Oct. 26, 2016
Charlotte, N.C. – Laying out a blueprint for re-building Georgia Tech’s basketball program, head coach Josh Pastner and seniors Josh Heath and Quinton Stephens spent Wednesday meeting members of the media at the 55th annual Atlantic Coast Conference Operation Basketball.
Fifteen head coaches and two players from each ACC team spent half the day meeting writers and broadcasters at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in downtown Charlotte and the other half of the day doing live interviews and photo shoots at the ESPNU studios.
The trio spent the day sharing Pastner’s vision for how he wants the Yellow Jackets to play, not only this season but in the future, rebuilding the roster through successful recruiting each year. Stephens, a 6-9 forward from Atlanta, enters his senior year as Tech’s top returning scorer, while Heath, a 6-2 point guard from Tampa, Fla., had a 3-to-1 assist-turnover ratio last season.
If positive first impressions count for anything, Josh Pastner has filled the bill, since stepping in as head coach at Georgia Tech.
“Man, he came in and let us know he’s a really energetic guy,” senior forward Quinton Stephens said. “He’s going to demand excellence from everyone on the team and himself. He’s going to do his best to make this team as good as it can get, and we’re all going to do it together. So I’m looking forward to it.”
Pastner, who guided Memphis to five postseason berths in seven seasons, seeks to push Georgia Tech to its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2011.
“I think you definitely want to try to meet that goal,” senior point guard Josh Heath said. “At the end of the day, if we go out there and play our hardest and do everything that Coach asks of us, I’ll be satisfied with that. But, yeah, we definitely want to get into postseason play, for sure.”
Tech is nearly four weeks into its pre-season practice, with 16 days remaining until the Jackets open the season Nov. 11 against Tennessee Tech at McCamish Pavilion. The only disappointing news from the day was that the Jackets were picked to finish 14th in a vote of the media present. Freshman guard Josh Okogie received one vote to win ACC Rookie of the Year honors.
INTERVIEWS AND SOCIAL MEDIA COVERAGE
Coach Pastner transcript | Heath/Stephens transcript | @GTMBB Twitter timeline
“I’m living the dream. I’m coaching in the ACC.” pic.twitter.com/Yrq2ygiG7S
— GT Men’s Basketball (@GTMBB) October 26, 2016
Q on @GTJoshPastner
Demand nothing but the best.#TogetherWeSwarm #ACCMediaDay pic.twitter.com/NnUGuIGi2Q
— GT Men’s Basketball (@GTMBB) October 26, 2016
A couple of legends – Coach Cremins and Coach Odom – visited @GTJoshPastner at his press conference. pic.twitter.com/i4wlAL6x2m
— GT Men’s Basketball (@GTMBB) October 26, 2016
Easy as Banana Pudding 🐝 #togetherweswarm @GTMBB pic.twitter.com/ktcWnMsaDd
— ACC Men’s Basketball (@accmbb) October 26, 2016
😎 #swag #ACCMediaDay pic.twitter.com/xYf7YMUPyS
— GT Men’s Basketball (@GTMBB) October 26, 2016
ABOUT GEORGIA TECH MEN’S BASKETBALL
Georgia Tech’s men’s basketball team is in its first year under head coach Josh Pastner. Tech has been a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference since 1979, won three ACC Championships (1985, 1990, 1993), played in the NCAA Tournament 16 times and played in two Final Fours (1990, 2004). Connect with Georgia Tech Men’s Basketball on social media by liking their Facebook Page, or following on Twitter (@GTMBB) and Instagram.
For more information on Tech basketball, visit
