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Georgia Tech Basketball 2018-19 Player Previews: #3 F Evan Cole

By Dylan Callaghan-Croley

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 06: Evan Cole #3 of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets dives for the ball in the second half against the Boston College Eagles during the first round of the ACC Men's Basketball Tournament at Barclays Center on March 6, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 06: Evan Cole #3 of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets dives for the ball in the second half against the Boston College Eagles during the first round of the ACC Men's Basketball Tournament at Barclays Center on March 6, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /
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Georgia Tech sophomore forward Evan Cole was a solid contributor as a true freshman and will look to elevate his game in 2018-19.

Sophomore forward Evan Cole played a considerable amount as a true freshman for Georgia Tech last season, playing in 24 games for the Yellow Jackets and making seven starts. He averaged 13.8 minutes per game in those 24 games.

Last season, true freshman forward Evan Cole from South Forsyth was a solid contributor to the Yellow Jackets. While he only averaged 3.2/2.6/0.5 per game, Cole when on the court presented a solid scoring option with an offensive rating of 99.5, which was fifth best on the Yellow Jackets last season.

Cole was also efficient when shooting last season, shooting 46% from the field. Coming out of high school, Cole was expected to be a strong contributor beyond the arch but in his first year with the Yellow Jackets, he struggled shooting just 27.3% from three-point range. That being said, Cole took just 22 shots from three-point range, expect to see both the shot total and shooting percentage rise this season.

At 6-foot-9, Cole will provide a versatile player for the Yellow Jackets as he’ll be able to float from down low to out to the perimeter allowing him to shoot from medium and long distance. With the size also comes the ability for him to play multiple positions, giving the Jackets versatility throughout which will fit well into the Jackets “multi-position” philosophy.

With the Yellow Jackets losing pieces like Ben Lammers, Tadric Jackson, and Josh Okogie, the Yellow Jackets will need their younger players to step up in 2018-19. It wouldn’t be all that surprising if Cole proves to be a breakout player for the Jackets this season.

Defensively, Cole last season was not up to par but like his offensive numbers, there should be a considerable improvement this season. Last year, Cole had a defensive rating of 104.4. Through his 24 games last season, he totaled seven steals and eight blocks.

Next. Georgia Tech Basketball 2018-19 Player Previews: #2 G Shembari Phillips. dark

Overall, Cole is primed to take a considerable step forward this season on both sides of the ball. A highly athletic and strong all-around player, Cole could play a huge role this season for the Jackets as they look to take the next step in the rebuild of the program.