Charlotte, N.C. – After earning a spot on the all-tournament team at the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic with three stellar performances, Georgia Tech’s Baye Ndongo was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Week for the third time this season.
It is the first time that a Yellow Jacket has won the honor as many as three times since the 2016-17 season, when current NBA player Josh Okogie did so.
Ndongo averaged 18.0 points and 9.3 rebounds in the tournament, helping Tech reach the championship game with wins over Massachusetts and host Hawai’i. He was No. 5 in the tournament in scoring average, No. 2 in rebound average and No. 1 in field goal percentage. The 6-9 forward missed only four shot attempts in the entire event, connecting on 23-of-26 from the floor and 8-of-9 from the foul line. He added three blocked shots and two steals.
He started out with a solid 12-point, 8-rebound performance in Tech’s 73-70 comeback win over UMass in which he made all six of his field goal attempts. In the Jackets’ 73-68 semifinal win over the Rainbow Warriors, Ndongo posted his second double-double this season with 22 points and 12 rebounds, hitting 10-of-12 from the floor. He scored 20 points (7-8 FG) with eight rebounds in Tech’s 72-64 championship game loss to Nevada.
The Mboro, Senegal native is Tech’s leading rebounder this season and ranks in the top 10 of the ACC at 9.1 per game, and is the Yellow Jackets’ second-leading scorer at 11.9 points per game. Ndongo first won ACC Rookie of the Week honors Dec. 4 after leading Tech to a 72-68 victory over Duke with 21 points with five rebounds and four blocked shots, then won the honor again Dec. 18 after scoring 12 points with 19 boards in the Jackets’ 82-81 overtime win over Penn State.
Tech returns to action Jan. 3 at 7 p.m. EST, traveling to Tallahassee, Fla., to resume ACC play at Florida State. The game will be televised on the ACC Network.
Ndongo scores two of his 20 points against Nevada in the finals of the Diamond Head Classic. (photo by Courtney Metzger)
Competitive Drive Initiative Turn 2
Looking to build on the success of last year’s Competitive Drive Initiative, Georgia Tech, the Georgia Tech Foundation and Georgia Tech athletics are partnering once again for Competitive Drive Initiative Turn 2. Initially launched on Nov. 7, CDI Turn 2 has reached its initial goal of raising $2.5 million in new gifts to the Alexander-Tharpe Fund’s Athletic Scholarship Fund and has a new goal of raising $3 million in new gifts to the A-T Fund by Dec. 31. Georgia Tech and the Georgia Tech Foundation will match eligible gifts to accelerate the impact for Tech athletics and, like last year, not only will gifts to CDI Turn 2 be matched, but so will the contributor’s benefits in the way of A-T Fund giving levels and priority points. To learn more and contribute online, visit atfund.org/turn2.
ABOUT GEORGIA TECH MEN’S BASKETBALL
Georgia Tech’s men’s basketball team is in its first year under head coach Damon Stoudamire. Tech has been a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference since 1979, won four ACC Championships (1985, 1990, 1993, 2021), played in the NCAA Tournament 17 times and played in two Final Fours (1990, 2004). Connect with Georgia Tech Men’s Basketball on social media by liking their Facebook Page, or following on Twitter (@GTMBB) and Instagram. For more information on Tech basketball, visit Ramblinwreck.com.
