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MBB: Dawgs in the Pros Update

Halfway through the month of February, several Georgia Basketball alums remain active in their respective leagues. One former Bulldog is gearing up for NBA All-Star Game action, and nine former Bulldogs are impressing in their respective leagues abroad. 

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and the Denver Nuggets are 36-19 and occupy the fourth seed in the Western Conference. In his Feb. 4 matchup with the Portland Trailblazers, Caldwell-Pope suffered a hamstring injury that has limited his play this month. In three games played this month, the former top-10 pick has recorded 28 points (9.3 ppg), six rebounds (2.0 rpg), four assists (0.7 apg), a block and a steal. On the eve of the All-Star break, Caldwell-Pope has 502 points (10.0 ppg), 117 rebounds (2.3 rpg), 116 assists (2.3 apg), 23 blocks (0.5 bpg) and 66 steals (1.3 spg) to his name. 

Nic Claxton has played and started in seven games for the Brooklyn Nets, the current 11th-place side in the Eastern Conference. In those outings, Claxton put together 78 points (11.1 ppg), 65 rebounds (9.3 rpg), 12 assists (1.7 apg), 21 blocks (1.7 bpg) and a steal, and his seven blocks against the Golden State Warriors on Feb. 5 was a season high. On the season, Claxton has now recorded 20 double-doubles and has 536 points (12.2 ppg), 448 rebounds (10.2 rpg), 83 assists (1.9 apg), 100 blocks (2.3 bpg) and 28 steals (0.6 spg). 

Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves have started the month of February on a 4-2 run posting 20-point plus wins in three of the four victories. Edwards, in the six-game span, scored 182 points (30.3 ppg) while adding 33 rebounds (5.5 rpg), 30 assists (6.0 apg), three blocked shots and eight steals (1.3 spg). His 12 rebounds in an overtime loss against the Chicago Bulls on February 6 are the most he has recorded this season since the season opener against the Toronto Raptors when he collected 14 boards. Edwards remains 13th in the league in point per game (26.1 ppg) while also leading his team in scoring in 33 games this season. On the season, Edwards has 1,331 points, 266 rebounds (5.2 rpg), 266 assists (5.2 apg), 25 blocked shots (0.5 bpg) and 61 steals (1.2 spg). Minnesota still sits atop Northwest Division standings with a 38-16 record and retook sole ownership of the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. Edwards will play in the 2023-24 NBA All-Star Game off the bench for the Western Conference on Sunday at 8 p.m. E.T. 

Terry Roberts has started the last two games for the Long Island Nets in the NBA G League. Roberts has played in six games in February and has played 142 minutes (23.7 mpg) with 46 points (7.7 ppg), 21 rebounds (3.5 rpg), 28 assists (4.7 apg), six blocked shots and six steals. On the season, Roberts is averaging 18.1 minutes per game, 6.9 points per game, 2.5 rebounds per game, 2.9 assists per game, 0.4 blocked shots per game and 0.9 steals per game. The Long Island Nets are currently 9-10 and sit in 10th place in league standings.

Updates on nine former Bulldogs still in action in their respective leagues are compiled below:

Aaron Cook, for Bremerhaven in the German Pro-A League, has scored 37 points (12.3 ppg) along with 10 rebounds (3.3 rpg) and 21 assists (7.0 apg) in his last three games. In the contest on Feb. 7, Cook posted season highs in points, assists and steals scoring 20 points, dishing 12 assists and collecting five steals. Interestingly, since joining the German side, Cook has scored in double digits in 11 of his 14 games. In total this season, the guard has totaled 184 points (13.1 ppg), 41 rebounds (2.9 rpg), 82 assists (5.9 apg) and 20 steals (1.4 spg) as Bremerhaven sits tenth in league standings with a 10-12 record.

In the Polish OBL, Stal has recorded back-to-back wins in February to lift them to third in league standings on top of a 13-8 record. Forward Nemanja Djurisic played 51 minutes across the two gameswhile also adding on 21 points (10.5 ppg), six rebounds (3.0 rpg) and three assists. The Montenegro native leads his squad in offensive rebounds this season with 39 and ranks in the top-25 in the league in two-point percentage (.592). On the season, Djurisic has 203 points (11.3 ppg), 102 rebounds (5.7 rpg), 46 assists (2.6 apg) and 15 steals (0.8 spg).

