UGA MBB
Athens BH: How Asa Newell's brother Jaden helped Georgia basketball star handle the spotlight
https://www.onlineathens.com/story/...ell-2025-nba-draft-march-madness/82498094007/
Next Opponent: Gonzaga
Dasher UGA Sports: It's time for Bulldogs to dance
https://uga.rivals.com/news/it-s-time-for-bulldogs-to-dance
Dasher UGA Sports: The Dashboard: Bulldogs should be allowed to dream
https://uga.rivals.com/news/the-dashboard-bulldogs-should-be-allowed-to-dream
Dasher UGA Sports: Georgia NCAA News and Notes
https://uga.rivals.com/news/georgia-ncaa-news-and-notes
Dasher UGA Sports: Why Asa Newell almost chose the Zags
https://uga.rivals.com/news/why-asa-newell-almost-chose-the-zags
Athens BH: Why Georgia basketball has ‘hyped up’ spotlight of NCAA Tournament, game vs Gonzaga
https://www.onlineathens.com/story/...light-of-ncaa-tournament-gonzaga/82546837007/
What Could Have Been: Asa Newell and Tyrin Lawrence Take on Gonzaga in NCAA Tournament
Both freshman Asa Newell and senior Tyrin Lawrence thought about playing for the Bulldogs in blue up in Spokane before eventually choosing to spend their college careers with the Bulldogs from Athens.
Freshman Asa Newell visited Gonzaga last year on a visit before narrowing his final four schools down to Georgia, Gonzaga, Texas, and Alabama. He said he has a lot of respect for the team, and is excited for the chance to play against them in the NCAA Tournament.
"Yeah, I mean it was great, you know, Gonzaga, Spokane is a really nice city, it's beautiful out there, small city, the main focus is basketball and the fans out there, it's crazy," Newell said.
The Gonzaga players remember Newell, not only from his visit last season, but also in film sessions this week leading up to their game. Newell is Georgia's leading scorer and rebounder, and will be a key player to slow down if the Zags want to come out with a win in the first round.
"I mean he's talented and a three-level scorer, shoot the ball well, gets to the paint, uses his size and athleticism to shoot it over people, I mean he's talented all around, block shots, super athletic so yeah it's been cool to kind of break down his film a little bit and know what to expect," Ben Gregg said.
Another Georgia player that considered coming to Spokane was guard Tyrin Lawrence, who had the opportunity to do what Gregg did, leaving high school early to join the Zags in 2020. Lawrence chose to stay in high school and committed to Vanderbilt, where he played for four seasons before transferring to Georgia before this season.
"It's funny that when I was at Sunrise (Christian) I thought about leaving mid-year to go join Gonzaga right before Covid hit, so it's just a full-circle moment, I know how good they are, the world knows, I'm sure they do, the past decade they've had great teams so," Lawrence said.
Ben Gregg had the same option as Lawrence just one year later, and Gregg chose to join the Bulldogs right before they made a run to the National Championship. Now Lawrence and Gregg, both in their final seasons in college, will face off with a spot in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on the line.
https://www.swxlocalsports.com/spok...cle_6092810e-891c-4544-b054-b93e02dab392.html
Seattle Times: Gonzaga men face tough test defending Georgia star Asa Newell
WICHITA, Kan. — From Mark Few’s dinner table to the top of Gonzaga’s scouting report, Georgia’s Asa Newell not only qualifies as the most important matchup of Thursday’s NCAA tournament opener between the WCC Zags and SEC Bulldogs, but one of the most intriguing of GU’s season, given the history between the freshman standout and one of the schools that nearly landed his services.
Dozens of high-majors, blue bloods and brand-name schools made a strong push for Newell on the recruiting trail, but Gonzaga was one of a select few programs to host the five-star prospect on an official visit and one of four the 6-foot-11 forward was considering before he announced his commitment to Georgia.
“It was great. Gonzaga and Spokane is a great city,” Newell recalled of his Gonzaga visit on Wednesday at INTRUST Bank Arena. “It’s beautiful out there, small city and the main focus is basketball. The fans out there are crazy.”
