WRAL Sports Fan

WRALSportsFan

Good Guard Play Point of Emphasis for State, Georgia Tech

By J. Mike Blake

Jan 23, 2008

Tonight’s match-up in the RBC Center between N.C. State (12-5, 1-2) and Georgia Tech will feature two teams who entered the year with one major question mark – point guard.

Javaris Crittenton left the Yellow Jackets (8-9, 1-3) for the NBA after just one season on campus while Wolfpack mainstay Engin Atsur departed via graduation.

The Pack’s quest to fill the void was compounded when Iowa State transfer Farnold Degand blew out his ACL in the 10th game of the year. Now, each team features a point guard platoon consisting of one transfer and one freshman.

State’s Javi Gonzalez is joined by former Tennessee player Marques Johnson while Tech’s freshman Maurice Miller starts over Matt Causey, who played a season at Georgetown.

While it’s easy to be nostalgic when remembering how Atsur and Crittenton ran their teams, it’s also the 18th game of the season for the each school.

By this stage in the season, it comes as no surprise that Sidney Lowe and Paul Hewitt have seen the several ups and downs that come with breaking in the new guys.

Not to rip off the line by Rick Pitino, but neither Atsur nor Crittenton is walking back through the door – which is a lot easier to swallow given the previous games for each team’s point guards.

Causey erupted for 30 points to lead all scorers in the Jackets’ 81-70 win over Virginia Tech. It was only the second time all year that the senior, who is shooting over 47 percent from three, had scored in double-figures.

“I know he can shoot it and I know the kid has a lot of courage, I know that much. He plays really hard,” Hewitt said. “I can’t say I saw him dropping 30 on somebody but let’s put it this way: he’s a dangerous shooter and he’s a fearless player.”

Gonzalez displayed exceptional composure down the stretch for the Pack, including two huge 3-pointers, to lead his team past Miami 79-77, in overtime.

“He was certainly much more comfortable [in the Miami] game. I think being at home in front of our crowd definitely helped him,” Lowe said. “He played with great poise. He ran the show. He knew when to push it, he knew when pull it back. He executed the plays down the stretch to perfection.”

The key to doubling each team’s one-game win streak will likely hinge on which team’s point guard units can have repeat performance.

Hewitt was especially proud of how his point guards were able to close out the Hokies on Saturday without turning the ball over down the stretch.

“Both Matt and Mo Miller have played pretty well,” Hewitt said.

State’s point guards have been much maligned, especially since Degand’s injury. But if there’s hope for continued improvement, it might be found in Tech.

Once thought to be the biggest problem facing his team, Hewitt insists now that his point guards are not what has been holding his team back.

“Actually, I think we need more help from the other four guys in terms of making sure they come to meet passes and making sure our offense runs more efficiently,” Hewitt said. “I can’t put it all on the point guard, our other guys have to do a better job.”

The Jackets, losers in four of their last six, have at times played better than their sub-.500 record would indicate – but mostly that’s come at home. The one-point loss to UNC and the five-point loss to Kansas both came within the friendly confines of Alexander Memorial Coliseum.

n the road, Tech is just 2-4. At the same time, the home court has been good to the State’s point guards, providing another reason to hope Gonzalez has another game like Saturday’s for the Pack.

“Obviously, I think you took any point guard to Carolina for their first ACC game and then to Clemson for their second – there’s a chance that they’re going to struggle,” Lowe said.

“It’s still going to take time, that was one ball game. But he did a great job in that ball game and I think being at home with our fans definitely helped him. That’s going to continue to get better to the point where we hit the road and he’ll be confident because he’ll understand how to control the ball game.”


Georgia Tech point guards:

Maurice Miller, freshman: 42 assists, 24 turnovers, 6.0 ppg, 5 starts
Matt Causey, redshirt senior: 62 assists, 37 turnovers, 6.5 ppg, 8 starts

N.C. State point guards:

Marques Johnson, sophomore: 11 assists, 8 turnovers, 1.1 ppg, 2 starts
Javi Gonzalez, freshman: 18 assists, 25 turnovers, 1.9 ppg, 5 starts
Farnold Degand, redshirt soph (now injured): 29 assists, 19 turnovers, 6.9 ppg, 10 starts