Technical Tidbits 4/1: Georgia Tech Basketball is Going to the Big Apple

While there haven’t been any official announcements, it was reported yesterday that the Georgia Tech Basketball team would be playing in an event in New York City this coming season. Tech will be facing off against Stanford, who went 20-12 this season and was on the bubble for a berth in the NCAA Tournament. More details about this event should come out as the college basketball season gets closer. Let’s just hope this visit to NYC goes better than Tech’s last one back in 2018. It was the first round of the ACC Tournament, and the Jackets lost to Boston College 87-77.

This was a very informative article from the AJC that addresses many of the questions facing athletes, coaches, and professional sports leagues in light of the NCAA’s decision to grant an extra year of eligibility to all spring sports athletes. One interesting part of the decision is that coaches do not have to offer the same level of financial aid to seniors next season as they did this season, if a senior decides to stay. That could lead to some tough decisions for coaches as they decide who they must cut if schools are not able to pay for as many scholarships due to lost revenue. Luckily, the new school year will not start until August, so that gives players and coaches a good amount of time to “meet” and make some big decisions.

Francesca Pan will go down as one of the greatest players in Georgia Tech Women’s Basketball history. She was a consistent threat to other teams during her four years on the Flats, always there to make a steal or drain a three-pointer when the Jackets needed her most. A big part in Pan’s development while at Tech was on the leadership side of the court. Pan grew more and more confident in her leadership abilities, culminating in her senior season where everyone looked to her for guidance and support. While she never got to play in a NCAA Tournament, Pan’s impact at Georgia Tech (especially in her last season) will set an example for years to come.

The lack of PPE for medical personnel has been a main problem of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many doctors and nurses are having to resort to reusing masks or making their own out of common household materials. One person hoping to change that is former Yellow Jacket Stephon Marbury. Marbury has been coaching the Beijing Royal Fighters, a pro basketball team in China, and is in talks with a Chinese company to send a shipment of 10 million masks to his hometown of Brooklyn for two-thirds of the market price. While the deal has hit a slight snag, let’s hope that Marbury can help get medical personnel what they need to fight the virus.

These are incredible numbers, just like Marbury, Georgia Tech is doing everything they can to stop the Coronavirus and bring life back to normal. Keep it up, Jackets!

Question of the Day: What do you think of the NCAA’s extra year of eligibility ruling?