A number of current GU players joined Newell for a dinner at Few’s house during his visit in July, including two of the frontcourt players who should have a role in the game plan to contain Georgia’s top scorer and rebounder.
“I just think he’s super physical, I think he’s one of the more physical guys we’ve played in that position,” senior forward Ben Gregg said. “His ability to use his physicality and his length on the defensive end for sure, but offensively getting to the rim and just kind of rising up over people and getting his shot off. So just staying physical with him, keeping your body on him.”
Newell could run into one of two Gonzaga forwards when Thursday’s game tips off — sophomore Braden Huff started over Gregg in the West Coast Conference Tournament title game — and it’s a safe bet he’ll collect a few bumps and bruises from senior forward Graham Ike, who’s normally planted inside the paint for Few’s team
“He’s definitely different,” Huff said. “I think the way he’s skilled, can play on the perimeter, stretch it out and also take you inside and be physical down low. He’s a great matchup, but we’re excited to stack up against him. It’ll be a fun one, for sure.”
Newell averages 15.3 points and has been nearly a double-digit lock for the Bulldogs, scoring a season-high 26 points in Georgia’s opener and only finishing in single digits three times.
The Zags haven’t faced many players with Newell’s blend of size, skill and shooting ability. Jevon Porter of Loyola Marymount might be a rough comparison, but the junior forward hasn’t been as productive and consistent as Newell, who shoots 54% from the field, 29% from the three-point line and 74% from the free-throw line.
“It’s kind of tough to compare him,” Ike said. “He’s a unique player. We know he has great size, great athletic ability, great length. He can shoot it, he can score in the post.”
Newell’s time at Georgia is expected to be short. The freshman, who was raised in Athens and plays at Georgia with older brother Jaden, a redshirt sophomore, is widely considered to be a top-20 NBA draft pick. A recent mock draft from The Athletic pegged Newell as the No. 17 pick, going to play with the Minnesota Timberwolves and fellow Georgia product Anthony Edwards.
“We knew a week in, probably a month in, that he was special,” Georgia coach Mike White said. “We’re winding down here. He’s never had a bad practice. He’s never had a bad day. He’s the same guy every day.”
The 19-year-old’s three-point shooting could be a big factor. Newell had made at least two three-pointers in eight games, but he’s also gone without one 16 times.
“He could start a game missing his first four and might make his next four,” White said. “His face expression is not going to change. He’s still going to be compliant in terms of making winning plays, passing to the guy that’s open, chasing offensive rebounds, closing out correctly.
“He’s a winning player. He’s been a huge pleasure to coach. He’s a great teammate. He is humility. He is consistency. He’s a stud.”
https://www.seattletimes.com/sports...tough-test-defending-georgia-star-asa-newell/
Spokesman Review: In Khalif Battle, Gonzaga found aura, attitude and someone with an undying appetite for March Madness
The guard resurfaced in Arkansas in 2023-24. In and out of the starting lineup, Battled averaged 29.5 ppg over his last seven games and after a Senior Night win over LSU, he told reporters he had every intention to return the following the season. But that option disappeared when coach Eric Musselman left for USC.
Battle had to pivot again. One more chance to change the narrative.
Mark Few and Gonzaga’s coaching staff were intentional in their meetings with Battle, giving them a good sense of how he’d fit in and mesh with the returning players without making conversations feel too intense or businesslike.
The coaches were trying to pitch Battle on Gonzaga, but he was already one step ahead.
“He was barely listening to coach Few, what he had to say, he was already thinking about playing with them,” Gary said. “He was already sold.”
Adapting hasn’t been nearly as straightforward. Battle’s been a ball-dominant guard at other schools, accustomed to creating for himself and scoring out of isolation sets. Few’s offense is predicated on ball-screen reads, duck-ins, off-ball movement and other concepts Battle wasn’t as familiar with.
Battle had a few fine scoring nights, a handful of memorable plays and a jaw-dropping alley-oop dunk against Arizona State that got him on ESPN SportsCenter’s Top 10 reel, but things weren’t coming easy. Battle’s struggles came to a head after the team returned from the Battle 4 Atlantis. Self-doubt had never been part of Battle’s vocabulary, but now the guard was questioning himself at every turn.
