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ACC Hoops Preview: 2007-08
North Carolina
Look out, ACC, the kids from Carolina grew up fast last season! The Tar Heels (31-7 SU, 21-14 ATS) and coach Roy Williams had to deal with a mass exodus to the NBA after the 2005 national championship, and they rose to the occasion (talent will do that). Williams has another explosive offense to work with, one that averaged 86 points with a 12-deep rotation that runs right at opponents, winning the ACC tourney.
6-9 junior Tyler Hansbrough (18 ppg, 8 rpg) led the team in scoring and rebounding and is back. Sophomore guards Wayne Ellington and Ty Lawson also return and both were terrific as freshmen. There is outstanding young depth up front with 6-5 junior Danny Green (13.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg), 6-8 sophomore Deon Thompson (12.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg), and 6-9 sophomore Alex Stepheson (6.4 ppg). Talk about youth and talent!
In ACC play, Carolina had nine players that averaged double-figure minutes and two more (Wes Miller and Alex Stepheson) that had been consistent parts of the rotation all season long. They waxed Arizona, 92-64 on the road, shooting 51.3% from the field, and topped then No. 1 Ohio State, 98-89. Incredibly, their 5-of-22 performance from three-point land against Arizona was the Tar Heels' worst of the season...and they still won by 28!
There's great depth with 6-5 junior Marcus Ginyard (16.9ppg, 4.1 rpg), a great defender, and junior guard Bobby Frasor (10.1 ppg). UNC was 18-1 SU, 12-4 ATS at home. Despite all this offense, notice North Carolina allowed 68 ppg and was 18-17 under the total. North Carolina has a talented and deep team that is a serious threat to go all the way. They weren't a dog all season!
Duke
Coach Mike Krzyzewski has another talented roster ready to flex its ACC muscles again. One thing surprising is that this was not the usual explosive Duke offense last season we're used to. They played strong defense, allowing 62 points per game and 72 ppg on offense. That explains why they were 16-15 under the total. There were no senior starters, either, and they got upset by VCU last March, so it was a bit of a disappointing 22-11 campaign.
It was an offseason of broken bones, too. Duke senior guard DeMarcus Nelson had surgery to repair a scaphoid fracture in his left wrist in July. Nelson averaged a team-high 14.1 points per game and was one of two guards in the ACC to average over 5.0 rebounds per game last season. In addition to finishing second on the team in rebounds (5.4 rpg.), he also led the Blue Devils in steals with 44. As a junior, Nelson more than doubled his scoring output from his sophomore season and connected on 47.8 percent of his field goals and 36.4 percent of his three-pointers.
Duke sophomore center Brian Zoubek had surgery to repair a fifth metatarsal fracture in his left foot in July. "It was a setback for Brian," said Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski. "He worked diligently this summer to add weight to his frame and he did so successfully. We have total confidence that Brian will play an important role on our team in 2007-08." The 7-1 Zoubek gained 20 pounds in the off-season and now weighs 266 pounds. In 32 games as a freshman, Zoubek averaged 3.1 points and 2.2 rebounds in 7.3 minutes per game. He shot .524 from the field and .667 from the free throw line.
The backcourt returns 6-5 sophomore Jon Scheyer (12.2 ppg), the third leading scorer, and 6-4 sophomore Gerald Henderson, Jr. 6-6 junior David McClure (4.9 rpg) and 6-8 soph Lance Thomas will work the boards along with Zoubek. Junior PG Greg Paulus hopes for good health after battling foot problems last year. As a freshman he led the ACC in assists on a team that won 32 games, so his bounce-back looks like a key. Look for 6-8 freshman Kyle Singler to contribute, a former Oregon co-player of the year.
The Blue Devils were not as deep or experienced a year ago as in recent years, getting whipped by Marquette on a neutral court, losing at home to Virginia Tech, and just 2-4 SU/ATS as a dog. A midseason knee injury to sophomore forward David McClure was a blow, as he was a strong defender, and ranked second at the time on the team with 31 steals and 15 blocked shots. They got knocked out of the ACC tourney early by NC State, losing in OT as a 9-point favorite!
