The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Pastner: 'We need to take the next step'
Everything went right in his first season. Just about everything went wrong in coach Josh Pastner’s second season at Georgia Tech. And now, with the Yellow Jackets’ 2017-18 season in the past, Pastner has begun honing in on his third season.
“I think we can be good,” Pastner said. “We need to take the next step.”
In a Friday interview with local media in his staff conference room, Pastner laid out some of the plans for the Jackets over the next several months. He wouldn’t spec- ify a win total for the coming season, but gave an idea of where he wants to lead the Jackets.
“I really think in Year 3, we need to be in the mix, somewhat, of discussion for
the (NCAA) Tournament,” he said.
That would be akin to what the Jackets did in the 2016-17 season, when they were on the tournament bubble until losing four of their final six regular-season games and their first-round game of the ACC Tournament. An ACC team in the conversation for the tournament likely would be in the high teens for wins and, at the least, would presumably make the NIT if it didn’t make the NCAA field.
Among the objectives for the offseason:
1. Return guards back to health
Jose Alvarado, who frac- tured and dislocated his elbow in mid-February and then had surgery on it, was to get the cast removed this past Friday.
Pastner said Alvarado should be ready to practice for summer workouts.
Curtis Haywood, who didn’t play in the final 11 games of
the season because of a stress reaction have surgery in his Tuesday shin, to was have to a rod inserted into his leg. The hope had been that the time off would have enabled his shin to heal on its own, but that did not prove the case.
After surgery, a recovery of eight to 10 weeks is expected.
The health of both players is important, as both were starters before their injuries.
Among returnees, Alvarado is the only viable option at point guard and Haywood proved a legitimate 3-point threat.
2. Fill out the roster
With the transfer of guard Justin Moore, Tech has one available scholarship spot. It could be two if guard Josh Oko
gie, who declared for the NBA draft last week but left room to return, decides to stay in the draft. Pastner said he and his staff will recruit with the idea of signing two players.
With center Ben Lammers’ career finished, finding a post player would be preferred, but Pastner’s focus will be the two best players available. If Okogie returns for his junior season, there would obviously be just one addition.
It could be a high-school senior, a transfer or a graduate transfer. One possibility is a senior who has signed with a school, but who gets released from his letter of intent after a coaching change. (Georgia’s two signees, JoJo Toppin of
Norcross High and Amanze Ngumezi Savannah, stay with of the apparently Johnson Bulldogs High after will in the firing of coach Mark Fox and the hiring of Tom Crean.) “In a perfect world, if we had multiple scholarships, I would love to have a transfer big come in and sit out like Shembari (Phillips) did.” Phillips, a shooting guard, sat out this past season as a transfer from Tennessee and will have two seasons of eli- gibility remaining.
3. Improve 3-point shooting
Tech finished 325th this season at 31.8 percent after ranking 266th in the 2016-17 season at 33.1 percent. Past- ner sees effective 3-point shooting as a pillar for the Jackets’ success, as it has been for two teams that he wants to model the Jackets after, Notre Dame and Vir- ginia.
Tech figures to shoot more effectively with the return of Haywood and Alvarado (both 37 percent from 3-point range) and the graduation of guard Tadric Jackson (28.6 percent). Incoming freshmen Michael Devoe and Kristian Sjolund have reputations as accurate perimeter shooters.
4. Develop the roster
Rising sophomore forwards Evan Cole and Moses Wright both came off the bench to log heavy minutes in the final games of the season. Both now have an offseason to gain strength and raise their skill level. Both had trouble defending without fouling. Ballhandling was an issue. Wright shot 30.7 percent from the field.
They’ll now be asked to contribute more significantly and consistently. Pastner wants to see Wright improve his effort day to day and within practices.
“One of those two needs to be a breakout guy,” Pastner said. “I think Moses is either going to be our 12th man-type guy or he’ll be our first, second or third best player. It’s going to be one or the other. It’s not going to be anywhere in between.”
5. Rejigger the schemes
With the addition of Phillips and freshmen Khalid Moore, Devoe and Sjolund, Tech will be the fastest and most athletic that it has been in Pastner’s three seasons. Pastner played at a slower pace in part to take advantage of Lammers’ ability to pass out of the post.
With the increased speed, Pastner said, “we’ll have to utilize that more and that will include pressing and how we want to play offensively.”