It required a one-on-one with Gonzaga’s head coach. Behind the baseline, first row of the Kennel, Battle and Few found two seats and aired everything out.
“I was kind of in a funk where I was just like, I was thinking a little too much, I was worried about some of the wrong things and me and coach had a heart to heart,” Battle said. “We had a heart to heart and then we figured it out and he just told me to be the best defender I could be out there.”
Battle’s averaged 13.2 points for the Zags and delivered a career’s worth of highlights in a single season, but his favorite moments at Gonzaga haven’t always been the quick scoring flurries or acrobatic lob dunks.
Satisfaction has come in smaller victories – nondescript plays the average fan wouldn’t notice or the mastery of offensive concepts that Battle spent weeks and months trying to grasp, often failing a dozen times before he could succeed.
Barsh recalls a post entry pass that Battle was struggling to get the hang of. When he finally nailed it in a game, Battle emitted a level of emotion and joy that would’ve made someone think he’d won a national championship. All for one tally in the assist column.
“He finally got it done and you would’ve thought Santa Claus was coming into the gym and it was Christmas the way he was jumping up and down because he made a simple play,” Barsh said. “Just the excitement from a ball-screen breakdown and doing it correctly. … Most people wouldn’t have caught it, but it was something he was struggling with it and he wanted to prove he could make some of those reads.”
Battle will likely finish his senior season with the lowest scoring average of his career (in seasons where he averaged more than 20 minutes per game), but it’s been a fairly easy sacrifice to make for someone who’s been able to experience a variety of firsts over the last 10 days.
“It’s not all on him, he’s just never really won,” Gentry said. “… He was the first guy up to that net, cutting it down, and I think he really just appreciates those things and really, really values it. That kind of filters down to these other guys that are maybe a little bit numb to it.”
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/mar/19/in-khalif-battle-gonzaga-found-aura-attitude-and-s/
Gonzaga vs Georgia
A battle of the Gs. Gonzaga is on a quest to extend the consecutive Sweet 16 streak, while Georgia is in its first NCAAT in a decade and looking for its first win since 2002.
Gonzaga is led by one of the better PG/big man duos in CBB. Ryan Nembhard leads college basketball in assists, and Graham Ike is a force down low who has continued to work on his outside shot. The eyes say this isn’t the Gonzaga of old, but its largest defeat of the season was just 7 to Saint Mary’s, with multiple other losses coming in OT. The Bulldogs are comfortable in a close game. This is a Top 10 offense, Top 30 defense, who play at a pace faster than 88% of CBB teams. The losses to Saint Mary’s and UCLA were simple, those teams play slow, and they got the game at their pace almost the entire night. Taking care of the basketball, and limiting turnovers while being efficient inside were formulas other teams deployed in wins over the Zags, and then there is Santa Clara who were flamethrowers from deep while dropping 103. Prior to the WCC final, Gonzaga had found its offensive groove again, averaging over 91 points per game during a win streak. Can it play more like that than it does against SMC? The number two scoring offense is CBB will need to.
Georgia really found its rhythm again near the end of SEC play, finishing the year 4-1 in its last five with a few road wins, after that previously being an issue. Projected first round pick and 5 star freshman Asa Newell is a star on this team and had lived up to the hype. Silas Demary Jr has really been playing well too. A cold stretch to begin SEC play, Silas has now scored 15+ in 9 straight games including 4 in the 20s. He dropped 26 on efficient shooting in the Bulldogs big win over Florida at the end of last month. UGA is a much slower tempo team than Gonzaga and is defense first, ranking in the Top 30 on that side of the ball. But, they have shown they can thrive in a high scoring environment too, defeating Florida in a game played in the high 80s. However, the goal will be to get this uglier. That’s how you beat Gonzaga, and that’s much more the style that suits Georgia in this one too.
Portal
UGA Contacts
Chase Forte South Dakota State - Contact, Goins follow and following on social media
Malik Reneau - Followed by Goins and Pastrana on social media.
