ATLANTA --- Paul Hewitt believes his Georgia Tech team can be special, and after a puzzling exhibition scare, he was glad to see the Yellow Jackets play up to his expectations in their season opener.
Iman Shumpert scored 18 points and capped a decisive run in the first half, and No. 22 Georgia Tech showed off its freshmen in its 100-59 win over Florida A&M on Saturday night.
Derrick Favors, the biggest name in Georgia Tech's heralded freshman class, started and had 10 points and eight rebounds. Another freshman, Brian Oliver, had 12 points.
It was an impressive showing of talent and depth for Georgia Tech, which struggled to an 84-76 overtime exhibition win over Division II Indiana University of Pennsylvania on Sunday.
"Trust me, what happened on Sunday had me scratching my head," Hewitt said.
Junior Gani Lawal added 16 points and 12 rebounds.
Georgia Tech finished 12-19 overall and only 2-14 in the Atlantic Coast Conference last season. It opens the season with a Top 25 ranking that reflects the strength of a freshman class that also includes starting point guard Mfon Udofia, who had nine points, and Glen Rice Jr., who had seven.
"I told them this is the ultimate," Hewitt said. "If you just check all your personal goals at the door and play as hard as you can when you're out there, we have a chance to have a great team, I mean a great team."
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