After a dreadful end to last season for Georgia Tech, first-year Yellow Jackets coach Scott Cross has the goal of breathing life back into a struggling program.
The Yellow Jackets (2-0) will look to remain perfect for the young season when they face Eastern Kentucky on Tuesday night in Atlanta.
Georgia Tech lost its final 12 games last season to finish 11-20 and hired Cross to replace Damon Stoudamire, who was fired.
Two games into the new era, a predominantly revamped Yellow Jackets roster has meshed to post a pair of double-digit wins.
Lehigh transfer Nasir Whitlock and San Jose State transfer Colby Garland have averaged 16.5 and 13.5 points per game, respectively.
“They’re super close and they complement each other really, really well,” Cross said of the two new backcourt pieces. “I think they really like each other. We can move them around and they’re also able to create shots for the rest of their teammates.”
Cross’ group beat Georgia Southern 95-83 on Friday, already matching last season’s highest-scoring output in a game. While still a small sample size, scoring in the 90s is a welcome sight for a team that tied for 15th in the Atlantic Coast Conference with an average of 73.8 points per game last season.
“I feel pretty good about us playing the right way,” Cross said. “We’re still working on how to make reads out of the offense. Just trying to improve their basketball IQ and how to play within the system.”
Eastern Kentucky (2-0) will play its first Division I opponent on Tuesday following blowout wins over NAIA members Kentucky Christian and Midway. The Colonels rank fifth in Division I with an average of 105.5 points per game, but Tuesday certainly will be a steep test for coach A.W. Hamilton’s team.
Guard Jackson Holt has averaged 12.5 points per contest against two outmatched teams.
“Jackson Holt is an unusual player in college basketball; you don’t see guys in programs for five seasons,” Hamilton said. “It’s been great having him, not only because he is a tremendous leader for us, but he’s one of the winningest players in program history.”
Yvens Paul, a three-year starter for Hamilton, also averages 12.5 points and a team-high 9 rebounds per game.