Athens BH: How Asa Newell's brother Jaden helped Georgia basketball star handle the spotlight
https://www.onlineathens.com/story/...ell-2025-nba-draft-march-madness/82498094007/
Next Opponent: Gonzaga
Dasher UGA Sports: It's time for Bulldogs to dance
https://uga.rivals.com/news/it-s-time-for-bulldogs-to-dance
Dasher UGA Sports: The Dashboard: Bulldogs should be allowed to dream
https://uga.rivals.com/news/the-dashboard-bulldogs-should-be-allowed-to-dream
Dasher UGA Sports: Georgia NCAA News and Notes
https://uga.rivals.com/news/georgia-ncaa-news-and-notes
Dasher UGA Sports: Why Asa Newell almost chose the Zags
https://uga.rivals.com/news/why-asa-newell-almost-chose-the-zags
Athens BH: Why Georgia basketball has ‘hyped up’ spotlight of NCAA Tournament, game vs Gonzaga
https://www.onlineathens.com/story/...light-of-ncaa-tournament-gonzaga/82546837007/
What Could Have Been: Asa Newell and Tyrin Lawrence Take on Gonzaga in NCAA Tournament
Both freshman Asa Newell and senior Tyrin Lawrence thought about playing for the Bulldogs in blue up in Spokane before eventually choosing to spend their college careers with the Bulldogs from Athens.
Freshman Asa Newell visited Gonzaga last year on a visit before narrowing his final four schools down to Georgia, Gonzaga, Texas, and Alabama. He said he has a lot of respect for the team, and is excited for the chance to play against them in the NCAA Tournament.
"Yeah, I mean it was great, you know, Gonzaga, Spokane is a really nice city, it's beautiful out there, small city, the main focus is basketball and the fans out there, it's crazy," Newell said.
The Gonzaga players remember Newell, not only from his visit last season, but also in film sessions this week leading up to their game. Newell is Georgia's leading scorer and rebounder, and will be a key player to slow down if the Zags want to come out with a win in the first round.
"I mean he's talented and a three-level scorer, shoot the ball well, gets to the paint, uses his size and athleticism to shoot it over people, I mean he's talented all around, block shots, super athletic so yeah it's been cool to kind of break down his film a little bit and know what to expect," Ben Gregg said.
Another Georgia player that considered coming to Spokane was guard Tyrin Lawrence, who had the opportunity to do what Gregg did, leaving high school early to join the Zags in 2020. Lawrence chose to stay in high school and committed to Vanderbilt, where he played for four seasons before transferring to Georgia before this season.
"It's funny that when I was at Sunrise (Christian) I thought about leaving mid-year to go join Gonzaga right before Covid hit, so it's just a full-circle moment, I know how good they are, the world knows, I'm sure they do, the past decade they've had great teams so," Lawrence said.
Ben Gregg had the same option as Lawrence just one year later, and Gregg chose to join the Bulldogs right before they made a run to the National Championship. Now Lawrence and Gregg, both in their final seasons in college, will face off with a spot in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on the line.
https://www.swxlocalsports.com/spok...cle_6092810e-891c-4544-b054-b93e02dab392.html
Seattle Times: Gonzaga men face tough test defending Georgia star Asa Newell
WICHITA, Kan. — From Mark Few’s dinner table to the top of Gonzaga’s scouting report, Georgia’s Asa Newell not only qualifies as the most important matchup of Thursday’s NCAA tournament opener between the WCC Zags and SEC Bulldogs, but one of the most intriguing of GU’s season, given the history between the freshman standout and one of the schools that nearly landed his services.
Dozens of high-majors, blue bloods and brand-name schools made a strong push for Newell on the recruiting trail, but Gonzaga was one of a select few programs to host the five-star prospect on an official visit and one of four the 6-foot-11 forward was considering before he announced his commitment to Georgia.
“It was great. Gonzaga and Spokane is a great city,” Newell recalled of his Gonzaga visit on Wednesday at INTRUST Bank Arena. “It’s beautiful out there, small city and the main focus is basketball. The fans out there are crazy.”
