Tech plans to shock ACC for second straight year

For Paul Hewitt and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, this season is all about surviving the fatal fives.

The Yellow Jackets lost five seniors from last year's squad, including 6-foot-11 center Alvin Jones, who averaged 13.4 points per game. Tech returns only five players, two of which were starters, and Hewitt has the added challenge of acquainting five freshmen to the highly touted ACC.

With so much turnover, most pollsters have picked Tech to finish near the bottom of the ACC. However, Hewitt, last season's ACC coach of the year, refused to worry about preseason standings and predictions.

"They picked us eighth or whatever last season," Hewitt said. "They've probably got us eighth or ninth again this year. That suits us just fine. Our goals don't change. Our goal is to be back in the NCAA tournament."

Before Tech can even think about getting back to the Big Dance, though, the Jackets will have to overcome a series of setbacks that live up to the their nickname, the Ramblin' Wreck.

The first blow came when 6-8 center Michael Isenhour was diagnosed with acute lymphonic leukemia. Although Tech's immediate loss is the Air Force transfer's experience on the floor, more worrisome is his condition's effect on team morale.

"His teammates have been supportive, but believe it or not, he's been more supportive for his teammates than anything else," Hewitt said. "His attitude and the way he represents himself when the guys come to visit him has been quite a relief for our players."

With the loss of Isenhour and Jones, Hewitt no longer has a solid center to pound the ball into over smaller defenses like last season. This year, he must concentrate on his guards and allow his two sole returning starters, point guard Tony Akins and shooting guard Marvin Lewis, to lead the team.