#188 R.P.I. Georgia Tech @ #81 R.P.I. Virginia Tech: 

Virginia Tech men’s hoops must be butter what with being on a whopping whole entire two-game, roll!

The Hokies are (hopefully) just starting to make that signature Mike Young peak at the right Tourney time, climb. Tho’ it is a fortnight or so premature for that in historic terms 4your411. Now they draw a started ’23 well enuff tho’ has stung ’24 mo’ than enuff Wrambling Wreck of Georgia Tech. The Jackets suit up at 9 up against 1o down and are penultimate or next-to-last in All Championship Conference play: (at: 2-6 or .25o). As you will see below… these Jackets have been short-suited of late; and, that we all hope custom-fits Mike Young and Co. just fine. Nevertheless, what you wanna know is… who is gonna win and by how much, rights? So, read on… to find, out!

Georgia Tech Head Coach: Damon Lamon Stoudamire: age=, 80–86 (.482) overall, and 9-9 (.5) at Georgia Tech.
Has a rep’ for: well, a lotta things both on/off-court. Tho’ for G-play and
$2,100,000.oo

Stoudamire was born to Willie Stoudamire and Liz Washington in Portland, Oregon; he was the only child, with three stepsisters; his parents never married. Willie Stoudamire moved away to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to work in a brewery when Damon was seven years old. Stoudamire was raised by his mother, Liz, and his grandmother, Wanda Stoudamire-Matthews.

While Stoudamire was growing up, his uncles, Charles and Anthony Stoudamire, got him involved in sports, mainly basketball and football. They acted as fathers and personal coaches to Stoudamire in his younger years, as he grew up watching his favorite player, Nate Archibald, and attempted to pattern his game after his childhood hero.

Stoudamire attended Holy Redeemer Grade School (a Catholic school) and Harriet Tubman Middle School, then attended Woodrow Wilson High School. Playing basketball for the Trojans, he led his team to a 74–4 record and state championships in 1989 and 1991. +2. For his career, he averaged 26.1 points, 9.2 assists, and 3.6 rebounds per game

During his junior year in high school, his grandmother Wanda died of cancer. He would later tattoo Wanda’s face and her address on his left arm in remembrance. He was expected to attend and play basketball at Oregon, tho’ ultimately broke to Arizona instead.

Baller Stoudamire (nicknamed: Mighty Mouse) was a: 5 ft. 1o in. (1.78 m), 171 lb (78 kg) point guard who was selected with the 7th overall pick by the Toronto Raptors in the 1995 NBA draft and won the 1995–96 NBA Rookie of the Year Award. He played collegiately at the University of Arizona. Earning the Pac-1o Player of the Year (1995) as an outburst All-American scorer with one Final-IV which does not suck.  Neither did being the youngest player on the roster of the United States men’s national basketball team, Stoudamire led the team in assists and steals en route to a gold medal at the 1993 Summer Universiade.

He played professionally for the Toronto Raptors, Portland Trail Blazers, Memphis Grizzlies, and San Antonio Spurs. NBA Rookie of the Year (1996). Finishing with: Points 11,763 (13.4 ppg), Assists 5,371 (6.1 apg), and Steals 953 (1.1 spg). (Although, his professional career was marred by numerous drug-related, drinking-related, and speeding run-ins with the law. (God Help)).

Stoudamire is the cousin of former NBA players Salim Stoudamire and Terrence Jones, and current NBA player Grant Williams. He is also the nephew of former Portland State University quarterback Anthony Stoudamire and former Portland State University halfback Charles Stoudamire.

(His wifey: Natasha: is no longer listed on the GT.hoops.wed.site. God Bless; she is NOT a dull one is all I will type…).
A Portland, Ore. native, Stoudamire earned his bachelor’s degree from Arizona in 2oo8.
Daddy Stodmaire has a daughter, Kemeco, and two sons, Damon, and Brandon.

GeeTee at a glance:

• 59th best in offensive-rebounding!
• 64th most 3-point-attempts/game! (256th best in 3’centage, however!)
• 67th most Swats/game!
• 295th best in FT percentage!
• 338th most in Turnovers forced/game!!! (They play the man, not the ball to be sure).
• 2 injuries listed. Coach God twice bless!

