Well, you’ve heard the old saying. “A win is a win.”
That was certainly the case this past Wednesday night in Americus, as the no. 23 Bobcats stole a 61-60 win away from the Hurricanes on two last second free throws by junior forward Josh Hurst.
It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t fun to watch. It wasn’t what we expect from GCSU basketball.
But, it got the job done. And you’ll take the win, be thankful for it, and hope a performance like that does not occur again.
Georgia College (19-4, 12-2 PBC-west) has had a rough time shooting from three during the last three games. The Bobcats have shot under 30 percent from three-point land all three games. In two of those three games, Georgia College has shot under 40 percent from the field altogether.
Therefore, it’s evident the Bobcats have gone into a shooting funk.
Hopefully head coach Terry Sellers allowed the guys to shoot extra during practice these past few days in preparing for Columbus State (11-12, 5-9 PBC-west) on homecoming Saturday.
Last time was a classic thriller between these two. On Jan. 20, the Bobcats snatched the victory away from the Cougars on a last-second 24-foot three pointer at the buzzer to win it by junior guard Andre Mikell.
The Bobcats, though, would not have been in position for a chance to win it were it not for sophomore Ryan Aquino’s 19 point, 12 rebound performance. Senior guard Jake Rios and Mikell also threw in 13, the most important being Mikell’s magical shot at the horn.
Well, let’s get set for round two, shall we?
And the only way to do that is to take a look at the keys to the contest:
1) Georgia College must put an emphasis on guard vs. guard defense and overall perimeter defense. The Bobcats were torched last time against Columbus, as the Cougars shot 56.3 percent from downtown on 9-of-16. If the Bobcats want to limit 65 percent of the Cougar’s point production, then playing defense on the Cougar guards is a good place to start.
2) Shooting. The Bobcats must work to get better looks at the basket. The shot quality has not been great over the past three games, and the result has been a 1-2 record. Settling for three-pointers from the outside is not going to cut it.
3) Also, if the three-pointer does not fall, just like it has not been over the past three outings, where does Georgia College go to find offense? I’d like to see the Bobcats implement Hurst and Aquino more often if senior guards Graham Martin, Ty Rowland, and Rios aren’t stroking. Hurst proved last game against Georgia Southwestern that he can be effective from the interior. Aquino did, as well, against Columbus State on Jan. 20 with a huge double-double performance.
4) The Bobcats must play fundamental defense. By that, Georgia College can’t afford to get into foul trouble. Here’s a comparison:
a. At Columbus State on Jan. 20: Cougars attempted just four free-throws.
b. At Georgia Southwestern on Wednesday: Hurricanes attempted 25.
Columbus will be seeking some revenge due to Mikell’s miracle back in January. You know they have been chomping at the bit for quite some time. It’s important to take care of the basketball and rebound. Perhaps re-focusing on the small things of basketball could boost the Bobcats’ spirits.
Of note, the crowd on Homecoming is going to be electric. This is the time when “Mr. and Miss GCSU” are announced to all of the Greek organizations, amongst other ceremonies going on throughout the ball game. Parades are to take place prior to the women’s game, and of course tail-gating will be a favorite before the women and men tip this baby off.
It’s good to see the Bobcat men back in the win column, but there’s still a lot of work to be done.
And it starts against Columbus State!
Talk with you from the Centennial Center in Milledgeville at 3:25e on Peach Belt TV (http://www.pennatlantic.com/ –free telecast)!
Let’s get it, fellas!
No comments:
Post a Comment