Boston College team. The game was never really in doubt in my opinion. The Jackets moved to 19-9 (7-7), and the path is obvious, win at Clemson or at home Virginia Tech to get to 8-8.

Iman Shumpert had 24 points in the win, and Derrick Favors had another solid game with 14 points and 5 rebounds. When Shumpert can free himself into scoring position he makes Georgia Tech a much better team. I really would like to see him more at shooting guard and less point guard. I guess Hewitt feels he doesn’t have much option there though. Either play freshman Mfon Udofia there, who seems to have hit a wall, or play Maurice Miller at the point. Miller has played solidly in the backup role recently, but doesn’t have the size Shumpert does, and Hewitt likes big point guards to be his starter. That said, when Shumpert scores 15 points or more a game, Tech will usually win.

Derricks Favors is looking more and more like the player that was a consensus top 5 High School. I think Favors is starting to learn how to stay out of foul trouble, and he runs the floor as well as any big man in the ACC. I’m still not convinced that Georgia Tech is playing its best basketball of the year as Paul Hewitt said recently, but they are still in position to make the NCAA’s. That’s all you can ask for at this point in the year.

For more articles about Georgia Tech, the ACC, and other sports topics visit my blog at

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