A number of current GU players joined Newell for a dinner at Few’s house during his visit in July, including two of the frontcourt players who should have a role in the game plan to contain Georgia’s top scorer and rebounder.
“I just think he’s super physical, I think he’s one of the more physical guys we’ve played in that position,” senior forward Ben Gregg said. “His ability to use his physicality and his length on the defensive end for sure, but offensively getting to the rim and just kind of rising up over people and getting his shot off. So just staying physical with him, keeping your body on him.”
Newell could run into one of two Gonzaga forwards when Thursday’s game tips off — sophomore Braden Huff started over Gregg in the West Coast Conference Tournament title game — and it’s a safe bet he’ll collect a few bumps and bruises from senior forward Graham Ike, who’s normally planted inside the paint for Few’s team
“He’s definitely different,” Huff said. “I think the way he’s skilled, can play on the perimeter, stretch it out and also take you inside and be physical down low. He’s a great matchup, but we’re excited to stack up against him. It’ll be a fun one, for sure.”
Newell averages 15.3 points and has been nearly a double-digit lock for the Bulldogs, scoring a season-high 26 points in Georgia’s opener and only finishing in single digits three times.
The Zags haven’t faced many players with Newell’s blend of size, skill and shooting ability. Jevon Porter of Loyola Marymount might be a rough comparison, but the junior forward hasn’t been as productive and consistent as Newell, who shoots 54% from the field, 29% from the three-point line and 74% from the free-throw line.
“It’s kind of tough to compare him,” Ike said. “He’s a unique player. We know he has great size, great athletic ability, great length. He can shoot it, he can score in the post.”
Newell’s time at Georgia is expected to be short. The freshman, who was raised in Athens and plays at Georgia with older brother Jaden, a redshirt sophomore, is widely considered to be a top-20 NBA draft pick. A recent mock draft from The Athletic pegged Newell as the No. 17 pick, going to play with the Minnesota Timberwolves and fellow Georgia product Anthony Edwards.
“We knew a week in, probably a month in, that he was special,” Georgia coach Mike White said. “We’re winding down here. He’s never had a bad practice. He’s never had a bad day. He’s the same guy every day.”
The 19-year-old’s three-point shooting could be a big factor. Newell had made at least two three-pointers in eight games, but he’s also gone without one 16 times.
“He could start a game missing his first four and might make his next four,” White said. “His face expression is not going to change. He’s still going to be compliant in terms of making winning plays, passing to the guy that’s open, chasing offensive rebounds, closing out correctly.
“He’s a winning player. He’s been a huge pleasure to coach. He’s a great teammate. He is humility. He is consistency. He’s a stud.”
https://www.seattletimes.com/sports...tough-test-defending-georgia-star-asa-newell/
Spokesman Review: In Khalif Battle, Gonzaga found aura, attitude and someone with an undying appetite for March Madness
The guard resurfaced in Arkansas in 2023-24. In and out of the starting lineup, Battled averaged 29.5 ppg over his last seven games and after a Senior Night win over LSU, he told reporters he had every intention to return the following the season. But that option disappeared when coach Eric Musselman left for USC.
Battle had to pivot again. One more chance to change the narrative.
Mark Few and Gonzaga’s coaching staff were intentional in their meetings with Battle, giving them a good sense of how he’d fit in and mesh with the returning players without making conversations feel too intense or businesslike.
The coaches were trying to pitch Battle on Gonzaga, but he was already one step ahead.
“He was barely listening to coach Few, what he had to say, he was already thinking about playing with them,” Gary said. “He was already sold.”
Adapting hasn’t been nearly as straightforward. Battle’s been a ball-dominant guard at other schools, accustomed to creating for himself and scoring out of isolation sets. Few’s offense is predicated on ball-screen reads, duck-ins, off-ball movement and other concepts Battle wasn’t as familiar with.
Battle had a few fine scoring nights, a handful of memorable plays and a jaw-dropping alley-oop dunk against Arizona State that got him on ESPN SportsCenter’s Top 10 reel, but things weren’t coming easy. Battle’s struggles came to a head after the team returned from the Battle 4 Atlantis. Self-doubt had never been part of Battle’s vocabulary, but now the guard was questioning himself at every turn.
