Oct. 28, 2015
THE FLATS – Brimming with optimism from a successful off-season and with high anticipation for the 2015-16 season, Georgia Tech head basketball coach Brian Gregory and seniors Marcus Georges-Hunt and Charles Mitchell spent Wednesday meeting members of the media at the 54th annual Atlantic Coast Conference Operation Basketball.
Fourteen of the 15 head coaches and two players from each ACC team spent half the day meeting writers and broadcasters at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in downtown Charlotte and the other half of the day doing live interviews and photo shoots at the ESPNU studios.
The trio spent the day promoting what is Gregory’s most experienced and talented team. Eight of the Jackets’ returning players started at least three games in 2014-15, and those players have combined for 178 starts in a Tech uniform. Transfers Nick Jacobs (29), Adam Smith (59) and James White (51) combined for 129 starts at their former schools. Georges-Hunt and graduate transfer Adam Smith are the No. 7 and 8 highest scorers among returning players in the ACC.
Mitchell’s svelte 255-pound frame impressed the media in attendance who watched him play the 2014-15 campaign at 270-plus. The 6-8 forward from Atlanta averaged 9.8 points and a team-leading 7.0 rebounds last season. Georges-Hunt has fully-recovered from the broken foot that ended his junior season in Tech’s final home game. The 6-5 guard from College Park, Ga., surpassed 1,000 career points last winter, averaged a team-high 13.6 points per game and has improved in every statistical category.
Tech is nearly four weeks into its pre-season practice, with 14 days remaining until the Jackets open the season against Cornell at McCamish Pavilion. The only disappointing news from the day was that the Jackets were picked to finish 13th in a vote of the media present.
INTERVIEWS AND SOCIAL MEDIA COVERAGE
Coach Gregory transcript | Georges-Hunt transcript | Mitchell transcript | @GTMBB Twitter timeline
FROM THE ACC BLOG
This season will see Georgia Tech welcome transfer Adam Smith, who led Virginia Tech in scoring last season with 13.4 point per game. Last season, Charles Mitchell stepped in for the Yellow Jackets after playing two seasons at Maryland when the Terrapins were still part of the ACC.
Both new arrivals has set well with senior Marcus Georges-Hunt, who led Georgia Tech in scoring last season with a career-high 13.6 points per game.
“Being that they’ve been in this wonderful league, they know what it takes to win, and they know that each and every night, it’s not going to be easy,” Georges-Hunt said. “No matter what the record is, each team brings it and each team is different. I feel like them having the experience, they can help me out a lot and our team out a lot, being that they’ve been through the tough times and experienced every arena, environment, and I feel like that’ll help our team in the long run.”
Georges-Hunt feels this could be the year the Yellow Jackets turn a corner under fifth-year head coach Brian Gregory.
“I feel like that everybody is buying into what Coach Gregory is putting on the table, and I feel like at this point we’re all hungry for success, for one another,” Georges-Hunt said. “It’s not just about one person. We feel like it’s about all 14 guys, including the coaches, and I feel like being that we have that type of relationship and we care for one another, that can take you a long way.”
Marcus Georges-Hunt reviews the TV show “Empire”
Here’s one we didn’t show you from @ESPNU this afternoon. @GTMGH3 as the Caped Crusader. #ACCMediaDay pic.twitter.com/ssVCnA7Gkr
— GT Men’s Basketball (@GTMBB) October 28, 2015
Awesome to have Coach Cremins here today at #accmediaday pic.twitter.com/i5HHhcVCYK
— GT Men’s Basketball (@GTMBB) October 28, 2015
The guys just made an appearance on College Basketball Live! #ACCMediaDay pic.twitter.com/4zfg1v145G
— GT Men’s Basketball (@GTMBB) October 28, 2015
Izzo influence on @GTBrianGregory – “Culture is everything. You have to work on it everyday.” #ACCMediaDay pic.twitter.com/VOS9rWWIgZ
— GT Men’s Basketball (@GTMBB) October 28, 2015
Looks like @StuckLikeChuck1 and @GTMGH3 found the photo booth #ACCMediaDay pic.twitter.com/j4vQPQQzaG
— GT Men’s Basketball (@GTMBB) October 28, 2015
Hey @GTAthletics fans! Re-Tweet this slick pic if you think you’re the best fans in @theACC! #ACCMediaDay pic.twitter.com/61UEiKQY7O
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) October 28, 2015
ABOUT GEORGIA TECH MEN’S BASKETBALL
Georgia Tech’s men’s basketball team is beginning its fifth year under head coach Brian Gregory. The Yellow Jackets have been a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference since 1979, won three ACC Championships (1985, 1990, 1993), played in the NCAA Tournament 16 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).
For more information on Tech basketball, visit Ramblinwreck.com. Tickets for men’s basketball can be purchased here.
