ATHENS – Graduate student P.J. Horne confirmed his plans to remain with the Georgia basketball team for the 2021-22 season. With his decision, the final form of next season’s squad is starting to come into view.
If it remains as it is – the NCAA’s transfer portal remains ever active -- Georgia at least ought to be a better shooting squad in season four under coach Tom Crean.
Horne did not expound on his decision to return beyond confirming that he in fact was. He becomes Georgia’s only starter to return from last year’s 14-12 team. Starting all 26 contests, he averaged 8.5 points while playing 28.4 minutes a game.
As a “super senior,” Horne will not count against the Bulldogs’ scholarship totals for next season. However, as the 14th scholarship player committed to the roster, Georgia currently has no more room to add players. But the transfer portal remains open for 2020-21 players until July 1. So far, 1,574 players have entered.
The Bulldogs’ other two graduate transfers last season won’t be back. Guard Justin Kier, a 25-game starter at guard, announced last week his intentions to transfer. Forward Andrew Garcia is also exploring options, but is not expected to return to UGA.
Though he’s a 6-foot-6, 230-pound forward, Horne was the Bulldogs’ most prolific outside shooter last season. He attempted more 3-pointers than anybody with 124 and made 37.1% of them. The former Virginia Tech starter was second only to guard K.D. Johnson, who made 38.7% (24-of-62) after missing the first 10 games of the season.
Meanwhile, of the six players Georgia is adding via the transfer portal, only 6-10 forward Braelen Bridges is not considered a shooter. He has no career attempts from beyond the arc coming to UGA from Illinois-Chicago.
Jabri Abdur-Rahim had a miniscule sample size in his only season at Virginia, making just 1-of-7 3-point attempts. But he had a reputation as a shooter and a scorer coming out of high school, where he averaged 23.7 points over two seasons at Blair Academy in New Jersey.
Georgia’s other additions via the transfer portal – including junior college transfers Dalen Ridgnal and Kario Oquendo, Florida Atlantic’s Jailyn Ingram and Southern Cal’s Noah Baumann -- all came to UGA with strong backgrounds as perimeter shooters.
Consistent outside shooting has been the one thing missing from Crean’s first three Georgia teams, which nevertheless have been some of the best scoring in school history. The Bulldogs were fourth in the league in scoring last year with a 77.5 points-a-game average and shot .458 overall from the field in a fast-pace style predicated on spreading the floor in the halfcourt.
Georgia was 11th in the SEC in 3-point shooting at 32.4% and the Bulldogs made just 6.3 per, which was 12th among the 14 conference teams.
The Bulldogs certainly didn’t like losing point guard Sahvir Wheeler (22.5%) and forward Toumani Camara (26.3%) to transfer, but both of them were 3-point-shooting liabilities. Wheeler, who is testing the NBA Draft while also eyeing potential transfer schools, set the Georgia record for single-season assists (193) and averaged 7.3 a game. He led Georgia in scoring at with 14.0 points per game, while Camara was third at 12.8.
GEORGIA BASKETBALL 2021
1. P.J. Horne** F 6-6, 230 Gr. Tifton
2. K.D. Johnson G 6-1, 190 So. Atlanta
3. Josh Taylor F 6-9, 215 RFr. Atlanta
4. Jonathan Ned F 6-8, 215 Sr. Brentwood, Calif.
5. Tyron McMillan F 6-9, 220 Jr. New Orleans, La.
6. Jabri Abdur-Rahim* G 6-7, 214 So. South Orange, NJ (Virginia)
7. Noah Baumann* G 6-6, 215 Sr. Phoenix, Ariz. (USC)
8. Braelen Bridges* F 6-10, 235 Sr. Atlanta (Illinois-Chicago)
9. Jailyn Ingram* G 6-7, 219 Sr. Madison (Florida Atlantic)
10. Dalen Ridgnal* F 6-6, 200 Jr. Kansas City, Mo. (Cowley CC)
11. Kario Oquendo* G 6-4, 180 So. Titusville, Fla. (Fla. Southwestern)
12. Camron McDowell G 6-5, 170 Fr. Powder Springs
13. Tyrone Baker F 6-9, 190 Fr. Missouri City, Texas
14. Christian Wright G 6-3, 180 Fr. Atlanta
* Transfers
** ‘Super senior’ does not count against NCAA 13-scholarship maximum
GONE VIA TRANSFER
1. F Jaykwon Walker, 6-7, 205, So., Columbus
2. G Sahvir Wheeler,* 5-10, 180, So., Houston
3. G Christian Brown, 6-6, 215, So., Hopkins, SC
4. F Toumani Camara, 6-8, 220, So., Brussels, Belgium
5. G Tye Fagan, 6-3, 195, Jr., Logtown
6. G Mikal Starks, 6-0, 185, Jr., Miami, Fla.
7. G Justin Kier, 6-4, 190, Gr., Grottoes, Va.
8. F Andrew Garcia,* 6-6, 225, Gr., Bergenfield, NJ*
*Also considering professional basketball options
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