Jackets Overcome Hawai’i to Take Third Place

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Honolulu, Hawai’i – Michael Devoe scored 18 points to lead three Georgia Tech players in double figures, and the Yellow Jackets outscored Hawai’i 41-15 over the last 16 minutes of the game to capture a 70-53 victory Wednesday in the third-place game of the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic at the Stan Sheriff Center.

The Yellow Jackets, who evened their record at 6-6 as they head back to Atlanta, trailed by three at intermission and gave up the first six points of the second half to the host Rainbow Warriors (8-5) before turning the momentum in their favor.

Trailing 38-29 with 16:11 to go, Tech began to turn things around, putting together a 16-4 run to take the lead, fueled by five points from James Banks III. The Jackets got a three-pointer from Devoe, a layup from Bubba Parham and another layup from Jordan Usher to stake Tech to a 45-42 lead.

Tech connected on 13 of its last 17 shots from the floor over the final 15:18, and smothered the Hawai’i into missing 14 of its 18 second half shots, including all five of their three-point attempts.

Banks, who did not score or get a rebound in the first half, helped lead the charge, scoring 11 points and taking six rebounds after intermission. Moses Wright posted his third straight strong game in the tournament, scoring 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting for the Jackets, and was voted to the all-tournament team.

Devoe hit 6-of-12 shots from the floor, including a pair of threes, along with four assists. Jose Alvarado, playing his third straight game after missing the last six with an ankle injury, scored eight points with four assists and five rebounds.

Tech resumes Atlantic Coast Conference play on New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31, with a game at No. 17 Florida State. Tipoff is at noon at the Donald L. Tucker Center in Tallahassee, Fla., and the game will be televised on the ACC Network.

Michael Devoe scored a game-high 18 points, hitting a pair of three-point baskets. (photo by Courtney Metzger)

 

Post-Game Notes

TEAM NOTES

• Tech is 3-3 on the road this season, 3-3 at home.
• Tech has trailed at halftime in 10 of 12 games this season, but has come back to win four of those 10 games. The Jackets are 14-46 under Josh Pastner when trailing at the half.
• Tech hit 18-of-23 shots from the free throw line against Hawaii and connected on 49-of-65 (75.3 pct.) in three games in the Diamond Head Classic. Tech had not hit the 70-percent mark since making 72.7 percent in the season opener at NC State but did so in all three games of the tournament.
• Tech’s 13-for-17 shooting streak to close out the Hawai’i game enabled the Jackets to finish the game at an even 50 percent from the floor, the second time this season Tech has hit 50 percent in a game (52 vs. Bethune-Cookman).
• Tech committed just 23 turnovers in its last two games of the Diamond Head Classic after recording 20 in its opening game.
• Since the beginning of last season, Tech has held 25 opponents, including nine ACC opponents, under 40 percent from the floor. Seven Tech opponents this season have shot under 40 percent, including Hawai’i (36.4) and Boise State (33.3) in the Diamond Head Classic.
• The Jackets have limited 21 opponents, nine in the ACC, to 30 percent or less from three-point range in the same time frame. Six Tech opponents have shot under 30 percent from three this season, including all three teams in the Diamond Head Classic.
• Tech, fifth in the nation in blocked shots coming into the Diamond Head Classic, blocked only eight in the three games, dropping its average under 6.0 per game this season.
• Tech has connected on just 36-of-148 three-point field goals in its last seven games (24.3 percent), including 10-of-48 in the Diamond Head Classic) after hitting 21-of-63 (33.3 percent) in the first three games of the season. The Jackets are hitting 26.9 percent for the season.
• The Jackets recorded a season-high 12 steals against Hawai’i and are averaging 7.4 per game this season.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

• Moses Wright averaged 17.7 points and 7.3 rebounds Tech’s three games in the Diamond Head Classic, and was voted to the all-tournament team. He connected on 21-of-33 shots from the floor (63.6 pct.) and 10-of-12 from the free throw line (83.3 pct.).
• After missing seven of Tech’s eight games before the Diamond Head Classic because of an ankle injury, Jose Alvarado played an average of 33:20 in the Yellow Jackets three games in the tournament, scoring 29 points (8-24 FG, 3-12 3pt, 10-10 FT) with nine assists and five turnovers.
• Jordan Usher reached double digits in two games of the Diamond Head Classic, getting 18 against Boise State and averaging 12.0 points per game for the tournament. The 6-7 junior hit 10-of-30 shots from the floor and 9-of-10 from the foul line, and grabbed 14 rebounds with eight assists.
• Michael Devoe, the ACC’s fifth-leading scorer, has hit double figures in each of Tech’s last four games after scoring just 12 total in the two games prior. He scored 13, 17 and 18 in Tech’s three games in Hawai’i (16.0 ppg) while hitting 17-of-35 shots from the floor and The 6-5 sophomore went 4-of-8 from three-point range against Houston and Hawai’i after opening 0-for-6 against Boise State.
• James Banks III averaged just over 24 minutes in three games of the Diamond Head Classic and scored just 10 points in the Jackets’ first two games, but the 6-10 ssenior finished strong with 11 points and six rebounds in the second half against Hawai’i.
• Banks blocked one shot against Hawai’i, and has 36 in 12 games this season for an average of 3.0, dropping to No. 2 in the ACC after leading the conference the entire season.
• Bubba Parham rebounded from a scoreless effort in 9:58 against Houston to score seven points (3-4 FG) with three rebounds and provide a strong defensive effort for the Jackets in 29:47 against Hawai’i.

Jose Alvarado scored eight points with five rebounds and four assists. (photo by Courtney Metzger)

 

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Josh Pastner Postgame Remarks