J.J. Frazier is fresh off a season high in points for Bornova in the Turkish Basketball League after recording 32 points against Kapakli Spor on Feb. 11. Further, in a Feb. 8 contest against Yalovaspor, Frazier earned a season high in assists with 17. Frazier has helped the Turkish side to a 7-3 record in the last 10 games, and during the run, the guard has 242 points (24.2 ppg), 70 rebounds (7.0 rpg), 89 assists (8.9 apg) and 47 steals (4.7).  He leads his team in points, assists, steals, free throws made, free throw percentage and three-point shot percentage, and on the season has amassed 412 points (21.7 ppg), 139 rebounds (7.3 rpg), 149 assists (7.8 apg) and 53 steals (2.8 spg). Bornova is up to seventh in league standings with an even 12-12 record. 

In his last three games, Rayshaun Hammonds has scored in double digits with 14, 13 and 17-point outings for Avtodor in the Russian VTB United League, respectively. On top of his scoring contributions, Hammonds collected 15 rebounds (5.0 rpg) and dished four assists. On the season, his 459 points (16.4 ppg), 179 rebounds (6.4 rpg), 32 assists (1.1 apg) and 25 steals (0.9 spg) have the Russian side third in Group B of league standings with a 12-16 record. 

Jordan Harris, with Brussels Basketball, has helped the squad to a 9-10 record, good for sixth place in league standings. In two games played in February, Harris has scored 17 points (8.5 ppg) with eight rebounds (4.0 rpg), four assists, one blocked shot and four steals. The Iron City, Ga., native ranks first on the team and top five in the league in steals, free throws made and free throw percentage. So far this season, Harris has 201 points (11.2 ppg), 81 rebounds (4.5 rpg), 35 assists (1.9 apg), seven blocked shots and 36 steals (2.0 apg). 

In the East Asia Super League, Travis Leslie is continuing to impress for his side Kazma. In his last two games, Leslie has 39 points (19.5 ppg), 15 rebounds (7.5 rpg), nine assists (4.5 apg) and three steals adding to his season totals of 133 points (22.2 ppg), 45 rebounds (7.5 rpg), 17 assists (2.8 apg), a blocked shot and 12 steals (2.0 spg). Scoring in double digits in every game so far this season, the swingman has helped Kazma to a 12-2 record as they sit in second place in Division 1 standings. 

Yante Maten is staying busy in Japan competing for San-en NP in the Japanese B1 League. Maten, in his last five games, has contributed 90 points (18.0 ppg), 32 rebounds (6.4 rpg), 11 assists (2.2 apg), five blocked shots and three steals. The former SEC Player of the &ear ranks first on his team in offensive rebounds and blocks while also ranking top 10 in the league in two-point attempts made, two-point shot percentage and fouls received. San-en NP owns a 34-5 record this season and sits in first place in the Central Division of league standings.

The duo of Derek Ogbeide and Gerald Robinson have each played two games in February for Pistoia and Scafati, respectively, in the Italian Serie A. Ogbeide has scored nine points across his last two games with 15 rebounds (7.5 rpg), three assists and a steal, and he ranks first on his team in two point shots made, two point shot percentage, offensive rebounds and total rebounds. On the season, Ogbeide has compiled 208 points (10.4 ppg), 162 boards (8.1 rpg), 22 assists (1.1 apg), 16 blocked shots (0.8 bpg) and nine steals (0.5 spg). Pistoia has a 9-11 record and sits in 10th place in league standings – one spot below Robinson’s side that owns an even 10-10 record. Robinson has posted 23 points (11.5 ppg), two rebounds, 15 assists (7.5 apg), a blocked shot and three steals during his last two games. The guard has scored in double digits in four of his last five starts for the Italian outfit, and his 24 points against Treviso on January 27 was a season high. He ranks first on his team and top ten in the league in assists and steals and has 193 points (10.7 ppg), 37 rebounds (2.1 rpg), 97 assists (5.4 apg), five blocked shots and 24 steals (1.3 spg). 

WTennis: Dawgs wreck Tech

The No. 8 Georgia women’s tennis team cruised past in-state rivals Georgia Tech 4-1 at the Ken Byers Tennis Complex on Sunday.

The victory extends the Bulldogs’ (5-3) winning streak to three matches this season while also marking six-consecutive wins against the Yellow Jackets (4-4), improving to 30-6 all-time.

“Today was a terrific dual match,” head coach Drake Bernstein said. “We enjoyed playing in front of a big crowd and seeing plenty of red and black in the stands, even in a road match. It’s always great to get wins from in-state rivalry matches and today was no different.”

Opening the day with doubles action, Georgia trailed early after losing on court one.

On court three, the tandem of Alexandra Vecic and Mell Reasco pulled one back for the Bulldogs as they knocked off Given Roach and Scarlett Nicholson (GT), 6-3.