Returning Starters=1!* 

Georgia Tech Strengths:

• Scrabble players rejoice… this is your ‘can I buy a vowel’ roster extraordinaire. As Coach Stoud’ went ‘scrambling’ to rebuild this roster on the Q.T. raised to the P.D.Q for G.T.
• Although I am not sure if this is a set of pure hoopsters; I am sure they pass the Eye-Test with ease. Lotta stud-studs work here. Athletics and metrics and specimens GeeTee fields in spades (♠‘s). Truly. Good looking roster getting off the weight-room bus.
• Hosers, knobs, Bob & Doug, and Elsinore guzzlers rejoice… this is a Keptin Kirk and Shania Twain north-of-the-border imported team to be sure.
• Miles Kelly, no; not the well-fabled Children’s Book authour, the 6′6″, 18o lb., raily looking off-G in his second season for GeeTee. The Commonwealth escapee one by way of: Parkview H.S./Hargrave Military Academy [Chatham, Va.]. This one is getting you: a team setting 14.3 ppg with 5.9 rpg and 2 apg. This one is a recruiting service mover who helped his high-scoring self his last year @Hargrave. He did come up in the ATL along the way itself, so, his roundball is homespun here. No. 87 in the Nation per 247Sports as a **** or 4-star kid. Honor roll/dean’s list student at both high schools along the way as well, so that is a good sign. He was only beaten once during his final two scholastic seasons; finishing as the National Runner up two years back. One of those rare kids to not have any fam’/guardians listed— Godspeed on that. Does have something of an edge to his game upon breaking tape. Not a soft hard-way-up touch for it. Lindy’s (actually) had him listed as a regular reserve with ‘inside-out scoring ability.’ So, being the alpha in ppg is a pleasant surprise to most not named Miles Kelly his ownself. Influence typea pure scorer (neat term: think: an intrinsic guy who just Bernard King gets is on O). The 27.8% long is not even serviceable enough, the 45.4% overall has 5,28o′ worth of: “…promises to keep“. Tho’ the really fallen 68.8% from the FT-line makes you wish for his previous near 88% free-throwing form. Most curious; as his threeing and his free-throwing are both in freefall whilst his flooring is actually on the, rise?!? Wild; unheard of even. As this is a good, strong-willed kid, who has some checks in some boxes… my only wonderment is headroom here. As he has been a bit cooler of late— is that lean B.M.I. hitting a wall? Go fig’ on that? Kinda has a slumped feel or a kid carrying some ding(s) about… Though if he figures that out, this is prolly a M.A.C. level all-star guy, or an Atlantic Coast Ceiling guy; time=tell…
• One double number-one or eleventeen wearing (see: pic): Last name pronounced “nDON-go” (pronounce the N with no vowel after). Baye Ndongo F 6′9″, 214 lb., Mbour, Senegal, then: Putnam (Conn.) Science Academy. Mmm-K/alrighty… hopefully that is a good look. As the 2nd-best: 13.1 ppg with a 1st-best: 8.6 rpg, a swipe, and another 1st-best 1.4 bpg is pretty dang fair-to-middling from a kid some still say to be: ‘developing’ if not just a little undercooked in lieu of ‘raw’ itself. Baye was described by his Putnam coach and Tech coaches as having: “explosive athleticism, high motor, excellent ball handler and passer for a big, solid perimeter shooter, rebounds well, defends multiple positions, and is an instinctive shot-blocker.” One could dare to say that figures… per his Jurassic Park -esque 7-foot, 2-inch wingspan, dang. Ndongo Grew up in a soccer family, but an older sister persuaded him to try basketball at age 14. So, this is not a lifelong love affair of a pet-sport; mo’ like a rescue-baller per se. At Putnam Science Academy, Baye, helped lead the team to its fourth national prep school championship in five years. So, ‘aye’ Eye reckons the Natty Bling counts. Four H.S.’s in as many years is a nerve for me… his scholastic digits were average; at generous best (8.3 ppg with 4.8 rpg); is indeed still ‘developmental’ as he is literally still learning the game. So, the current ’24 metrics are not only rather spry, they are downright intriguing from a getting pretty close to being glossed a legit: ‘super sophomore’ indeed. Balled with Senegal’s U19 team in the U19 World Cup in 2o21; so, he gots that Global pedigree. From what Eye could see… he might be a very intriguing uppercase prospect who is on the lowercase fringe contender cusp… as he is a 2-fold F1: perimeter facing the basket comfortably and back-to-the-basket a-okay. On3’s 147th baller overall and a consensus Top-15o from everyone. Again, very interested to see where Ndongo be come ’26 or so. As he is a returning ex-pat Pro’ pretty much on athletics, defense, and potential (already) itself. Has been on a near Yuletide tear ever since… this kid is: ‘on the come’.

