With Georgia football standing idle this weekend, the basketball program took center stage.
The Bulldogs, who are 10 days away from their season-opener against Bellarmine on Nov. 3, allowed local media members to receive a glimpse into their preparation. Georgia held an hourlong film session with coach Mike White on Monday afternoon, followed by an open practice.
White shared insight into the team’s focal points as it tries to earn its first consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances since 2002, and broke down its exhibition game against Georgia State.
Here are three takeaways from the events:
Georgia expects to play a high-tempo offense.
Georgia lost five players in the transfer portal — Silas Demary Jr. to UConn, RJ Godfrey to Clemson, De’Shayne Montgomery to Dayton, Jordyn Kee to Miami and Savo Drezgic to a Serbian team — but bolstered its roster with five transfers and three freshmen.
The Bulldogs feel strongly about their depth, which should enable them to play a higher-tempo offense this season. White pointed to analytics when explaining the emphasis, noting that field-goal percentages are generally higher for teams that play up-tempo.
Georgia’s 45.2% field goal clip finished in the middle tier of SEC teams last season, while its 32.9% success rate from beyond the arc ranked 10th. The Bulldogs struggled in their first exhibition game Oct. 15 against Georgia State, shooting 40.7% overall and 13.8% from 3-point range, which would have marked their second-lowest percentage in a game last season.
“That might be our strength this year,” guard Jordan Ross said. “Everyone can shoot it at a high clip, at a high rate, so it should be exciting.”
Georgia is also focusing on its fast-break defense, as it does not want teams to score within the first eight seconds of a shot clock. Georgia State only tallied eight fast-break points to Georgia’s 19.
Georgia is still working on communication.
The eight new additions to Georgia’s roster indicate that it’s going to take time to develop chemistry. The Bulldogs participated in multiple drills to build on-court communication, including a 4-on-3 exercise that emphasized being loud and decisive.
Georgia also began its open practice with a review of communication signals. White shared that he drew on concepts from the NBA’s New York Knicks to build the Bulldogs’ system, which centers on players reacting to what happens on the court rather than memorizing specific play calls. It requires athletes to use previously installed concepts as a baseline for their in-game decision-making.
Players are not the only ones working on their communication, as coaches will have less time to project their messages during the game because of the SEC’s timeout clock. The on-court display will provide consistency in the length of timeouts and ensure coaches stick to the allotted time.
Georgia wants every shot to be contested.
Georgia was one of the better defensive teams in the SEC last season, surrendering an average of 69.9 points per game, ranking fifth in the conference. The Bulldogs aim to make every shot contested by pressuring opposing players near the basket.
White previously said Georgia lacks the positional size it possessed last season with the departures of Godfrey and first-round NBA Draft selection Asa Newell, but there are Bulldogs more than capable of contesting attempts.
Center Somto Cyril blocked 51 shots in 33 games last season despite averaging just 14 minutes per contest. Georgia’s three freshmen are also 6-foot-8 and above. That includes forward Kareem Stagg, who White praised for his ability to be quick on his feet like a guard.
“We might have some of the most above-the-rim players in college basketball,” freshman Jackson McVey, who stands at 7-foot-1, said. “There’s always an opportunity to get dunked on.”
The Bulldogs will begin their season Nov. 3 at 7:30 p.m., capping off a doubleheader with Georgia women’s basketball that tips off at 5 p.m.
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