It required a one-on-one with Gonzaga’s head coach. Behind the baseline, first row of the Kennel, Battle and Few found two seats and aired everything out.
“I was kind of in a funk where I was just like, I was thinking a little too much, I was worried about some of the wrong things and me and coach had a heart to heart,” Battle said. “We had a heart to heart and then we figured it out and he just told me to be the best defender I could be out there.”
Battle’s averaged 13.2 points for the Zags and delivered a career’s worth of highlights in a single season, but his favorite moments at Gonzaga haven’t always been the quick scoring flurries or acrobatic lob dunks.
Satisfaction has come in smaller victories – nondescript plays the average fan wouldn’t notice or the mastery of offensive concepts that Battle spent weeks and months trying to grasp, often failing a dozen times before he could succeed.
Barsh recalls a post entry pass that Battle was struggling to get the hang of. When he finally nailed it in a game, Battle emitted a level of emotion and joy that would’ve made someone think he’d won a national championship. All for one tally in the assist column.
“He finally got it done and you would’ve thought Santa Claus was coming into the gym and it was Christmas the way he was jumping up and down because he made a simple play,” Barsh said. “Just the excitement from a ball-screen breakdown and doing it correctly. … Most people wouldn’t have caught it, but it was something he was struggling with it and he wanted to prove he could make some of those reads.”
Battle will likely finish his senior season with the lowest scoring average of his career (in seasons where he averaged more than 20 minutes per game), but it’s been a fairly easy sacrifice to make for someone who’s been able to experience a variety of firsts over the last 10 days.
“It’s not all on him, he’s just never really won,” Gentry said. “… He was the first guy up to that net, cutting it down, and I think he really just appreciates those things and really, really values it. That kind of filters down to these other guys that are maybe a little bit numb to it.”
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/mar/19/in-khalif-battle-gonzaga-found-aura-attitude-and-s/
Gonzaga vs Georgia
A battle of the Gs. Gonzaga is on a quest to extend the consecutive Sweet 16 streak, while Georgia is in its first NCAAT in a decade and looking for its first win since 2002.
Gonzaga is led by one of the better PG/big man duos in CBB. Ryan Nembhard leads college basketball in assists, and Graham Ike is a force down low who has continued to work on his outside shot. The eyes say this isn’t the Gonzaga of old, but its largest defeat of the season was just 7 to Saint Mary’s, with multiple other losses coming in OT. The Bulldogs are comfortable in a close game. This is a Top 10 offense, Top 30 defense, who play at a pace faster than 88% of CBB teams. The losses to Saint Mary’s and UCLA were simple, those teams play slow, and they got the game at their pace almost the entire night. Taking care of the basketball, and limiting turnovers while being efficient inside were formulas other teams deployed in wins over the Zags, and then there is Santa Clara who were flamethrowers from deep while dropping 103. Prior to the WCC final, Gonzaga had found its offensive groove again, averaging over 91 points per game during a win streak. Can it play more like that than it does against SMC? The number two scoring offense is CBB will need to.
Georgia really found its rhythm again near the end of SEC play, finishing the year 4-1 in its last five with a few road wins, after that previously being an issue. Projected first round pick and 5 star freshman Asa Newell is a star on this team and had lived up to the hype. Silas Demary Jr has really been playing well too. A cold stretch to begin SEC play, Silas has now scored 15+ in 9 straight games including 4 in the 20s. He dropped 26 on efficient shooting in the Bulldogs big win over Florida at the end of last month. UGA is a much slower tempo team than Gonzaga and is defense first, ranking in the Top 30 on that side of the ball. But, they have shown they can thrive in a high scoring environment too, defeating Florida in a game played in the high 80s. However, the goal will be to get this uglier. That’s how you beat Gonzaga, and that’s much more the style that suits Georgia in this one too.
Portal
UGA Contacts
Chase Forte South Dakota State - Contact, Goins follow and following on social media
Malik Reneau - Followed by Goins and Pastrana on social media.