Duke excelled in the halfcourt game more than the run-and-gun style. Duke topped Ohio State 54-51 in a slow-down game, whipped halfcourt Air Force 71-56, beat Holy Cross 57-45, and even slowed things down against Gonzaga, a 61-54 win. They even held Wake and NC State to 40 and 56 points. Duke is always a threat, but the lack of experience and less depth than in the past, this team might not be appear as powerful as some past deeper Duke squads.
North Carolina State
NC State had a new head basketball coach last year in Sidney Lowe, and the Wolf Pack impressed with a 20-16 SU, 15-14 ATS season. They were 6-0 as a dog, but just 8-16 as a favorite. With the return of 6-8 senior Gavin Grant (14.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg), 6-9 junior Brandon Costner (16.8 ppg, 7.3 rpg) and 6-9 junior Ben McCauley (14.4 ppg, 6.9 rpg), the Wolfpack will feature one of the ACC's formidable frontlines.
In fact, the roster loses only one senior. Also back will be starting shooting guard 6-5 junior Courtney Fells (10.9 ppg) and 6-7 sophomore forward Dennis Horner. The only concern is point guard, which is where sophomore Farnold Degand comes in, a former transfer from Iowa. This young team was good at home at 14-6 SU, 4-9 ATS, but just 3-9 SU, 7-5 ATS on the road. With all the returning experience, plus a strong frontcourt, they should top 20 wins again.
Clemson
The Tigers (25-11) are off a terrific season and fourth-year head coach Oliver Purnell hopes for another great campaign losing only one starter. This is a balanced offense, with 5 players averaging in double figures. They have a strong one-two punch of 6-5 junior K.C. Rivers (14.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg) and 6-9 senior James Mays (12.2 ppg, 6.4 rpg). The duo helped lead the way during a 17-0 start.
Throw in 6-7 sophomore Trevor Booker (10.4 ppg, 6.4 rpg) and their top two rebounders are back. Although note that rebounding was a problem. When the Tigers won their first 17 games of the year they were out-rebounded just twice (by Monmouth and Georgia Tech). In ACC play, Clemson was out-rebounded in five straight games, losing four. Clemson out-shot Duke and Virginia from the field, but lost both contests. Clemson was out-rebounded, 79-53 in those two games combined, including a 32-16 deficit in offensive rebounding.
Their early schedule wasn't that difficult, and after that perfect start they were anything but, losing four of five in ACC play, including a 77-55 home loss to North Carolina. Senior guard Cliff Hammonds is back and averaged 11.6 ppg, while leading the Tigers in assists with 4.1 per game. They get 6-7 junior Julius Powell back after an injury plagued sophomore year. He had surgery to correct some knee problems after the season and should be back to full strength.
Said Purnell, "We will play the same pressing style. We will try to spread the floor defensively, our style won't change much from the beginning of last year. We will strive to put as much pressure as possible on the opponent all over the court." How tough was their non-conference schedule? Not very, going 14-0 winning by a 78-59 average. Clemson won at South Carolina, 74-53, but also squeaked by Mississippi State 69-66 as a 10-point home favorite.
The frontcourt has 6-9 junior Raymond Sykes, a center-forward who is an outstanding defender. "The point guard position is certainly our main question," said Purnell. Three sophomores add depth, all listed at 6-6 or taller. David Potter is a 6-6 wing player from Bradenton, FL. A.J. Tyler, a 6-9 native of Palm Harbor, FL, and Karolis Petrukonis is a 6-11 center from Trakai, Lithuania will make contributions to the frontcourt. Clemson was 16-5 SU in home games last season, but just 6-5 SU on the road (8-3 ATS). They were young last season, so all the returning experience should help in another winning season.
Maryland
The Maryland Terrapins (25-9 SU, 17-10 ATS) went through a bit of a rebuilding season two years ago, and it paid off last season in a strong 25-win season. However, they lose 3 senior starters, including their top two scorers. They have veteran frontcourt for this season, with 6-8 senior James Gist (12 ppg, 7 rpg) and 6-8, 255-lb senior Bambale Osby (3.9 rpg).
