Deacons to face rugged Jackets

Georgia Tech’s big frontcourt has fueled strong turnaround

Credit: AP Photo

Acclaimed freshman Derrick Favors has been a force inside for Georgia Tech.

By: Dan Collins | Winston-Salem Journal
Published: January 28, 2010

Of all of the ACC's upwardly mobile teams, none had as much distance to cover as Georgia Tech.

With the return of veterans Gani Lawal, Zachery Peacock, D'Andre Bell and Iman Shumpert and the addition of a four-man recruiting class that included Derrick Favors and Mfon Udofia, there was little doubt that the Yellow Jacket would be better. But the question was, could they climb all the way from last season's 2-14 last-place finish into contention for this season's title?

To Coach Dino Gaudio, whose Wake Forest team will play at Georgia Tech at 7 p.m. today, the answer lies in the way that the Yellow Jackets finished 2-14 last season.

The Deacons are 14-4 and 4-2 in the ACC coming off Saturday's 69-57 victory over Virginia. Georgia Tech is 14-5 and 3-3 coming off Sunday's 68-66 loss at Florida State.

"I think they can because so many of those games they had last year were close games," Gaudio said. "And having a lot of those guys back, plus Derrick Favors was one of the top five guys in the country last year in terms of recruiting.

"So I think they can. They had so many games last year that could have gone either way."

One that went Georgia Tech's way was a 76-74 victory over sixth-ranked Wake Forest that Shumpert won with a jumper from the key with a second remaining. The Deacons gained a measure of revenge 2½ weeks later with an 87-69 victory over the Yellow Jackets in Joel Coliseum.

Although the arrival of Favors, Udofia and fellow freshmen Brian Oliver and Glen Rice, Jr., made Georgia Tech deeper and more talented, it still plays the rugged, physical brand of basketball for which Coach Paul Hewitt's teams have been known.

And with Favors (6-10, 246) joining Lawal (6-9, 234) and Peacock (6-8, 235) along the front line, the Yellow Jackets play it better than they did last season. Favors is averaging 11.7 points and 8.9 rebounds, Lawal 14.7 points and 9.2 rebounds, and Peacock 9.9 points and 4.3 rebounds.

Wake Forest ranks fourth in the ACC with a rebounding differential of plus-6.3. Georgia Tech ranks fifth at plus-6.2.

"The fight in this game starts when the ball's on the backboard," Gaudio said. "They're a terrific rebounding team. They're really aggressive. They have strong kids.
"When they do play Peacock, Favors and Lawal, they're as strong as anybody in the country."

Al-Farouq Aminu, Wake Forest's leading scorer and rebounder, had the weight of the world on his shoulders in last season's trip to Atlanta, and he bore it well. Playing close to his hometown of Norcross against his brother Alade, a senior last season, Aminu acquitted himself with 17 points, 11 rebounds and five steals.
Alade is now playing with the Erie BayHawks of the NBA Development League, but Lawal, Aminu's close friend and former high-school teammate, decided to pass up the NBA for his junior season at Georgia Tech.

Nevertheless, Gaudio said he expects Aminu to have less to deal with this season than last. Aminu, a 6-9, 215-pound sophomore, ranks seventh in the ACC in scoring (16.9 ppg) and first in rebounding (11.4 rpg).

"I think sometimes guys go home, and they feel just tremendous pressure," Gaudio said. "But I don't think there could ever be more pressure than he had last year, playing against his brother down there. He knows those guys so well, from Gani to the other guys on the team.

"I think Farouq is what you see. Nothing fazes him much. He doesn't get emotionally too high or two low. And I think he'll play the way he normally plays, which has been good."

dcollins@wsjournal.com

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