  

• Jr. year: ex-FLA Gator, 6′7″, 2o2 lb., Kowacie Reeves Jr. G1. First name pronounced “ko-WAY-see” from this ***** or penta-starry-eyed V.H.T. recruit; (very highly touted, Ginkgo). Rivals 31st kid in class-rank terms. Lotta expectations in play here… did like the Santa Claus look he did for his official team portrait; never seen that one b4, St.Nick bless.  Ko’ is a super-athletic and rangy wing who can get to the rim and flush with authority. Stud. At least athletically, and kinda has that feel of a pure ATH playing a given sport. (Rather than the sport playing effortlessly inside of him). Homecoming kid: Macon, Ga., who has a pure scorer’s mentality. Has improved each-n-every year; so, the game may be slowing down for him proverbially. Strapping-looking kid upon film study, strong, Cardassian built. Third best: 12.1 ppg with 4.3 rpg and a near full swipe and block tells you he has some all ’round athletics. The career highs straight across in:  45.4% floor with 81.8% charity-stripe and a neat 4o.7% deep tell you he has some skillz and he will perspire/sweat and work to pay da bills. Second highest scholastic scorer in the Peachtree State with nearly ~3o ppg and nearly ~1o rpg tells you Reeves Jr. may enjoy even mo’ headroom here with two years to go. Prolly gonna get close to expatriated baller status… the rest is time=tell.
  (UPDATE: really threeing-up well of late, need to get in this ones’ shirt from the jump).
• Rookie or nugget-year, t-Fresh’., 6′3″, 18o lb., Naithan George G Toronto, ON native. He of the Jersey Shore blow-out kra-kra ‘fro look. He of: 9.4 ppg with 1.9 rpg and a team pacing 4.9 apg too. His friends call him: “Nati”. Said to be a Qb1 with: “exceptional court vision and tremendous work ethic. And a solid two-level scorer who is committed to playing both ends of the floor. That works. Tho’ the ~42% overall and a mere ~27% from behind the 3-point-line needs some work. Lindy’s says… well, not much of anything; as this was a very latent cycle roster addition. And most said he was either SeattleU or Sam Houston bound prior to that. Played his final three high school seasons at Canyon International Academy, which fields a national team that competes against junior colleges and on The Grind Session prep circuit. So, the competition was not wanting and was prolly matriculating here, ‘eh’. Won (Great White North) back-to-back State championships. That counts, twice. Surprising starting Pt.Guard1 to be most sure. Some are surprised he is even here… as some thought this (D-1/P5) level was beyond his depth. So, these early digits are solid if not gravy itself.

Georgia Tech Weaknesses:

• Not named Kelly— virtually everyone Coach Josh Ponder went Exit Stage Left. Literally. Everyone single contributor/returnee, gonzo. Close to 1oo%.
• Hence, gelling/forming and shaping are not yet ship-shape to be sure.
• Hence, this ain’t roster-churn… this was a roster; burn. (As in nearly to the ground).
• * (8.2 ppg with 2.3 rpg and 2.9 apg) Kyle Sturdivant G2 who is now, dog-haus benched.
• Lance Terry: (OUT): calf injury and now taking a shirt. St.Achilles bless. 6′3″, 197 lb., well-seasoned Gardner Webb (14.2 ppg with 3.4 rpg and 1.2 apg) transfer Off-G1. No small subtraction here gents. 38% netter on treys. 82% on FTA’s too. Coaching sewing circle called L.Tee a: “good shooter who can also drive to the basket, and is excellent in transition.” That (woulda) all helped. Won a trip-A (AAA) Ga. H.S. state ring. Was 275th on the 247Sports big board. true-Sr. who could get a cv19 5th year should he want the ’25 work. Tho’ this does ’24 backcourt hurt. Make no misQ there; as Lindy’s said of him: “…could be a star with more consistency.” wow/ouch.

Wrambling Wreck garage: (depth=) 111th most benching scoring. (Solid pine-squad resolve here).

ex-of-Morehead State, ex-of-Western Carolina too, Tyzhaun Claude F 6′7″, 226 lb. A naturally or farm-strong-looking kid on film. Kinda has a P/F trapped in a Three or S/F look to him. Physical playar, with at least a little ‘touch’ at a near ~55% career marker overall. Anted up nearly a sweet-16 ppg from: West.Car. and close to ~9 rpg to boot. Nowhere near that now; however, at: 4.9 ppg with 5 rpg and a brickly 14.1% from range. This is after 33% from threeland prior to GeeTee too. So, this is a kid who has yet to find his flow or feel his ATL Gold Club sexxy.  As Tyzhaun was listed as a A.c.c. Newcomer of the Year candidate from several of my pre-season wraps; so, mo’ was expected here. 4th year guy who looks and reminds of our very own Cobra-Ky’ in the way he carries himself. Prolly is a De1 in another life… tho’ can he regain his former, form???

