Georgia Basketball Excels While World Watches Football
By W. M. Lawson
While the eyes of the sports world are afixed on the College Football Playoffs, the Georgia Basketball team (9-2) has quietly put together a successful first third of the season.
You’ll be forgiven if you haven’t heard much or paid much attention to what is happening in and around Stegeman Coliseum these days. With the Georgia Football team sucking up all of the proverbial oxygen, due to their SEC Championship season, and upcoming CFP appearance, the Georgia Basketball team has quietly opened the season nicely. In fact, they are poised to make a run themselves.
Most asserted that this team would be Coach Mark Fox’s “most talented” team in a while. Returning Senior, Yante Maten, has played grown man basketball since his Freshman year, and gives consistent production night in and night out.
More from ATL All Day
- Atlanta Braves: Felix Has Already Shown Enough to Win a Rotation Spot
- Atlanta Braves Implode Late To Phillies, Cole Hamels Remains Sidelined
- Kyle Wright Shines As Folty Struggles In Atlanta Braves Loss To Red Sox
- Atlanta Hawks Sweep Back-to-Back Games Over Weekend
- Atlanta Braves: Grapefruit League Play Check Up
Returning starters Juwan Parker and Derek Ogbeide give stability and support regularly, and look to increase point production this year.
Then you have an infusion of younger talent in recent years that has provided the kind of explosive spark that has been missing in UGA hoops for a while. “Turtle” Jackson, Tyree Crump, and Jordan Harris are talented in their own right, but the arrival of Rayshaun Hammonds has UGA fans hopeful that they can make major post-season play for the first time in a couple of years.
A few of their nine wins are against quality competition, and absent the baffling loss to UMass, their record is minus the usual head scratching blemishes that have kept Georgia out of the NCAA Tournament in recent years. Meaning, as we head into conference play, UGA is set up to make a run.
That said, Georgia hits the road and goes to Lexington on New Year’s Eve. Yes, that Lexington. Kentucky hasn’t opened the season well (by their standards), but just absolutely crushed Louisville on Friday.
Next: A New Kind Of New Year For Georgia Football
A road win in Rupp Arena would raise eyebrows in the college basketball world. It might even move the needle in a wider sports world transfixed with football fever.