In my time covering Georgia Tech the one contestant has been at least one solid big man and usually either an elite big or a pair very solid ones. The 2021-22 team is in desperate need of a function post player and the Jackets ACC record would probably be flipped with any one of the caliber of the previous lot of big men I've covered at Tech. Unfortunately, Jordan Meka is learning on the job, Rodney Howard just seems to lack either the physical ability at this point or the processing power to defend at the level needed or aid offensively and they don't trust Saba Gigiberia to play defense either. Meka is imperfect with his solid defense and rebounding, but penchant for playing a little too hard at times getting him in foul trouble because of a lack of situational awareness.
The wild part to me is Tech has lacked shooters, point guards and volume scorers over the last decade-plus, but big men was the one thing always in stock.
The first season I covered GT, you had three guys who could all play in the post and two great rim defenders Derrick Favors and Gani Lawal with Zach Peacock as a solid all-around forward.
2010-11 you had a young Daniel Miller and Kam Holsey who were servicable.
2011-12 you had a much better Miller and Holsey
2012-13 an even better Miller and Holsey and added Robert Carter
2013-14 Carter who was getting good, Miller who was a very good college center by this point and Holsey
2014-15 Chuck Mitchell and Demarco Cox come in and are very solid via transfers and Nick Jacobs redshirts via transfer
2015-16 Mitchell is back and decent and Jacobs is very good
2016-17 They turn Ben Lammers a end of the rotation big into an All-Conference level player
2017-18 Lammers continues to improve but gets hurt but is still good and AD Gueye turns the corner and becomes a contributor
2018-19 They save James Banks career from being a major bust to an All-ACC Defender, Gueye and Moses Wright around out that group as Moses shows signs of life.
2019-20 Almost twin towers again like 2009-10 with Favors/Lawal you get Wright/Banks plus solid work by Evan Cole
2020-21 All about Moses Wright ACC POY
If you literally picked any one of the players mentioned at any point I mentioned them and dropped them on this team GT would be a bubble team right now.
That is how thin the line can be and whiffing on the transfer portal for various reasons and taking too many project big men put Pastner in an unfortunate situation where for the first time in many years GT lacks a serviceable post player.
They need to stick with Meka because he will be a good rotation piece at least moving forward and maybe they need to give Howard's minutes to Saba and give up on him for this year if he wants to keep winning. I didn't understand starting Howard the last two games either.
