Georgia Tech’s Jose Alvarado and Moses Wright, who led the Yellow Jackets to the Atlantic Coast Conference championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, were named Georgia Men’s Co-Players of the Year Friday by the Atlanta Tipoff Club, while Yellow Jacket head coach Josh Pastner was honored as the Whack Hyder Men’s College Coach of the Year.
Lorela Cubaj, the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and an All-ACC first-team choice for Georgia Tech’s women’s team, was named the Georgia Women’s College Player of the Year.
Pastner, in his fifth year leading the Tech program, guided the Yellow Jackets to the fourth ACC title in team history and its first since 1993, and its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2010. At 17-9, the Yellow Jackets finished with their highest winning percentage since the 2004 national runner-up team went 28-10. Tech’s 11-6 ACC record was its fourth-best in team history by winning percentage, and its fourth-place regular-season finish was the team’s best since 2004. The college coach of the year award is named for legendary Tech coach John “Whack” Hyder, who led the Jackets from 1952-73.
The ACC’s Defensive Player of the Year and a second-team All-ACC choice, Alvarado ranks among the ACC’s top 10 in scoring (15.2 ppg), field goal percentage (.504), free throw percentage (No. 2 at .838), assists (4.1) and assist/turnover ratio (2.00). The ACC leader in steals by a wide margin and author of some stout defensive efforts against some of the Atlantic Coast Conference’s top scorers, the “Brooklyn Burglar” averaged 3.1 steals per game in conference play this season, 2.85 in all games, and is on course to lead the ACC in steals for the second straight year, something not done since Chris Paul in 2004 and 2005. The Brooklyn, N.Y., senior also has been named to the All-District 2 team by the National Basketball Association.
The ACC Player of the Year and a first-team all-conference selection, Wright logged seven doubles in 2020-21 and ranks among the ACC top 10 in several categories as well. The 6-9 forward is third in scoring average (17.4 ppg), fourth in rebound average (8.04 rpg), fourth in field goal percentage (.532), seventh in steals (1.48 per game), sixth in blocked shots (1.64 per game), fourth in offensive rebounds (3.16 rpg) and sixth in minutes (6th, 35.34 mpg). The Raleigh, N.C., native was previously named honorable mention All-American by the Associated Press and to the All-District IV team by the United States Basketball Writers Association.