Ibrahima Sacko F 6′6″, 225 lb., Conakry, Guinea; then: J. Addison School (Markham, Ontario). A Wing player who is one of the top players out of Canada in the class of 2o23. Where true-Fresh. Sacko was only rated a top-3 player in the country by every single Canadian recruiting service. Kra-kra metrics-based kid… no joke… check it… this is an: athletic and physical player who is known for his defensive capabilities and is also adept at putting the ball on the floor. That, and he only fields a wingspan of 6 feet, 9 inches, and a standing reach of 8 feet, 7 inches to boot! wowow. Dats nutz. The 1.5 ppg with 2.8 rpg and a sendback are hoped to be only scratching the N.A.F.T.A. surface. As Ibrahima won all sorts of Ontario awards in his one Canadian H.S. season of: 29 ppg with 11 rpg and 2 bpg. Does have a history of dings/dents (Godspeed), however. Impact playar who is already an elite defender on testables alone. Downhill driver or exit-ramp bruiser on O. We shall see if the rest develops after dominating up north sans learning the game. Time=tell, though intrigue is not kinetically low here.

Final-year: 6′11″, 23o lb., ex-Nc.State: Ebenezer Dowuona F Accra, Ghana. His surname is pronounced, “duh-WANNA”. Is a strong/lean kid who does have that Eye of the Tiger glare to him. Athletic post player who is strong on the boards and protecting the rim. 4.7 ppg with 4.1 rpg and 1.7 bpg down in Raleigh tell you mo’ was prolly expected (1.2 ppg and 1.4 rpg in ’24) here. Glue or role guy right now… tanked as a four-star recruit by ESPN; and ranked as the No.2o Center in the 2020 class by ESPN also. Prolly gonna give a lotta grief to weekend warriors next year at your local “Y”.
(UPDATE: “QUESTIONABLE”: Ebenezer Dowuona missed the last contest with an unknown ailment, leaving his status for Saturday’s battle against Virginia Tech in question. Godspeed here! As he had played his way into the starting line-up in the last few games. ‘Whispers’ say he has a history of “lower-leg” dings to boot).

Illation, conclusion(s) and OPT digits:

Number of wreckers who could crash @Tech=9 on potentials 4-5 on credentials.

the takeaway:
The takeaway here is…

…not to be too taken with this recent (modest to nice) Hurrying Hokie, surge.

…additionally, not to be too taken with the other Tech while you are at it.
(As in… they have cashed only one, that’s (1) dub-a-u (or, win) since before Christmas ’23!

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Eye say this as I bothered to look it (all) up again… check it…

Same as the (opposing) At a Glance bullet list up above… I decided to run the good guy numbers and here is what Eye, saw…

• 2nd best in FT percentage!!!
• 78th best in 3-point percentage.
• 79th best in Effective FG percentage.
• 84th best in assisting.
• 282nd best in Swats.
• 292nd best in Swipes.
• 326th in offensive rebounding!!!
• Only five, that’s only (5) Team National rankings in single or double digits outta the 34 D-1 team metrics that I track. I nearly never Atlantic Coast See that either… which is precisely and entirely why it is oh so ’24 remarkable. As we only tallied eight thingys ≥98th best overall! Meaning… we are a very very very, centrist, middle-of-the-road, middle-of-the-isle, or middleocore team. Maybe middleocore+++ @Home; or, when shooting unusually @Away well.
• Granted, we only field three, that’s (3) pretty piss-poor vitals… fair-play. Tho’ this only speaks to our growing middleocrity all the mo’. As this team’s in-game or game-to-game only lifeline is 3-point netting itself. That is our only (possible) headroom gents. ’cause we be who we Ceiling to Ceiling+ be beyond that.
• 2 injuries listed. Coach God twice bless.

 ***

Our handy-dandy friend the so-called Forum Guide of Graham Houston fame is calling for a whopping +31-point VicTory dance! This populous is almost out to a handful at n=4. Close to a perfect correlation; as there was only a single point difference in the u.V.a. roundball round-robin. When taken per capita this still works out to a +7.75 v.Tech Triumph for the good guys. Which does seem more reasonable than thirty-one did.

