GA News: OnlineAthens - Fans get inside look at UGA basketball practice (football's next)

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From OnlineAthens.com
July 28th, 2016 04:41 PM

Practices for Georgia football and men’s basketball regularly are held behind closed doors with the general public not permitted inside.
That’s what makes Mark Fox opening up his practice gym to watch the Bulldogs Thursday afternoon and Saturday morning a rare behind the curtain look. The team leaves Sunday for an exhibition tour of Spain.
Kirby Smart is opening up the stands in Sanford Stadium on Saturday Aug. 6 to view a practice as part of the team’s Fan Day.
That follows the format that Alabama used when Smart was there as defensive coordinator.
“That’s kind of the way I’ve done it in the past and to be honest with you that’s what I’m comfortable with,” Smart said. “When it comes to our fans, I want them to feel comfortable with our players, get around our players, get to meet our players, get to watch them practice. That’s just kind of a new way of doing it.”
Georgia in 2014 opened an August football practice at Sanford Stadium to students and some 2,000 were on hand. Boosters and corporate partners sometimes had access to select practices.
The basketball team is practicing eight times before leaving for Spain and Fox said he wanted to let fans see his team. Some 75 or so fans watched sitting courtside Thursday.
“I just felt like it’s the summertime, people want something to do, they can come watch us play,” Fox said. “It’s not like we’re giving away the trade secrets, you know? Just thought it would be nice for our fans really.”
It was the first chance for the fans to see freshmen guards Jordan Harris and Tyree Crump.
Fox said they have picked things up fast.
“There’s a ton for those guys to learn but I will say they’ve had a good start,” Fox said.
The 6-foot-4, 185-pound Harris from Seminole County is described by Fox as a “high-flyer.” Redshirt junior Juwan Parker describes him as “a freak athlete,” who has the highest vertical jump on the team.
Harris delivered a well-timed alley-oop pass to Mike Edwards in practice Thursday for a dunk.
The 6-1, 180-pound Crump from Bainbridge “has a great feel for the game,” Parker said.
He stole a ball from J.J. Frazier during a scrimmage situation Thursday but Frazier blew by him on the other end later on a drive.
Parker said Crump has to get used to playing defense. All three newcomers--including transfer Pape Diatta from College of Southern Idaho--in fact are behind the curve defensively so far, Fox said, but that’s not a surprise.
“Coming out of high school, nobody plays D,” Parker said.
The 6-7, 220-pound Diatta is from Sengal. He’s “an excellent passer,” Fox said. “Almost to a fault.”
Diatta turned down a four-footer in practice this week, but it turned into a Derek Ogbeide dunk.
He slithered past sophomore forward E’Torrion Wildridge Thursday for an inside score and earlier stripped a ball away on the other end.
“Pape has that European type game,” Parker said. “He reminds me a lot of Nemi (Djurisic). Very skilled, pivot, pump fake. That type of game.”
Junior forward Yante Maten also compared Diatta to Djurisic, calling him “really skilled in the post and on the 3-point line.”
Sophomore guard William “Turtle” Jackson stood out the most of the up-and-coming players earlier in the summer, but he was held out Thursday with tendonitis. Wilridge looked best the next stage of the summer, Fox said.
On Thursday, sophomore Derek Ogbeide scored five straight times in the low post against Maten during one drill. Maten returned the favor finding the bottom of the net against sophomore Mike Edwards.
Fans can judge for themselves one more time this month. Saturday’s practice starts at 11:30 a.m.


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