Pastner prods freshmen to compete

Thursday was Moses Wright’s turn. At the end of a practice that did not meet Georgia Tech coach Josh Pastner’s standards, the freshman forward was blistered by Pastner as the team gathered together.

The essence of Pastner’s voluble challenge was that if Wright doesn’t practice with more effort, he won’t make it as a Yellow Jacket. In the huddle, Wright’s three fellow freshmen stood quietly, perhaps relieved that they weren’t targets this day.

“That’s every day,” said guard Curtis Haywood, one of the other three.

The Jackets have just two weeks to go before the season tips off in Shanghai against UCLA. Today at noon, Tech will play Georgia State in an exhibition at McCamish Pavilion to raise money for hurricane relief. For Pastner’s freshmen — point guard Jose Alvarado, forward Evan Cole, Wright and Haywood — it will be an opportunity to understand the level of energy that Pastner demands.

“It’s very common for freshmen because they just don’t know,” Pastner said.

All four have a chance to be in the rotation. Cole and Wright are competing with Abdoulaye Gueye for the “stretch-4” power forward spot that Quinton Stephens filled admirably last season. Alvarado and sophomore Justin Moore will share point guard duties. Tadric Jackson will start at shooting guard, but Haywood would seem the logical sub for him.

Going into Pastner’s second season, center Ben Lammers and guard Josh Okogie — both named to the preseason All-ACC team after leading the Jackets to the NIT finals last season — and Jackson give Tech a solid core, along with Moore, to a lesser extent. After that, the next most experienced player, Gueye, played 202 minutes last season.

“We have no choice,” Pastner said. “Those freshmen are going to have to play and produce.” Tickets today are $20, $5 for students from each school.