Gist started 33 games and played in every contest for Maryland during his junior season. He was named honorable mention All-ACC as he ranked third on the team and 23rd in the ACC in scoring (12.6 ppg). Gist was the team's leading scorer in conference play with 13.9 points per contest. He was fourth in the ACC in blocked shots (2.12 bpg) and seventh in rebounding (7.2 rpg). The Silver Spring native scored in double figures 28 times as a junior and posted six double-doubles. He blocked 72 shots and ranks eighth all-time at Maryland with 154 career blocked shots.
The Terrapins had a fine offense (79 ppg), though they were 16-11 under the total. That's because the Terps made a renewed commitment to defense in 2006-07. Maryland outscored its opponents by an average of 12.7 points per game, the second best scoring margin in the ACC behind mighty North Carolina. Maryland forced its opponents into an average of 18 turnovers per game, while getting 8.1 steals per game. Sophomore guards Greivis Vasquez (9.8 ppg) and Eric Hayes step up in the backcourt, and both can play the point or shooting guard, which is a big plus. Freshman Adrian Bowe and Cliff Tucker are newcomers who should add depth to this young backcourt.
Maryland was 6-4 SU, 6-3 ATS on the road last season and 17-3 SU, 10-4 ATS at home. Two years ago Maryland was 14-4 at home but just 4-7 SU, 5-6 ATS on the road. Three years ago they were 3-7 SU, 2-8 ATS on the road, and four years ago a much more veteran unit went 5-6 SU/2-9 ATS on the road. This school likes playing in March, winning the national title six years ago, so another winning season is likely.
Georgia Tech
The Yellow Jackets are off a 20-12 SU, 15-12 ATS season playing outstanding defense, allowing 69 ppg. They were 17-10 under the total. The Yellow Jackets lost their two top scorers and their best one-on-one defender, but eight letterwinners who averaged double-digit minutes return, three highly-regarded recruits are on campus, and two other players who sat out last season join the fray.
It should be another good season for Paul Hewitt, who begins his eighth year as Georgia Tech's head basketball coach. The backcourt is solid behind guards 6-3 junior Lewis Clinch and 6-5 senior Anthony Morrow. Clinch played only 14 games last year before being declared ineligible, was averaging better than 17 points, hitting 53 percent of his shots and 47.6 percent of his three-point attempts through his first 10 games. Morrow took over most of Clinch's minutes as the season went on, and averaged 12.3 points from Dec. 30 on, and 10.6 points against the ACC while hitting 41.7 percent of his threes.
Up front, Tech returns its two leading rebounders in 6-6 senior Jeremis Smith (8.3 ppg, 5.9 rpg) and 6-10, 250-lb senior center Ra'Sean Dickey (8.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg), who helped the Jackets finish second in the Atlantic Coast Conference in rebound margin at 5.8 boards per game. The bench has 6-10 junior Alade Aminu, 6-5 junior D'Andre Bell, 6-10 soph Mouhammad Faye and 6-8 soph Zach Peacock, all of whom were significant contributors and have 30 career starts between them.
Add to that group point guard Matt Causey and forward Brad Sheehan, who sat out last season as a transfer and a red-shirt, as players who are familiar with Hewitt's system. Hewitt welcomes a trio of talented recruits in 6-8 Gani Lawal, 6-2 PG Maurice "Moe" Miller, and 6-4 shooter Lance Storrs. The Yellow Jackets hit 49 percent of their shots from the floor and outscored opponents by 9.2 points on average for the season.
Georgia Tech was 17-1 SU, 11-3 ATS at home last season, but 1-8 SU/2-6 ATS on the road. This is a talented group and they should have another winning season in the competitive ACC. "I'm very confidence of this team," Hewitt said. "This is a veteran team and we have some pretty good depth."
Virginia
The Virginia Cavaliers are off a 21-11 SU, 14-11 ATS season, getting third-year coach Dave Leitao ACC Coach of the Year honors. Virginia loses 2 starters, but got a break as guard Sean Singletary withdrew his name from consideration for the NBA draft and will return to Virginia for his senior year. Virginia was 8-2 ATS as a dog!
Singletary has been a Virginia co-captain each of the last two seasons, earned numerous All-America honors after the 2006-07 season and was a first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection for the second consecutive year in 2007. He finished the 2006-07 season with averages of 19.0 points, 4.7 assists and 4.6 rebounds a game.