The annualized year-to-date vitals say that… VeeTee is up a nominal looking +2% in shooting percentage margin (from: v.Tech being a little better on O and g.Tech being just barely better on D); with VeeTee up an okay +4% in 3-point percentage margin (all of which less 1/1oth was from being mo’ V.T.C.C. marksman on 3-O), and then GeeTee was up right at ½ of a carom collected in rebounding margin year-to-date. (As in: GeeTee is noticeably stronger on the O-fiberglass with the D-‘glass closer to equilibrium itself).

The most recent 5-game metrics say that… the Hokies are now up a modest +2% in shooting percentage margin (due to: VT netting a bit better and yet GT is defending just a little better recently); with the F’n Gobblers now up a nearly solid +6% in 3-point percentage margin (VT won 3-O by four-percent and 3-D by two-percent here), and the Techmen are now up a nearly useful looking ~+5 misses collected in rebounding margin in the last fortnight of play. (Observe: however, that VeeTee had dipped just a mite in backboarding here, it is rather that GeeTee has dipped even mo’; or, |absolute values| 1o1).

Armchair Pt.Guard’s:

• vs. no-names? (only): +51-points! This includes being upset once and getting clamped via three other little guys in 2-shots or less final outcomes; even tho’ GT won all three.
• vs. Surnames? –40-point hole. As GT was holding their own here -even when beaten- until two games ago. Including suffering four games decided by 3-shots or less. Then the L’ing margin or gap just began to open on o1.2o. Not awful, tho’ a negative slope with mo’ run than rise to be sure.

LAST 10 GAMES: Hokies: 6-4, averaging 73.3 points, 33.1 rebounds, 15 assists, 4.7 steals, and 3.1 blocks per game while shooting 48.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 68 points per game.

LAST 10 GAMES: Yellow Jackets: 3-7, averaging 73.8 points, 34.9 rebounds, 12.5 assists, 4.6 steals, and 3.5 blocks per game while shooting 45.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 78.3 points.

V.P.I. is up a downright useful looking +13% at the charity stripe for the year.
VeeTee is a .9 host; whereas  GeeTee is .286 as a guest.
GeeTee is a modest-looking +1 in R&R.

The Call…

No.13o Net Ranking Georgia Tech @ no.5o Net Ranking Vah.Tech:

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The VerdicT:

So, do recall that someone has opined before— concerning their concerns regarding this team’s lack of easy-baskets and/or Fastbreak points (~4o-spot spread here in the other Tech’s favor; not as severe as I had thought). As Mike does run an efficacious systemic-max offense when it hums along. Hence, his Effective FG% is better than his FG% (raw). And we do dunk efficiently, (11th best on dunk-make percentage); so, there is that too…

We also tallied-ho(kie) high in the ‘share’ category. Which metrics what percentage of your 2-pointers are actually, dunks. A shiny and nearly shocking 18th-best overall. That is a percentage that is weighted by the number of possessions of course. This; however, is negated by our number of turnovers of course; (which grades out to be a somewhat slippy D+++/C— fence).

Meaning, yes we are efficient at the jams we do net more so than we net a lotta raw jams themselves.

This reawakens my athletics and or kinetic concerns all the mo’.

The Digits:

The aforementioned 1-W from Gah.Tech in ~4o days is just not a winning nor a pickable look. At least not from me.

Not in Cassell… prolly not @Neutral as well.

@hotlanta and Eye would not be so sure.

Tho’ Eye tangent…

–oOo–

Nevertheless, this one is 4o9 miles Nor-by-Nor-East up from the ATL, see?

’cause when Eye bothered to run the Home:Away splits; Eye saw that… VeeTee is up a useful +6% in FG-margin; up a nearly sharp +9% in 3-ball-margin and finally up a helpful +8 boards in Rebounding Margin-margin. That triune sweep helped quell some of my pure physical disadvantageous fears.

And all these peppy, springy, jumping beans may suit these Jackets well enuff.
’cause this is not a good or threatening g.Tech team so much as it is not our best look.

“Styles make fights.” —Coach Freddy Roach.

And their bouncy/twitchy/bursty pet-style suits us ill.

Hence; the start=the finish here folks.

🦃 >>> 🏀 >>> 🕺

Start O&M swift and we could 2nd-hand these looking for a discount way out Jackets in the 1st-half.

Start O&M thrift, however. and their pure athletes could hang around and take us to the… rack.

💯

 

(67% confidence interval)
Virginia Tech=76, Georgia Tech=67

please support the VT F.C.A.!

“LETS GO!”

“Hokies!”

 bourbonstreet**