Technical Tidbits 4/6: Georgia Tech Celebrates 1990 Final Four Run

While Georgia Tech’s 1990 Final Four team didn’t win a national championship, the trio of Kenny Anderson, Dennis Scott, and Brian Oliver set the bar for basketball success on the Flats for years to come. The team went 28-6 and won that year’s ACC Tournament championship, not to mention the Final Four appearance. The article above was reprinted by RamblinWreck.com, and is a classic that gives an in-depth look at the “Lethal Weapon 3” of Anderson, Scott, and Oliver. This was an insightful read, and brings back memories of great basketball success on the Flats. Hopefully, the trio of Jose Alvarado, Michael Devoe, and Moses Wright will be the group that leads Tech back to the Final Four for the second time since 1990. Lethal Weapon 3 2.0?

While the first article in today’s Tidbits is from the 1990s, the second article is from just a few days ago. It features members of the 1990 team’s memories and insights from the season. It’s always incredible to get first-hand accounts of past events and see how thoughts progress over time. While some people dwell on the near misses of the year, many others celebrate the accomplishment of making a Final Four.

One of the most controversial moments of the 1990 season came in the Regional Semifinal round against Michigan State. The Spartans were up two and shooting free throws with just a few seconds left on the clock. Steve Smith missed the front end of a one-and-one and Tech got the rebound, with Kenny Anderson sprinting up the court and draining a last second three-pointer to win the game. But, officials ruled that Anderson’s foot was on the three-point line and the basket was changed to a two-pointer, still good enough for overtime. Tech won in the overtime period, but as one referee describes in the article above, there was much more controversy surrounding the shot than where Anderson’s feet were.

This article gives us the offensive line portion of SI’s All Yellow Jackets Quarter-Century team. There are some great memories from these offensive lineman, especially of Shaq Mason and Parker Braun during the later years of Paul Johnson’s tenure. One notable honorable mention is Tech OL Coach Brent Key, who played for the Jackets from 1997-2000 and is currently teaching the next great Georgia Tech offensive lineman.

Only a Georgia Tech engineer could kick a field goal like that. Oh, wait.

Question of the Day: What is your favorite Georgia Tech Basketball memory?