Georgia basketball needs some good surprises

 Georgia basketball fans believe new head coach Tom Crean can put a great basketball team on the Stegeman Coliseum floor –  just not right now.

The Georgia basketball team opens official play Friday night against Savannah State in the Stegeman Coliseum. Optimism is high that new head coach Tom Crean can push the almost good Bulldog program to an elite level in future years. There’s just not much optimism the Dawgs will be very good this year.

Unfortunately, while it’s hopeful speculation Crean will be successful longterm, it’s bordering on settled science this will be a long year for the Dawg cagers.

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Georgia basketball boasts bigs

The problem is not the front line. Georgia will play the 6′ 7″ Rayshaun Hammonds , a bonafide elite talent small forward next to the 6′ 11″ Nicolas Claxton. Claxton scores inside and outside and is a shot blocking mistake eraser on defense who can bang with the biggest of big men.

The Dawgs have been waiting for post player Derek Ogbeide, a former four-star recruit, to blossom. The Dawgs may be through waiting, as freshman Amanze Ngumezi of Savannah has a complete set of basketball tools to go with his 6′ 9″ size. Expect Ogbeide and Ngumezi to take and give minutes from each other throughout the season as they compete for post playing time and Coach Crean looks for advantageous matchups.

Smaller options behind Hammonds are the speedy small freshman forward JoJo Toppin and guard/forward combo player Jordan Harris.

Looking for guard Dawgs

Harris, a junior, spent last season locked up tight in the oft cited Mark Fox dog house. If Georgia is to have any chance of winning more than half its games, Harris needs to find himself at the two-guard and Toppin needs to play well for 15 minutes every night. That’s a lot to ask.

While Harris is talented, he may not fit well at the two guard in the Tom Crean offense or overcome a season estranged from the team. Also asking Toppin to compete at a high level in the SEC as a freshman makes two heavy lifts for the Dawgs.

The other key to a good season is Turtle Jackson. Jackson must discover the player Georgia fans believe has been hiding just under his skin. An Athens native, Jackson arrived on campus after four years of long-range shooting and eye-popping passing at Athens Christian School. When playing off the ball, he has at times been a ferocious disruptor on defense.

Playing at the point has been a challenge for the 6’5” senior his entire career. For the Dawgs to win, Jackson must find himself.

Harris’ South Georgia bud, guard Tyree Crump, figures prominently in the Bulldog plans, but is pretty much a known quantity. He needs to shoot well, and he can. E’Torrion Wilridge will contribute as well. He’s a versatile talent that has demonstrated everything you want in a basketball player except scoring.

Can Georgia gut it out in 2019?

It’s not a very rosy picture, but Mark Fox left Coach Crean with a very solid front line and hope for the backcourt. We’ll find out early about the possibilities as the Dawgs leave for Philadelphia and a road game against Temple four days after hosting Savannah State. That’s little time for the Dawgs to adjust to Tom Crean’s offense and expectations.

The Georgia basketball team receives an early term progress report against Arizona State and high scoring Oakland in Athens a month later. On December 22 the Dawgs travel to Atlanta to take on a beatable Georgia Tech team. Give Coach Crean and these Dawgs until then to find themselves.

If Georgia can beat Tech and take a winning record into the December 30 home game with UMass, the season could be very OK.

And that would be very good.