Mark the Calendars: MAUI Invitational Nov 20-22

The Georgia Tech basketball team should be excited come Thanksgiving when it travels to Maui, Hawaii to take place in the 2006 Maui Invitational. This is a great tournament. Mark Few, the head coach at Gonzaga calls it "The best tournament in college basketball outside the NCAA Tournament". This years tournament will take place from November 20-22nd at the Lahaina Civic Center. The bottom of the page has a link for anyone interested in attending the Maui Invitational. Sounds like great fun. There is a golf tournament, a banquet, and some other really cool things. If you can afford the trip, it would be one of those trips any Tech fan would remember for a long time. I believe the first so many fans who book, also get tickets to the Banquet, where all of the teams will be. Maui isnt cheap, but looks like it will be great fun for any fan able to attend. The teams competing this year are: Georgia Tech, DePaul, Kentucky, Memphis, Oklahoma, Purdue, UCLA, and the host Chaminade. Click the link below for the website, and Go Jackets!

The 2006 Maui Invitational

Class of 2008: Al-Farouq Aminu making some noise

The brother of Georgia Tech sophomore Alade Aminu, is making some serious noise in the High School ranks. Al-Farouq Aminu recently played in the Tournament of Champions Event in Chapel Hill, NC. Expect Aminu to move up the list very quickly on everyone's top prospects. Over at rivals, Justin Young stated that Aminu could be a Top 10 player by his senior year. Aminu led his team to the finals in the 16 and under league, by scoring 24 points in a semifinal game against Westchester.

After scoring 24 points in the semi finals against the Westchester Hawks, Al-Farouq Aminu had his most disappointing game of the tournament but still managed to muster 13 points in the defeat. Despite the loss, Aminu was the best player and prospect in the 16 and under tournament from start to finish. The 15-year-old capped off a stellar spring at the TOC. The momentum he has going into July is scary.

Aminu is only 15 years old and quickly becoming a stud in the High School ranks. So far the only thing he has said, and we do know that he LOVES Georgia Tech is that he has early leaders.

I don't have anyone out in front, but my top-five right now is Georgia Tech, Tennessee, Florida, UConn and Wake Forest," Aminu said.

And FOX Sports had this to say about Aminu

Aside from Evans, everyone we've talked about so far has been a member of the Class of 2007. Don't think for a second we didn't find some underclassmen to like. For instance, we fell for Al-Farouq Aminu, a 6-9 power forward who led the Georgia Stars to the 16-year old title. His brother goes to Georgia Tech and Paul Hewitt's crew will be all over this kid.

Hewitt invites a walk on to try out

With all of the news surrounding the status of our basketball team next season, Paul Hewitt has apparently invited 6-4 guard Ty Anderson (Right side of the picture) to try out for the basketball team this season. Anderson will not be given a scholarship, but was invited to walk on anyway at Tech. He had some interest from several small schools, but has accepted Paul Hewitt's offer to walk on at GT. Anderson is the grandson of Hall Of Fame coach Lefty Driesell. Ty seems like a great kid, and made it certain to everyone that he just wants to help out in any way possible.

"I told the coaches that I see myself as an ambassador for their program," Anderson said. "I just want to make the team better. I'll do anything. I'll show recruits around campus. I'll get up early and watch game film to help the team in practice. I'll help with the scouting reports. I just want to help in any way I can.

"They told me that they want me to come in and be that guy in practice that knows the offense backwards and forwards, someone that knows the fundamentals of the game and someone that will push the guys. I know the things that I'll do won't show up in the stat book. I'm okay with that."

The Mystery of Mouhammad Faye

We know every Georgia Tech fan out there knows about Thaddeus Young and Javaris Crittenton and what they can do. But, i think if you asked most Georgia Tech basketball fans who they are interested in the most, the answer would be Mohammed Faye, a 6-8 210 pound redshirt freshman from the Senegal. Ever since Paul Hewitt made the quote about Mouhammad looking great in practice, it has caught the ear of every Georgia Tech basketball fan. To add to the mystery, there are no photos of Mouhammad and very little information on his playing career. I surfed every piece of the internet looking for information on this young man, and here's what i have found.

Faye Mohammed
DOB: 1985
HEIGHT: 6-7
A tremendous swingman from Senegal with a huge upside. Lanky, long wing span, good ball handling skills and plays the small forward position. He has improved tremendously from the last time I say him play. Very strong all around game with a solid long range shooting ability (Has 3 point range). Loves to attack the basket, rebound well, and very active on defense. Fundamentally sound with great feel for the game.

And i also found this interesting biography.

Mouhammad Faye is a redshirt freshmen on the Georgia Institute of Technology's current basketball team, playing the position of combo-forward. He was born in 1985 and his dimensions are 6'8 1/2" and 208 pounds. Mouhammad's first name is spelled in various ways in press reports (Mohammad and Muhamad among others) and it is unclear which is the correct one.

Faye originally comes from the port city of Dakar, Senegal (pop.- 1.5 million) on the west coast of the African continent, coming from two parents who are both agronomic engineers. He played on that country's national basketball team prior to the 2005 season, where he ranked as the #3 junior AAU basketball player in all of Africa and #7 in the "NBA potential" list at the "Africa Without Borders" basketball camp. He then came to Georgia Tech in the fall of 2005, majoring in INTA with a minor in Management. However, the NCAA did not grant him academic clearance to play and he needed to reshirt for the 2005-06 basketball season.

Faye has an older brother who played forward from 1998 to 2002 for the University of New Hampshire, including three years as the team's captain. He also has an older half-brother who played through 2002 at the University of Delaware, where he was a 6'10" center.

Faye's joining of the team was widely reported by the press in his native, french-speaking Senegal

All in all, i have sent a request to Mouhammad Faye himself for an interview. Hopefully he will grant me an interview and we can end the mystery of this young man before the season starts.

2007 Recruiting: Georgia Tech has offered

The 2007 recruiting class is taking shape already, and Georgia Tech has some offers on the table for some of the cream of the crop. Here's a quick look at who GT has made some offers to. It's a tough situation for the coaching staff, because T-Young, and Javaris Crittenton and probably one and done players. I can see Javaris staying two years, but Thaddeus wont stay long in Atlanta.

Commited (Verbally)

Lance Storrs 6-4 210 Guard Decatur, Ga
Gani Lawal 6-8 205 Forward Norcross, Ga.

Offers on the Table

Jamelle McMillan 6-2 180 Seattle, WA Point Guard
Maurice Miller 6-1 183 Memphis, TN Point Guard
Jeff Jones 6-4 185 Drexel Hill, PA Shooting Guard
DeAndre Jordan 6-11 240 Houston, TX Center

Video Memories: Dunks, Dunks, and Playing for Title

Some interesting video clips for all Georgia Tech fans. Some exciting moments in Georgia Tech basketball. The first clip has no audio. Thanks to the guys at youtube.com. Enjoy!

NASTY DUNKS