Working In

By Matt Winkeljohn
Sting Daily

The message came early and it was emphatic. Last week, even before the first sneaker squeaked, Georgia Tech, men’s basketball coach Brian Gregory made something clear.

Julian Royal described it this way: “As soon as we started workouts, he said, ‘If you guys haven’t guessed, we’re going inside more this year,’ We’re going to be more inside-out.”

Tech’s sophomore forward, whose basketball evolution began to warrant notice from time to time over the second half of last season, will be just part of the new baseline (See what I did there?) for the Yellow Jackets.

Basketball School

By Marcus Dittmer
Sting Daily

One day after the first day of classes on the Flats the Georgia Tech women’s basketball team had its first official team meeting of the year. For the first time since August, 2007, Sasha Goodlett - along with LaQuananisha Adams, Mo Bennett, Chelsea Regins and Metra Walthour - were not on the Yellow Jacket roster.

The quintuplet finished their Georgia Tech playing careers in March and all graduated in May.

Deep Peek into the Executive World

By Jon Cooper
Sting Daily

No one will ever accuse Yellow Jackets Pierre Jordan, Daniel Miller and Brandon Reed of not knowing what it takes to be a leader.

Certainly not after this summer.

Jordan, Miller and Reed not only found out what it takes to be executive material but did their part to help some of the most successful companies in the country find them.

Proud As A Peacock

By Matt Winkeljohn
Sting Daily

Lest one might imagine that there was a sense of wistfulness Thursday when Zach Peacock walked out of his Finite final because, well, it was the last exam of his college career, think again.

No way. Peacock will be one of a whopping four former Georgia Tech men’s basketball players to graduate tonight in ceremonies at the Fox Theater, and no, there will be absolutely no looking back. He played for the Yellow Jackets from 2006-‘10, and returned to The Flats in each of the past three summers to finish up course work.

The first time back, there were still quite a few familiar faces. Last summer, after his first season playing professionally in Germany, not so many. Peacock, in fact, told Sting Daily last summer that, “I feel old,” even though he was 23 at the time.

The Hunt For Tech's October

By Matt Winkeljohn
Sting Daily

Brian Gregory was late getting in the game on Marcus Hunt, and in his chase of Marcus Hunt, Georgia Tech’s brand new men’s basketball coach faced stiff competition.

We’re talking about one of the most versatile shooting guard/small forwards in the nation among high school seniors last year, and several big programs were all over the North Clayton High standout.

Hunt, though, had a track record for paying close attention during the recruiting process and by the time it was all over, he became a Yellow Jacket.

Coaching Carter

By Matt Winkeljohn
Sting Daily

“Summer” and “vacation” are two words that don’t go together for Robert Carter, at least not this summer.

He enrolled at Georgia Tech last week, and in addition to taking two classes this term he’s working several days a week with men’s basketball coach Brian Gregory and his staff.

Then, of course, strength and conditioning coach Mike Bewley has serious say in what all basketball players are doing. Bewley doesn’t say, “boat drinks for everyone” - ever.

Mfon Udofia Finds New Passion for the Game

By Matt Winkeljohn
Sting Daily

That seemed like a different person the other day at Georgia Tech. Mfon Udofia was not the same. He spoke with confidence and passion, like he knew exactly where he was, where he wants to go and as if he has a plan to get there.

Men’s basketball coach Brian Gregory has said that Udofia last year improved as much within a single season as any player he could remember. Upon asking the player about it as the Yellow Jackets are in the midst of off-season workouts, it makes more sense.

“I feel like … BG has given me an opportunity to play again. I think it’s like a second college career,” Udofia said. “Coming to college and starting right off the bat … I really didn’t know my role. Sometimes I felt like I should be a point guard, then [Iman Shumpert] was the point guard so I would play 2 guard.