ATHENS — It didn’t take long for Asa Newell to show why he was such a hyped addition to the Georgia basketball program.
The best prospect the Bulldogs have landed since Anthony Edwards dazzled for Georgia in its season-opening win over Tennessee Tech. His 26 points and 11 rebounds and 3 blocks led the way for Georgia, as the Bulldogs pulled out an 83-78 win on the night.
The 26 points for Newell tied a program record for most points by a player in their first game. NBA Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins previously held the mark.
“It’s pretty cool just to be the same sentence as Dominique Wilkins right? Pretty cool,” basketball coach Mike White said.
The freshman didn’t take long to impact the game, scoring Georgia’s first basket of the season. His athleticism was evident, be it on a rip-through that turned into a transition dunk or his easy finishing over the Tennessee Tech defense.
Tennessee Tech didn’t have an answer for Newell on the night as he was easily the best player on the court for either team.
Dakota Leffew didn’t start the game for Georgia but there was little doubt that he was Georgia’s most impactful guard in the win. He finished with 18 points, knocking down 4 of his 6 3-point attempts.
Silas Demary was in consistent foul trouble on the night. But when he was reinserted into the game with 11:22 remaining with four fouls, he finally picked up his first basket on an attacking layup. The Georgia sophomore finished the gam with 6 points and a single assist on the night. It was not the debut effort he would’ve liked to have, especially after a strong finish to the end of last season. Demary was able to successfully finish the game without picking up his fifth foul but made only 1 of his 6 attempts from the field.
Clemson transfer RJ Godfrey did a lot of the dirty work for Georgia and it really made a difference as Georgia tried to pull away. After a Newell miss, Godfrey scrambled for an offensive rebound and successfully scored. On the ensuing possession, Godfrey picked up a steal and slammed the ball home on an easy transition dunk to push Georgia’s lead to 9 with 7:00 remaining. The score elicited a timeout from Tennessee Tech, as it was Georgia’s largest lead of the game.
Godfrey joined Newell in notching a double-double, as he finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds on the evening.
The Golden Eagles had a chance to cut the lead to one possession with just over 3 minutes remaining. But Newell had an athletic block for the Bulldogs to prevent a layup. After Georgia corralled the rebound, Demary missed a layup, only for Newell to grab the rebound and put the ball in the basket. The score made it 78-71, with Georgia successfully closing out the game from there.
“He was fantastic,” White said of Newell. “I don’t think there were as many defensive miscues with him as there were across the board, generally speaking. With six offensive rebounds, in passing lanes defensively, altering shots at the rim. He’s mature beyond his years. He’s an accountable player. He’s got high basketball character.”
Tennessee Tech was able to use the 3-point shot to keep it close through the evening, as the Golden Eagles made 11 of their 28 attempts on the night. That 39 percent clip was far better than Georgia’s 22 percent. Leffew was the only Bulldog to make a three, with the rest of the team going 0-for-12 on the night.
Leffew, Godfrey and Tyrin Lawrence all tied for a team-high 3 assists for the Bulldogs.
“We’ve just got to be better, to be honest. We got exposed out there. I’m going to keep it real,” Newell said. “We just got to have a great day on Wednesday and prepare for Sunday. Can’t take the win for granted though. We’re 1-0 and just continue on our path.”
Georgia will next take on Texas Southern at home on Sunday. That game is set for a 3:30 p.m. tip.
Starters: Asa Newell, RJ Godfrey, Blue Cain, Silas Demary Jr., Tyrin Lawrence
Mike White recaps Georgia basketball win over Tennessee Tech
Georgia basketball-Tennessee Tech stats
