Tech basketball starts anew

ATLANTA — Suggestions that Georgia Tech's basketball team will be better this season than last don't qualify as hyperbole. When you're as bad as the Yellow Jackets were — 11-17 record, 13 losses in their final 15 games — it would take surrender to be worse.

Yet with an infusion of the most decorated recruiting class of coach Paul Hewitt's six years at Tech, led by McDonald's All-Americans Javaris Crittenton and Thaddeus Young, there come questions.

First, the simple: can Crittenton pull the trigger as an ACC freshman point guard? Hewitt made it clear at Tech's coming-out party Thursday that the former Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy star will be the starter from day one of full-scale practices, beginning Saturday.

Then, the complex: Even with more talent on board, will it blend?

That could be the $64,000 question, the one whose answer will dictate Tech's chances of being one of the 65 teams to land an NCAA tournament bid. What about chemistry?

"Nobody in America wants an incoming freshman to take their minutes or share their minutes," junior center Ra'Sean Dickey said. "So working on your weaknesses in the offseason, that's kind of what everybody did."

To a man, Tech's returning players (freshmen were not available Thursday) all but guffawed at the possibility that jealousy will be an issue, even point guard Mario West, the only senior on the team and a player whose minutes may drop.

"That's a good question," West said. "When I made the decision to come back, it was both to get another degree in economics [to go with the degree in management he earned in May] and to win. I'm going to have an effect on this team. I'm the Last Mohican, sort of, from the [2003-2004 season's] Final Four team. I remember the atmosphere and what it takes."

Hewitt said he spent little or no time massaging egos in the offseason. He certainly admits, however, that Crittenton represents ground zero for his team, yet without being its foundation.

"The returning guys know that if this team's going to be a good team it's going to be on the strength of Lewis Clinch, and Anthony Morrow, Jeremis [Smith], Ra'Sean, Mario — those are the guys who are going to make up the core. Certainly, the [new] guy who'll have the chance for greatest impact is Javaris, because he's our point guard.

"But I think he's talented enough, competitive enough to do the job, which is just manage the game. He doesn't have to do anything but make sure other guys get enough shots, take care of the ball, create a tempo offensively and defensively. He doesn't have to score many points, just rebound and create tempo."

Hewitt said the Yellow Jackets will be taking a more aggressive approach on both sides of the ball because Tech has more depth this season, and the team's fitness is better.

Smith, a junior forward who looks leaner while on "the Coach Hewitt diet" ("No sugar, no carbs, no fried foods") said team chemistry is good after offseason workouts, the memory of last season burns, and Crittenton will be up to the job.

"We were in practice the other day, and a drill was losing its intensity," he said. "All it took was someone shouting, '11-17,' and everyone picked it up. Coach really doesn't have to say much. If he does, there's something wrong with this bunch.

"The main thing is we have — not to put [departed point guard] Zam [Fredrick, who transferred to South Carolina] down because he's my friend — but we have a point guard. Everyone knows Zam was a shooting guard, and Javaris can come in a play the true point guard we needed last year."

Matt Winkeljohn writes for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.