Dylan James impact a positive for Georgia, both in win and future for the program

ATHENS, Ga. — It hasn’t been smooth sailing for Georgia Basketball as of late, but on Tuesday, all that could be forgotten. The Bulldogs came away as victors one final time at Stegeman Coliseum, beating Ole Miss 69-66, and got a bit of a glimpse into the potential future for the program.

Georgia started three freshmen for the first time since 2019-20, ironically also happening against Ole Miss. Then, it was Anthony Edwards, Sahvir Wheeler and Toumani Camara, helping UGA to an SEC Tournament victory over the Rebels. Two of those three would return the following season and were key contributors on the last Bulldog squad to finish above .500 with the only departure being Edwards for the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft. As for Tuesday, it was Silas Demary, Blue Cain and Dylan James, all three of whom head coach Mike White hopes are back and playing alongside five-star signee Asa Newell next season in Athens.

For James, it was his first career start and the next step in what’s been a rise through the ranks late in the season. After only seeing action in just two of Georgia’s December non-conference contests against overmatched competition and playing only a single minute in the first nine SEC games, James played more minutes on Tuesday than he did the entire month of November and has seen the court in eight straight outings. While the Bulldogs haven’t been on the winning end as often as they’d like lately, James’ progression has been a big positive.

“He came to Georgia as a high basketball IQ, skilled, step out. shooting post player. He’s developed his toughness, his motor, he’s playing more athletically, he’s learned how to play harder. He’s adjusted to this level. It’s taken a little time, as it does for every freshman in this league, especially this week, and he’s playing his best basketball at the end of his freshman year,” White said about James after the game. “… He and Blue Cain, as two freshmen, both go 0-for-3 and 0-for-3 (from 3-point range), but played as hard as they played all season. Again, you can play quality minutes, you can play winning minutes, you can help add to a winning culture without having to make shots. I like to make shots; I like to make a bunch of them. Then you can be you can beat a bunch of people, but I’m proud of those guys’ effort.”

“It’s just nice to see. One of the most rewarding things in coaching when you watch a guy develop right before your eyes,” White added. “… To have a guy that was playing above the rim, blocking shots, altering shots, getting extra possessions and finishing with dunks, he fit in. He looked like a potential good SEC player which is the guy that we recruited.”

James came as close to a double-double as possible, needing to bring in just one more rebound. Still, his 10 points and 9 boards were both career-highs as he played 25:48 in the win, his first time topping the 20:00 mark.

“I remember when I first met him in June, he was a tall, lanky kid and you could see the potential, but he’s gotten stronger, worked hard and is in the gym every single day. It shows. He’s real confident now, and he’s playing his game. He never gets sped up,” Georgia graduate guard Noah Thomasson said. “I think this is kind of the beginning for him. We’re going to start seeing this more often, even when I’m not here. As he grows as a basketball player, I think we’re going to see a lot more out of Dylan James.”

As for James himself? He was on the soft-spoken side, still seemingly getting used to the attention. However, there’s no doubt he was feeling excited about the performance and the outcome against Ole Miss.

“It’s been huge,” James said when asked how big of a confidence boost the last few weeks have been. “Like I said, Coach always tells me to stay ready. To take advantage of opportunities like that and get actual experience in-game, it helps all around with confidence and experience.”

“It’s been a great freshman season, a great opportunity. That’s how I look at it, not like, ‘I’m not playing,’ or whatever,” he added. “To be on a team like the one we have is a great opportunity, and once I got the opportunity to be on the court, I tried to seize it as best as possible.”

Georgia, which has matched its 2022-23 win totals both overall and in the SEC, returns to action on Saturday against Auburn (6:30 p.m. ET, SECN). The Tigers rank No. 13 in the AP Poll and handed UGA a 21-point loss just over 10 days ago. However, White and the players hope that the momentum, both of Tuesday’s win and the improved play from its youngster, can propel them in what will be a tough Neville Arena environment.

“He was huge. That was that spark that I think we’ve been lacking a little bit down the stretch,” Thomasson said. “He came in and was challenging shots at the rim, something that makes us even more versatile because he’s at the 4 position doing it. We’re going to need that again with a huge game Saturday against Auburn, a really good team in a hostile environment. We’re going to need him to challenge some shots for us to have a chance to win.”

“This time of year, really for the most part in the middle of the season, I’m locked in on trying to beat Ole Miss. I’m locked in on an off day tomorrow. We’ll watch a ton of Auburn film and figure out how we can keep that thing competitive for a while, against a team that has got a chance to make a really big run and finish as strong as we possibly can,” White added. “We’re building, there’s no doubt in my mind. We’re going to get it done. We’re going to be even better next year. We’re better than we were a year ago. No doubt in my mind. We’ll take another jump next year. I’m not putting a time frame on anything, just trying to win each day. Do the best we can in player development, recruiting and scouting and operating at a high level. I thought our program had a good day today.”