Final Four: Georgia Techs Run Isnt Short Lived
The Final Four is set and one team will be crowned king of college basketball on Monday night. Over the next two days, we look at the incoming recruiting classes for the nation’s top teams and see if their trip to the last dance will be their last. Today, we explore the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Led by the No. 37 player on the Rivals150 Jeremis Smith, the future is bright in Atlanta.
First, we’ll take a look at the current roster situation: who’s leaving, who’s staying and then who’s coming.
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Senior Send Off
Paul Hewitt runs a consistent eight-man bench and his rotation will be even deeper next year. Marvin Lewis (11.1 points per game), Clarence Moore (6.1 ppg, 4.7 rebounds per game) and Robert Brooks (nine minutes a game) will all graduate. Lewis’s sharp shooting will be missed but with Morrow and Frederick coming in, the Jackets have great backcourt depth. Morrow can play a number of spots and Frederick has great range on his jumper.
Stayin’ or Goin’?
Sophomore point guard Jarrett Jack finally became a national name with his remarkable play in the NCAA tournament. Will that propel him into the draft? Probably not. He may be one of the best rebounding guards in the pool though at nearly five a game.
B.J. Elder is a deadly scorer and has the power to compete as an undersized guard at the next level but his ankle injury may have put his pro dreams on hold. That bodes well for the Jackets. At 15.3 points per game, Elder is Georgia Tech’s top scoring option. Don’t expect him to jump ship although a National Championship could change that.
No. 37 player on the Rivals150
6-foot-6, 230-pounds
Dunbar HS, Fort Worth (Tex.)
Smith is an aggressive, no nonsense forward that knows the taste of victory. With Moore graduating, Smith can come in and fill the role of the dirty work player. At Dunbar, Smith relished in the role of attacker. He’ll develop his strength at the college level and his long term potential is very strong in the ACC.
No. 54 player on the Rivals150
6-foot-9, 255-pounds
Marlboro Co. HS, Bennettsville (S.C.)
Dickey will be needed right away to help solidify the paint for Georgia Tech. When Chris Bosh left for the NBA and Ed Nelson left for UConn, the Yellow Jackets needed some help inside. Now, a season later, they get their man in Dickey. He has the size, the power and the upside to become an asset for Tech. He’ll see minutes right away inside. In the end, Dickey dictates just how good he’ll be for Tech.
No. 94 player on the Rivals150
6-foot-6, 190-pounds
Charlotte Latin HS (N.C.)
Want versatility? Morrow brings it to Atlanta. He’s a very capable scorer than can play the two and three spots. His ball handling skills are good enough to play the point at certain times. The slender North Carolina native does a great job of getting to the basket and putting himself onto the free throw line. He’ll need time to add some weight and muscle in order to be at his best but overall, Morrow was made for Hewitt’s system.
No. 27 point guard in the nation
6-foot, 215-pounds
Calhoun Co. HS, St. Matthews (S.C.)
Frederick says he compares himself to NBA All-Star Baron Davis. And ACC teams aren’t too happy with that. “The last thing they need is another great scoring guard,” one in-conference assistant told us. Frederick is a big guard with big time range on his jumper. He’ll be a scoring spark off the bench and could be groomed into Jack’s replacement.
Odds to return to Final Four
There weren’t a lot of people banking on Georgia Tech to be in the Final Four at the start of the season. They defied all of the odds all season long. With Jack and Elder on board for next year and with Smith’s brute force, Dickey’s size inside, Morrow’s versatility and Frederick’s scoring don’t write off the Jackets again. A return to the Final Four is very possible.