Dennis Scott Believes Georgia Tech's Rotation Will Tighten Going Into Conference Play

Dennis Scott weighs in on Georgia Tech’s rotation with ACC play looming

Mar 23, 2023; Orlando, Florida, USA; Magic CEO Alex Martins introduces former forward Dennis Scott into the Orlando Magic hall of Fame during game against the New York Knicks at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Georgia Tech alumnus Dennis Scott spoke about Coach Damon Stoudamire tightening up his playing rotation on TV Saturday when calling Georgia Tech vs. Lafayette.

Scott emphasized that because Coach Stoudamire has played his entire roster, he'll have a clear sense of who he can trust with ACC play just two games away.

How tight will his rotation be?

Interestingly enough, Stoudamire shared this statement, answering a question about whether he has a core group that he can rely on.

"A lot of the stuff that I've doing up to this point is more personnel driven, of who we're playing against. Some of these minutes might be inflated a little bit.," he said.

In the home win against Lafayette, five players accounted for the majority of the minutes played for Georgia Tech: Lamar Washington (37), Kam Craft (34), Kowacie Reeves Jr. (34), Akai Fleming (30), and Chas Kelly III (23).

However, Stoudamrie said, these minutes are inflated, Jaeden Mustaf and Baye Ndongo have missed multiple consecutive games, and now learning that Mouhamed Sylla has missed a full week of practice due to a lower leg injury, there may be opportunities for the supporting cast to earn minutes.

As it stands, this team is a sure eight players deep rotation.

Who Are Some Other Possibilities?

C Peyton Marshall

Peyton Marshall is a player that Coach Stoudamire has raved about since his first press conference, stating that he reminds him of his former teammate, Zach Randolph.

Marshall has played in all 12 games for the Jackets, averaging 3.9 points and 3.7 rebounds, playing 12.2 minutes per game. To this point, Marshall has been a matchup nightmare for smaller teams, being a bruiser who can make plays for cutting teammates as well as finding open shooters.

It's a possibility we may see his minutes increase with the uncertainty around Sylla's health. Marshall delivered his best game of the season in the win against Lafayette, scoring 10 points on a perfect 4 for 4 shooting performance, in addition to 2 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 blocks.

Cole Kirouac

Cole Kirouac is another freshman that you may see emerge as conference play unfolds. He's another player who received early praise, but in the same breath received some second-guesses because of his size.

Weighing just under 200 pounds at seven feet tall, Kirouac is not the sturdiest combination, but when given opportunities, he consistently delivers winning basketball plays. In four games, he's averaging 10 minutes per game, averaging 2 points and 1.3 rebounds.

Just like Flemming, Kirouac spent his senior season at Overtime Elite, so facing high‑level competition on a nightly basis is nothing new for him. If he earns meaningful minutes, expect him to attack the offensive and defensive glass and make the right plays.