Singletary led the Cavaliers in points (19.0 ppg), assists (4.7 apg), three-point field goals made (79, 2.47 a game), free throw percentage (.872, 190-218), steals (38, 1.2 spg) and minutes played (33.2 mpg). He ranked second in the Atlantic Coast Conference in three-point field goals made and free throw percentage (.872, 190-218), third in scoring, fifth in assists and 10th in minutes played. Who wouldn't want all that back?
Senior F/G 6-5 Mamadi Diane (9.6 ppg) returns, a tweaner up front who can also play in the backcourt. Who will grab rebounds? They lost their top board bangers, so they will look for more from 6-8, 255-lb senior Laurynas Mikalauskas, 6-7 senior Adrian Joseph, 6-6 junior Will Harris and 6-8 junior Jamil Tucker. Virginia was 16-1 SU at home last season (7-4 ATS) and 3-6 SU on the road (6-3 ATS). In fact, Virginia is 12-20 ATS on the road the last three years! Expect this young group to be better at home and on the road again, but a winning season will depend on how the frontcourt emerges.
Boston College
This team plays hard for coach Al Skinner, but it's rebuilding time at the Heights. Workhorse Craig Smith graduated two years ago, and now the Eagles (21-12) lose 6-7 senior Jared Dudley (19 ppg, 8 rpg) and 6-10 junior Sean Williams, who both went to the NBA. So who is going to rebound? It's up to rotund 6-6 sophomore Shamari Spears (3.7 boards pg) to step up, 6-10 senior John Oates and 6-11 senior center Tyrelle Blair. Oates averaged 4.7 points and 3.7 rebounds per game and started 31 games in 2006-07.
"We're going to be a young team," said Skinner. Boston College finished the 2006-07 season with a 21-12 mark, including a 10-6 record in Atlantic Coast Conference action. BC earned its sixth NCAA Tournament bid in the last seven years, defeating Texas Tech in the first round. Junior guard Tyrese Rice captured the Playmaker Award and returns after 17.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 5.4 assists per contest.
Another concern is that they haven't been a strong road team at 5-6 last season. After losing to Duke in two year's ago in the ACC title game, just 78-76, BC had the rematch this season and lost 75-61, getting beat on the boards 41-30. Sports bettors take note: BC was 7-0 against the spread as an underdog two years ago, but just 2-8 SU/4-6 ATS last season. This is a rebuilding year for BC, so another 20-win campaign will be tough.
Wake Forest
Wake Forest is off a poor 15-16 and a tragic offseason, as Demon Deacons Head Coach Skip Prosser passed away at age 56 in July. The kids are going to be playing with heavy hearts all season, as most of the players under him last season return. One key for new coach Dino Gaudio, who was an assistant under Prosser, will be trying to find a replacement for 6-11 center Kyle Visser (17 ppg), who led the team in scoring and rebounding.
The frontcourt will throw 6-6 senior Cameron Stanley back into the fire, along with 6-8 junior Jamie Skeen (7.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg), who was second in rebounds. The backcourt has more experience, led by 5-11, 155-lb junior Ishmael Smith (8.7 ppg) and senior Harvey Hale and junior shooting guard L.D. Williams.
Wake Forest's men's basketball 2006-07 recruiting class was ranked 10th nationally by Rivals.com. This young team was competitive at home (12-5), but struggled badly on the road at 2-10 SU, 3-8 ATS. Wake was 19-12 "over" the total three years ago, 17-15 "over" two years ago and 15-14 under last year. This is a young team that will struggle for wins, and struggle with heavy hearts.
Virginia Tech:
Is there value with senior leadership? Yes, as Coach Seth Greenberg had a senior-laden Virginia Tech team a year ago that went 22-12 and made some waves in the ACC. But the down side is they lost their top players in senior guards Zabian Dowdell (18 ppg) and Jamon Gordon, and 6-9 senior Coleman Collins.
In addition, the Virginia Tech Athletics Department announced an official patch that will be worn on all Hokie athletics uniforms in the upcoming academic year. Virginia Tech's official tribute ribbon logo remembering the victims of the April 16, 2007 tragedy comes from a student-inspired design. The school is still coping from a year of tragedy.
