Sports
Men's Basketball Opens Stoudamire Era vs. Georgia Southern – Georgia Tech
THE FLATS – Georgia Tech opens a new chapter in its men’s basketball history at 7:30 p.m. Monday night when first-year head coach Damon Stoudamire and the Yellow Jackets play host to in-state foe Georgia Southern to open the 2023-24 season at McCamish Pavilion.
Tech enters this new chapter with four starters returning from a team that went 15-18 a year ago, and nine new scholarship players on its roster. The Jackets prepped for this opener with a closed scrimmage against UAB on Oct. 22 and a 91-75 exhibition victory over Clark Atlanta Wednesday night.
The Eagles, 17-16 a year ago, also enter a new chapter in their program under first-year head coach Charlie Henry. Georgia Southern returns six letterwinners from last year’s squad, including two starters.
Monday’s game will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra and ESPN+, and is also available on the ESPN app. Radio coverage is on the Georgia Tech Sports Network by Legends Sports and flagship station 680 the Fan (680 AM/93.7 FM). The Tech broadcast is also available in the SiriusXM app.
THE TIP-OFF
SERIES VS. GEORGIA SOUTHERN
JACKETS AT-A-GLANCE
Looking to return Tech to national prominence, Stoudamire brings the experience of 13 years as a successful NBA player, 10 years of coaching experience on the collegiate level and four years on the NBA level. He has added a five-player transfer class that has been ranked No. 17 in the nation by 247Sports and four talented freshmen to the roster for 2023-24.
Leading the way for the Yellow Jackets is 6-6 junior guard Miles Kelly (Stone Mountain, Ga.), who led Tech in scoring (14.4 ppg) and three-point shooting (.379) and set a team record for free throw percentage (.898). Also back is 6-3 senior guard Lance Terry (College Park, Ga.), who averaged 10.1 points and connected on 38.8 percent of his three-point attempts, 6-6 junior guard Dallan “Deebo” Coleman (Memphis, Tenn.), who averaged 9.5 points and 2.9 rebounds, and 6-3 senior point guard Kyle Sturdivant (Norcross, Ga.), who is back for his fourth season on the Flats after averaging 8.6 points and leading the Jackets in assist average (3.3 per game).
The transfer class includes 6-4 sophomore guard Amaree Abram (Port Arthur, Texas) from Ole Miss, 6-7 senior forward Tyzhaun Claude (Goldsboro, N.C.) from Western Carolina, 6-11 senior center Ebenezer Dowuona (Accra, Ghana) from NC State, 6-9 sophomore forward Tafara Gapare (Wellington, New Zealand) from Massachusetts and 6-7 junior guard Kowacie Reeves, Jr. (Macon, Ga.) from Florida. All the transfers except Gapare have significant starting experience at the previous schools, and Gapare played in 30 games as a freshman.
The freshman class is led by 6-9 forward Baye Ndongo (Mboro, Senegal) and includes 6-3 point guard Naithan George (Toronto, Ontario), 6-6 forward Ibrahima Sacko (Conakry, Guinea) and 6-9 forward Ibrahim Souare (Conakry, Guinea).
Alexander-Tharpe Fund
The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Georgia Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of developing Georgia Tech’s Everyday Champions and helping the Yellow Jackets compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes. To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.
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.
Miles Kelly scores 25 to help give Damon Stoudamire his first win as Tech head coach
Yellow Jackets vs. Eagles from Monday’s season opener (photos by Danny Karnik)
Okogie shooting for spot on NBA all-defensive team; Banks signs E-10 with Celtics
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