University of Georgia Athletics
Bulldogs Show Depth, Variety In Exhibition
October 30, 2024 | Men's Basketball, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
Let's start with the caveat that what took place inside Stegeman Coliseum on Tuesday night was an exhibition. That doesn't mean that the Georgia and UCF men's basketball teams weren't trying to play their best at both ends of the floor, they surely were, but the head coaches were also probably trying some things they wouldn't have if the result had mattered.
With that in mind, it was easy to come away from the Bulldogs' 114-76 win with excitement for the season ahead. Coach Mike White, starting his third season at the helm in Athens, has a variety of playmakers on this team. He has returning players like Silas Demary Jr. and Blue Cain, who both averaged more than 20 minutes a game as freshmen last season and are the Bulldogs' top returning scorers.
Against the Knights, Cain, a 6-foot-5 guard, scored a team-high 20 points, going 5 of 6 from 3-point range. Cain also had six rebounds, three assists and two of the Bulldogs' seven steals. Demary, also a 6-5 guard, who made the SEC All-Freshman team last season and is Georgia's top returning scorer with 9.7 points per game, finished with 16 points, six assists and four rebounds.
White also has a variety of impactful freshmen and newcomers to work with, who will surely be even better in a month than they were Tuesday. Leading the way there was the five-star recruit, Asa Newell, the younger brother of teammate Jaden Newell. The 6-11 Newell scored 19 points, went 3 of 4 on 3s, and grabbed seven rebounds, in just 23 minutes of action.
But Newell wasn't the only newcomer in the starting lineup against the Knights. Also in the starting five were 6-8 forward RJ Godfrey, for now still best known around here as the son of former Georgia All-SEC linebacker Randall Godfrey, and 6-4 guard Tyrin Lawrence, a graduate transfer from Vanderbilt with 80 career starts and more than 1,000 career points.
Godfrey, who spent two seasons at Clemson before transferring, opened the scoring with a basket inside, followed by a Newell dunk off a Godfrey assist. Those buckets were followed by two Cain 3-pointers and a Demary score inside, and quickly the score was 12-3.
One of Georgia's first substitutions was Somto Cyril, a 6-11 freshman from Nigeria who went to high school in the U.S. And Cyril showed off his athleticism quickly, soaring for what amounted to a two-handed blocked shot. Godfrey finished with 14 points and five rebounds, Cyril had 8 points, six rebounds and two blocks, and Lawrence added 17 points, five rebounds and two steals.
White said Cyril, Newell and Godfrey "just finish and have an ability to finish at a high clip in the paint."
Lawrence was as active and effective as anyone, going 7 of 10 from the field with two 3s, and making things happen for himself and those around him at both ends of the floor. As a team, Georgia went 15 of 27 on 3s, 42 of 68 from the field, and outrebounded the Knights by 21, 46-25.
"As you guys have seen tonight, we have a lot of guys that are capable of having a good night from top to bottom," Lawrence said. "And tonight, luckily everything went well. But we know there are going to be times where things don't go our way. So, we just gave to continue to learn from this and grow."
Growth, especially early in the season, will be key as this talented and athletic group goes forward.
"We're still 0-0, but we did some good things," White said. "We have to get better tomorrow. We have to keep growing."
Things get real for the Georgia men's and women's teams on Monday at the Steg. The Lady Bulldogs open their season at 5 p.m. against N.C. Central, followed by the men taking on Tennessee Tech at 7:30.
Â
Staff Writer
Let's start with the caveat that what took place inside Stegeman Coliseum on Tuesday night was an exhibition. That doesn't mean that the Georgia and UCF men's basketball teams weren't trying to play their best at both ends of the floor, they surely were, but the head coaches were also probably trying some things they wouldn't have if the result had mattered.
With that in mind, it was easy to come away from the Bulldogs' 114-76 win with excitement for the season ahead. Coach Mike White, starting his third season at the helm in Athens, has a variety of playmakers on this team. He has returning players like Silas Demary Jr. and Blue Cain, who both averaged more than 20 minutes a game as freshmen last season and are the Bulldogs' top returning scorers.
Against the Knights, Cain, a 6-foot-5 guard, scored a team-high 20 points, going 5 of 6 from 3-point range. Cain also had six rebounds, three assists and two of the Bulldogs' seven steals. Demary, also a 6-5 guard, who made the SEC All-Freshman team last season and is Georgia's top returning scorer with 9.7 points per game, finished with 16 points, six assists and four rebounds.
White also has a variety of impactful freshmen and newcomers to work with, who will surely be even better in a month than they were Tuesday. Leading the way there was the five-star recruit, Asa Newell, the younger brother of teammate Jaden Newell. The 6-11 Newell scored 19 points, went 3 of 4 on 3s, and grabbed seven rebounds, in just 23 minutes of action.
But Newell wasn't the only newcomer in the starting lineup against the Knights. Also in the starting five were 6-8 forward RJ Godfrey, for now still best known around here as the son of former Georgia All-SEC linebacker Randall Godfrey, and 6-4 guard Tyrin Lawrence, a graduate transfer from Vanderbilt with 80 career starts and more than 1,000 career points.
Godfrey, who spent two seasons at Clemson before transferring, opened the scoring with a basket inside, followed by a Newell dunk off a Godfrey assist. Those buckets were followed by two Cain 3-pointers and a Demary score inside, and quickly the score was 12-3.
One of Georgia's first substitutions was Somto Cyril, a 6-11 freshman from Nigeria who went to high school in the U.S. And Cyril showed off his athleticism quickly, soaring for what amounted to a two-handed blocked shot. Godfrey finished with 14 points and five rebounds, Cyril had 8 points, six rebounds and two blocks, and Lawrence added 17 points, five rebounds and two steals.
White said Cyril, Newell and Godfrey "just finish and have an ability to finish at a high clip in the paint."
Lawrence was as active and effective as anyone, going 7 of 10 from the field with two 3s, and making things happen for himself and those around him at both ends of the floor. As a team, Georgia went 15 of 27 on 3s, 42 of 68 from the field, and outrebounded the Knights by 21, 46-25.
"As you guys have seen tonight, we have a lot of guys that are capable of having a good night from top to bottom," Lawrence said. "And tonight, luckily everything went well. But we know there are going to be times where things don't go our way. So, we just gave to continue to learn from this and grow."
Growth, especially early in the season, will be key as this talented and athletic group goes forward.
"We're still 0-0, but we did some good things," White said. "We have to get better tomorrow. We have to keep growing."
Things get real for the Georgia men's and women's teams on Monday at the Steg. The Lady Bulldogs open their season at 5 p.m. against N.C. Central, followed by the men taking on Tennessee Tech at 7:30.
Â
Assistant Sports Communications Director 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.
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballGeorgia Basketball - Jake Wilkins - Media Availability
Monday, October 13
Georgia Basketball - Brandon Klatsky - Media Availability
Monday, October 13
Georgia Basketball - Justin Bailey - Media Availability
Monday, October 06
Georgia Basketball - Jordan Ross - Media Availability
Monday, October 06