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Georgia Basketball: What does Yante Maten’s return mean?

By Mike Stowe

Feb 14, 2017; Athens, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs forward Yante Maten (1) in action against Mississippi State Bulldogs guard Lamar Peters (1) during the second half at Stegeman Coliseum. Georgia defeated Mississippi 79-72. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hagy-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 14, 2017; Athens, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs forward Yante Maten (1) in action against Mississippi State Bulldogs guard Lamar Peters (1) during the second half at Stegeman Coliseum. Georgia defeated Mississippi 79-72. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hagy-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mike Stowe breaks down what Georgia Basketball star Yante Maten’s decision to stay I school means for UGA.

Related Story: Yante Maten returning to UGA

Yante Maten announced via Instagram   that he would be returning to Georgia for his senior season. Of course this is great news for Georgia Basketball and it’s fans. Anyone who follows Georgia hoops knows what kind of player Maten is. He wasn’t invited to the NBA combine. However he did receive workouts with the Denver Nuggets and Boston Celtics. Until he mad this decision, there was still the possibility that he could go pro. But the decision has been made and he’s coming back. Maten is one of the best players to ever play here. But what will it mean? How much will it truly impact the 2017-2018 team?

The obvious answer is this makes the Dawgs a much stronger team. He averaged 18.2 points per game and 6.8 rebounds per game last season. The mere presence of Maten in the paint makes Georgia a bigger threat in any game. Maten is a pretty big dude at 6’8 and 240. His size and power are assets that could be the difference between Georgia being a tournament team and them missing it yet again. Yes,  Maten was here this season and the Dawgs were still an N.I.T. team that were bounced in the first round. But Maten was injured towards the end of the season. While J.J. Frazier stepped up in his absence and performed phenomenally, one can’t help but wonder how the 2016-2017 squad would have fared if Maten would have stayed healthy.

Next season is a huge year for Mark Fox.

Any game that Georgia plays this upcoming season, regardless of the opponent,  they know they’ll have one of the most talented players on the court. Maten alongside sophomore forward Derek Ogbeide will be 2 huge pieces in making up what will be one of the most formidable front courts in the SEC. Frazier being gone will no doubt be felt but the Dawgs should still be a competitive young team. The burden of keeping them focused and putting them in a position to win lays on the shoulders of Coach Mark Fox. He’s faced with the task of making sure that this team doesn’t underachieve like it has the past 2 seasons. Maten returning will make his job much easier.

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