Even at 1-1, Georgia prevailed for the doubles point after the No. 32 duo of Mai Nirundorn and Guillermina Grant pushed through late in the match to close out a 7-5 battle over Kylie Bilchev and Alejandra Cruz (GT) on court two.

“Alex and Mell played a clean doubles match and are finding a nice groove,” said Bernstein. “GG and Mai do such a great job of staying together and helping each other play their best in the biggest moments. It’s terrific to get to see them clinch that doubles point.”

Heading into singles action, the Bulldogs dominated early with four first set wins across courts 1-4.

The first singles win of the day came on court four as No. 114 Anastasiia Lopata made quick work of Nicholson on her way to a 6-3, 6-0 victory, extending her singles winning streak to four matches.

After dropping the match on court six, Georgia immediately responded with a win on court one. Playing her fifth-consecutive ranked opponent in singles, No. 38 Dasha Vidmanova was dominant through two sets as she capped off the match with a one-minute, 30-second-long rally to defeat No. 53 Carol Lee (GT) 6-2, 6-4.

“Dasha was certainly a highlight of the day as well,” said Bernstein. “She’s getting more concrete in her commitment to playing her game and it’s clearly paying off. I’m excited for what’s to come for her.”

Leading 3-1 with clinching opportunities on courts two and three, No. 66 Reasco rose to the occasion and secured a match-clinching 6-4, 6-3 victory over Cruz on court three.

Georgia’s next match will see it compete in its second of five consecutive road matches, as it will open its Southeastern Conference slate against Missouri on Friday, Mar. 1 at noon ET at the Mizzou Tennis Complex.

Singles Results

No. 38 Dasha Vidmanova (UGA) def. No. 53 Carol Lee (GT), 6-2, 6-4

No. 48 Alexandra Vecic (UGA) vs. Kylie Bilchev (GT), 6-0, 6-6 unfinished

No. 66 Mell Reasco (UGA) def. Alejandra Cruz (GT), 6-4, 6-3

No. 114 Anastasiia Lopata (UGA) def. Scarlett Nicholson (GT), 6-3, 6-0

Guillermina Grant (UGA) vs. Mahak Jain (GT), 3-6, 6-3 unfinished

Kate Sharabura (GT) def. No. 111 Mai Nirundorn (UGA), 6-1, 6-2

Doubles Results

Carol Lee/Kate Sharabura (GT) def. No. 31 Aysegul Mert/Dasha Vidmanova (UGA), 6-2

No. 32 Guillermina Grant/Mai Nirundorn (UGA) def. Kylie Bilchev/Alejandra Cruz (GT), 7-5

Mell Reasco/Alexandra Vecic (UGA) def. Given Roach/Scarlett Nicholson (GT), 6-3

Match Notes

No. 8 Georgia 5-3

Georgia Tech 4-4

Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (4,1,3)

WBB: South Carolina comeback spoils Dawgs upset bid

A career-high 27 points and SEC-best 13th double-double from Javyn Nicholson nearly led the Georgia women’s basketball to an upset of No. 1 South Carolina, 70-56, Sunday afternoon in front of a national television audience on ABC. 

Georgia led by a 35-28 score at the half, the largest halftime deficit that South Carolina has faced this season. The Lady Bulldogs held the advantage for close to 15 minutes of game action, but the Gamecocks used a 22-9 margin the third quarter to hang on for the win. 

Nicholson led all scorers in the game with her 27 points and 12 rebounds. She knocked in 10-fo-20 from the field and 7-of-8 from the free-throw line. 

“Javyn went to work today,” Georgia head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson said. “She is a phenomenal scorer for us who can score in so many different ways. I am really proud of Javyn and really proud of our team for a playing well in a tough environment.” 

South Carolina jumped out to an early 12-4 lead, but Georgia countered with a run of its own to knot the score at 17-17 at the end of the first quarter as Asia Avinger finished the first frame with a game-high nine points. 

Nicholson exploded for a career-best 18 first-half points. She hit 7-of-10 shots from the field, was a perfect 4-for-4 from the free-throw line and finished the half with eight boards. Nicholson’s effort propelled a 9-0 Georgia run and gave the Lady Bulldogs a 35-28 lead at the half. 

The Gamecocks started the third quarter on a 7-0 run as Georgia missed its first six shots in the period. South Carolina outscored Georgia 22-9 in that period, which proved to be the difference in the game down the stretch. 

Georgia now travels to Oxford, Miss., to face Ole Miss this Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET. 

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