Reflecting on an Away Win Against Georgia Tech
In this story:
With shouts of jubilee, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons found a rhythm and rode a wave that fans have been longing to see since before ACC play.
The First Half
The Demon Deacons and the Yellow Jackets fought hard at the beginning of the game. One thing was set from the very jump: this game was going to be fast and physical. With Sebastian Akins running the point, the Demon Deacons took every opportunity to attack downhill. Passing the ball off to the high post or top of the key, players like Cooper Schwieger and Tre'Von Spillers had a field day driving the ball to the hoop with physicality.
No matter how easily Wake Forest seemed to be scoring, they could not pull away because of their defense. The Yellow Jackets passed the ball fast, slowing the rotations of the Demon Deacon defenders and resulting in wide-open shots. At the end of the half, Wake Forest led by just four points.
The Second Half
The defensive side for Wake Forest seemed to pick up in the beginning of the second half. The Demons Deacons held Georgia Tech to 0 points in the first 4:30 minutes of play in the second half. This defensive effort was evident in the interior. Wake Forest finished with 8 rejections, which exemplifies their physicality underneath. While the Demon Deacons did not win the offensive rebounding battle, the 7 boards the Deacs were able to retain were crucial in the dominance of this away performance.
The Key Takeaways
Juke Harris is still Juke Harris. His 23-point double-double was resounding to say the least. The effort that Harris puts in night in and night out on both sides of the floor illustrates the fearless leadership Coach Forbes is always quick to note. Tre'Von Spillers was also uberly efficient and an anchor for the defense last night.
It would truly be a disservice not to talk about the performance Mekhi Mason had last night. These past few games have been a hard stretch for him, and seeing how poised Mason was this game was all the more encouraging. Not only did Mekhi Mason score 17 on incredible efficiency, he also did not commit a single turnover.
As a team, the Demon Deacons shot lights out, especially from three. Wake Forest shot a collective 46% from three, knocking in a stellar 13 total threes.
The low points of this game are very similar to those of most games this season. The Yellow Jackets shot 50% from three. This, of course, is due to the overwhelming amount of open threes Georgia Tech was offered. On-ball defense and rotating out to the shooter killed Wake Forest, and this mistake has and will continue to kill the Deacs as they play difficult opponents in the ACC.
What's Next for the Demon Deacons?
Wake Forest hosts Stanford on Saturday, February 14, at 4 pm ET. The game will be played at the Joel and can be seen on the ACC Network.
Recommended Articles
Keylor is a sophomore at Wake Forest University. He is studying finance and statistics, yet he still has a keen interest in Demon Deacons sports. Growing up in the college town of Knoxville, Tennessee, Keylor found himself drawn to a variety of athletics. He channeled that passion into his high school athletic program, announcing, broadcasting, and interviewing every sport. As a writer for Wake Forest Demon Deacon On SI, Keylor will cover football, basketball, and baseball, but he is also looking forward to covering volleyball.
Follow KeylorPiers