New head coach Brian Gregory will make his debut on the bench for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Friday night at the Arena in Gwinnett against the Florida A&M Rattlers. Tip off is scheduled for 8 p.m. and follows the Georgia Tech women's opener against Alabama State at 5:30.
The Yellow Jackets are expected to lean hard on returning players like Glen Rice Jr, Mfon Udofia, and Daniel Miller to help replace do everything guard Iman Shumpert who left early for the NBA. Rice Jr. is Tech's leading returning scorer after averaging 12.8 points per game last season.
Friday's game will also be the regular season debut of newcomers Julian Royal, Brandon Reed and Pierre Jordan to the program. Royal was a highly sought after recruit from Milton High that stuck with his commitment after Gregory was hired. Reed transferred from Arkansas State and sat out last season but is expected to provide the Yellow Jackets with some scoring punch. Jordan graduated from Florida State over the summer and is playing out his eligibility at Tech.
Coach Gregory has also begun laying the foundation of the Yellow Jackets' basketball renovation by signing three in-state recruits including Robert Carter who pledged his commitment on Thursday.
Florida A&M is coached by Clemon Johnson and finished 12-20 overall last season and 7-9 in the Mideastern Athletic Conference.
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