Cyril Martynov adds needed size for 2022-23

Roster building for Georgia Tech Basketball continues late in the Summer, adding newly reclassed big man Cyril Martynov for the upcoming season.

Even since former ACC Player of the Year center Moses Wright left, Georgia Tech Basketball has been in big need of frontcourt depth. Last season, Georgia transfer Rodney Howard and sophomores Saba Gigiberia and Jordan Meka got most of the minutes at center but collectively, didn’t have much of an impact on either end.

Howard got the most minutes, starting 25 games and averaging 6.5 ppg and 5.1 rpg on 56% shooting from the field in 25 mpg. He started off last season well with 10 points and 14 rebounds against Miami (OH) but was a non-factor throughout the middle section. Still, performances such as 14 and 11 versus NC State and 19 points and 10 boards against Syracuse that gives optimism for next season.

But the Yellow Jackets will need more in the frontcourt besides Howard and for both center and power forward, the team only had Meka and incoming 6’7 transfer from South Alabama, Javon Franklin. Now, they were able to land a 7’0 big man with immediate eligibility in Cyril Martynov.

Originally from Canada, Martynov has been playing his high school ball in New Jersey. He’s been a fairly unknown prospect nationally but clearly some D-I programs have had him on his radar, with Wisconsin, Northwestern, and Missouri also in the mix. And now that he reclassified to join the 2022 class, there’s a chance that he could be a hidden gem and impact freshman in a few months.

With a rebuilt roster, Georgia Tech Basketball has some questions for the upcoming season, including in the frontcourt. If Martynov can have an impact, that’ll solve at least one question for the team and if nothing else, they can have 40 minutes of decent production at the center position. Without any other real options elsewhere, the Yellow Jackets had a good day with this pickup.