University of Georgia Athletics
Dog Notes: Freshmen Earning Trust, Minutes
December 29, 2015 | Men's Basketball
By John Frierson
UGAAA Staff Writer
They still make mistakes. They still have so much to learn and so much potential to reach. They are the Georgia men's basketball team's numerous freshmen, a foursome that could one day be fearsome, who keep improving and growing with every practice and every game.
"The great part about our freshmen -- we played our freshmen against our first group this week in about a 15 minute scrimmage, and the freshmen won," Georgia coach Mark Fox said following Tuesday's 79-67 win over Robert Morris at Stegeman Coliseum.
"I've got more and more faith in that group to play, and tonight they all gave us some pretty good minutes."
It wasn't a great overall game for Georgia (7-3), which has won four straight and never trailed against the Colonials (2-11). Yes, the Dogs shot 54.4 percent and had 23 assists on 31 field goals, but Georgia also had 15 turnovers and let Robert Morris hang around and make things a bit interesting in the final minutes.
"I don't think we played particularly well, to be honest with you," Fox said.
The freshman quartet of William Jackson II, Derek Ogbeide, Mike Edwards and E'Torrion Wilridge were far from flawless, but this might have been the group's best overall performance, with its greatest overall contribution.
Turtle Jackson played a career-high 19 minutes, playing the point for the game's final 7:01 and finishing with three points (he made a 3 on his first shot of the night), a career-high three assists, a career-high two blocks, tying a career best with two steals and two turnovers.
"He's playing better, he's more comfortable -- he made some mistakes during that period but he needed to play extended minutes," Fox said of Jackson running the offense in the final part of the game.
Edwards had six points and two rebounds in 13 minutes, Ogbeide finished with four points and a career-high seven rebounds in 13 minutes and Wilridge had four points in eight minutes. Fox said he wanted to see what the newcomers could do while playing meaningful minutes with the Dogs in front, but not so far in front that the game was a rout.
"Our freshmen need to be in those situations and learn how to play with a lead and learn how to play from in front," Fox said. "That's something that this team needs to improve on, quite frankly."
Unlike the other three freshmen that played Tuesday, Ogbeide is having to make up for lost time. He missed Georgia's first five games with a shoulder injury and is still getting acclimated to college ball. Tuesday's game was only his fifth of his career and he said he knows he's come a long way since his two-minute debut against Kansas State on Dec. 4.
"I feel a lot better now," the 6-foot-8, 250-pound Ogbeide said. "I can move more and I'm a lot more explosive than I was before after not doing anything for a month."
All four freshmen were never on the court together Tuesday, but there were several stretches when three of them were. With Jackson, Ogbeide and Edwards out there with Kenny Paul Geno and J.J. Frazier, Jackson hit a 3 and later hustled for a steal after a Frazier turnover, and that possession eventually led to an Edwards basket.
"At this point, we call them `sophomores,'" said Frazier, who finished with 17 points. "They've been through everything and all of us are still learning. There's always room to improve and at this point they've made that big step and they're playing well and making great decisions -- and they're going to get better from here."
Greater Distribution
Geno had a grand total of 11 assists during his first two seasons with the Bulldogs. Through the Dogs' first four games this season, the 6-6 junior had only added two more to his total. He's not a point guard so assists aren't his primary responsibility, right?
Against the Colonials on Tuesday, Geno had five assists in the first half and finished with a career-high seven. It's the continuation of a trend for the Booneville, Miss., native, who in the past six games has dished out a combined 22 assists.
He set his previous career high with six against Winthrop on Dec. 8, and bested that by one Tuesday with a late dish down to Yante Maten for a layup with 1:42 to play. Maten led the Dogs with 20 points.
Fox said Geno was "a very willing passer and a smart player, and I thought tonight he probably played the best of anybody."
Gene didn't just distribute. In the second half he had a clear path from the right corner to the basket, drove the baseline and finished with a soaring dunk that put Georgia up 48-39. He had another big flush to give the Dogs a 10-point lead with 6:34 remaining, finishing with six points, to go along with two rebounds, a block and a steal.
"He's improved tremendously and tonight he was our emotional leader," Frazier said. "He gave us that boost that we needed."
What's Next
The Bulldogs will open 2016 on Saturday when they open SEC play, with a visit to Florida (8 p.m.). The Dogs went 11-7 in SEC play last season, while the Gators were 8-10. Florida has a new coach in Michael White, who took over after Billy Donovan left the Gators to coach the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Gators fell at home Tuesday to in-state rival Florida State, 73-71, and are 8-4 this season.
John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He's also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.
