Saturday, March 14, 2009

New Coach's First Recruit

Maybe it ought to be this guy.

I imagine that Mitchell will be a hot commodity for anyone with a scholarship left for next year. He has shown that he has an all-around game, and he is the highest scorer for the number one juco team in the country. Since he's originally from Savannah, he might want to play for the Red and Black.

Georgia's new coach, whoever he is, will have to shape the roster to fit his style. Currently, he only has one scholarship left for this coming year, and if he uses it, he projects to have one left for the next year.

With that said, there are bound to be some casualties as players project how much playing time they are likely to get under the new regime. I don't wish to see that kind of turnover happen, and I would love for UGA to have success with the current roster, but I have to be realistic, too.

Anyway, since we didn't get Derrick Favors, I think a high-scoring juco could be just the tonic to cure what ails our basketball team-- if we can beat other schools to the punch.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Dawgs lose.

Look pretty bad in the process. Mississippi State's guys could defend and we couldn't. They could slash to the hoop, and we turned it over when we tried. They could shoot from three, and we were off-target most of the afternoon.

I was pleased to see Swansey jump straight up and shoot the ball. None of this fade to the right, off-balance stuff. If he remembers his form, he could be a pretty good back-up next year.

End of the season. Bad year. Hopefully things will look up for the coaching transition and recruiting.

Oh yeah, Georgia Tech beat Clemson.

Bad day all around, basketball-wise. Good thing the Hawks didn't play.

Dean Legge on 2008 SEC Tournament

Worst to First, UGA-style.

Great time to be a fan. Great victory for Dave Bliss and Sundiata Gaines. Great recap, too, from Dean Legge.

2008 SEC Tourney

Back to the Future: McPhee hits key shot to spark UGA

I thought I would post some articles that I didn't get to over the last couple of months. This one is on UGA's win over Vandy. McPhee had a key defensive play and a three-pointer from the top of the key.

McThree Lives up to Name

SEC Season

Full of ups and downs, it was.

Good recap of some of the highlights from the Tampa paper.

Season

Dawgs Head to Tampa

Scout did a nice article on the game, as did the AJC.

Can Lightning Strike Twice?

Hope for Underdogs

It sounds like the guys are thinking positively.

As I said earlier in the year, Georgia had serious weaknesses at the point guard position, which would make winning games very difficult. I had hoped for the best, but with the steep learning curve for Swansey and Ware, things broke down during the year, and Georgia ended up in last place in the SEC East.

Now that Dustin Ware has come on, playing much better in the final weeks, UGA is poised to be at least competitive in the Tournament. In order for the team to have a chance, he will have to play his best basketball.

Focusing on today's game against Mississippi State (tipping off at 3:15 today), Georgia will have its hands full. State plays a four-guard line-up, and they have Jarvis Varnado, the big man who blocks a good number of shots and intimidates a whole bunch more.

Besides Ware playing well, Corey Butler has to defend and knock down the spot-up three, and Woodbury will have to get hot from mid-range and deep. Coach Herrmann must figure out a way to create match-up issues for them, maybe using Barnes to try to get Varnado in foul trouble.

And then, somebody else will have to step up (McPhee, Jackson, Thompkins, Swansey). Come to think of it, a lot has to go well. Last year, it did.

Let the games begin.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Back at it.

For those who have visited the site, thanks for checking in.

I have been extremely busy with work matters, and have neglected the blog. I still follow the team, and I will try to write more often in the next few months.

In the meantime, I would enjoy it a great deal if the squad were somehow able to pull off a miracle run, beginning tomorrow with the start of the SEC Tournament.

Go Dawgs!