Georgia’s 2012-2013 basketball season ended up having quite a bit more life than I expected, but it still ended just short of a shot at postseason consideration. Mark Fox has patroled the Stegeman sidelines for four years. The NCAA Tournament bid in 2011 was the high point, but the process of rebuilding the program has been slow going. Have we reached a plateau, or will there be a payoff to patience in and a commitment to a coach?

Getting Georgia back to the postseason is going to be about the players. With Caldwell-Pope’s return for next season still up in the air, Georgia might have to find answers elsewhere. One player like Caldwell-Pope can elevate a program, but we learned this year that the rest of the cast must do its part. There was some nice progress from the freshmen in the backcourt. The frontcourt remains a liability. If Georgia is going to continue to show progress next season, there are significant holes to fill.

Though no team from the state of Georgia is headed to the 2013 tournament, there are 25 student-athletes participating who called Georgia home. I don’t mean to suggest that Georgia would be a contender if they built a team around this list – there are players here from high-major starters to minor program benchwarmers. There are also several good players from Georgia who are on teams that didn’t make the tournament. But good recruiting starts at home, especially in a state like Georgia. Will Kentavious Caldwell-Pope be a rare exception, or will some of these home-grown impact players start to pick Georgia and lead Fox’s program to the postseason?

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