So they will rebuild around 6-7 senior Deron Washington, who was second in scoring (12 ppg) and tops in rebounding (5.3 rpg). 6-6 junior A.D. Vassallo (11 ppg) adds experience and depth to the frontcourt and was the fourth leading scorer. 6-9 junior Cheick Diakte is an athletic force up front, a good shot blocker who should average more than 3 rpg. Another key is 6-7 Jeff Allen, a transfer who should fit right in up front as a strong rebounder and inside scorer. The backcourt has sophomore Nigel Munson, who averaged 11 minutes as a freshman.
Virginia Tech adds guard Darrion Pellum, a 6-6, 210-pound guard from Hampton, Va., averaged 18 points and six rebounds per game as a senior at Massanutten Military Academy. Pellum averaged 40 percent from three-point range and 72 percent from the free throw line. Pellum joins five other players who signed the Hokies in 6-7 Jeff Allen, a forward from Washington, D.C, wing 6-6 Terrell Bell, 6-3 Malcolm Delaney from Baltimore, 6-9 Gus Gilchrist, and 6-4 Dorenzo Hudson.
Hank Thorns, a 5-9, 175 lbs guard from Las Vegas, Nevada also comes aboard. Thorns played his high school basketball at Las Vegas Valley High School. He averaged 27.7 points, 12.5 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 3.7 steals per game as a senior. He averaged 21.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game as a junior.
Virginia Tech was 4-4 SU/ATS as a dog, with a stunning 69-67 overtime win at Duke and a 94-88 home win over North Carolina as a +5 dog. However, they finished a stretch of five games in 13 days at mid-season and looked out of gas, including a 70-59 home loss to NC State as a 13-point favorite. They do play strong defense and went 17-11 under the total allowing 65 ppg. Virginia Tech was 13-2 SU, 6-6 ATS at home where they play their best defense allowing 60 ppg, but they were only 6-6 SU, 6-5 ATS on the road allowing 70 ppg. Virginia Tech will struggle for a winning season.
Florida State
Coach Leonard Hamilton runs a good program, off a terrific 22-13 season. They were just 3-10 ATS as an underdog and lose three key seniors, including frontcourt ace Al Thornton, the leading scorer and rebounder who went to the NBA. So this is a bit of a rebuilding season.
It looks like the backcourt will have to carry the load. Senior guard Toney Douglas (12 ppg) is back and was the second leading scorer, so he will provide backcourt stability, along with 6-4 senior G Jason Rich (10 ppg) and senior Isaiah Swann (10 ppg). There is a lot of long range firepower. But who will rebound? The frontcourt is thin, with 6-8 senior Casaan Breeden and 6-9 senior Uche Echefu were only marginal role players last season.
You may see a lot of newcomers 7-1 Solomon Alabi and 6-10, 245-pound freshman Julian Vaughn, big guys who will get thrown into the frontcourt. Still, the Seminoles lost a lot of senior leadership and rebounding muscle. This team was only 4-9 SU, 4-7 ATS on the road last year, so they won't approach 20 wins this year.
Miami
Rebuilding Miami is off an unimpressive 12-20 season, but returns 3 starters. The main problem was defense, giving up 73 ppg, which is why they were 16-11 over the total. Their top two players return in 6-7 junior Brian Asbury (11.7 ppg, 5.9 rpg), who led in rebounds, and junior guard Jack McClinton. McClinton won the Most Valuable Player team Award, leading the Canes in scoring with 16.7 ppg.
The backcourt returns sophomore James Dews and Senior Jonathan Statton, but the frontcourt lacks height and defense. 6-8 sophomore Dwayne Collins (8.6 ppg, 6.5 rpg) was a good role player as a freshman, but has little help. Basketball coach Frank Haith will have to use young players such as 6-7 swingman Lawrence Gilbert, who averaged 16.4 points and 12.7 rebounds while playing for Houston (Texas) Wheatley High School two years ago.
He earned Class 4A All-Region III honors by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches and led all area players in rebounding. They also have 6-10 senior forward Fabio Nass (Brazil), and 6-9, 258-lb center Julian Gamble may be a keeper, a highly heralded prospect. Miami is 21-15 ATS on the road the last three seasons, and the Canes are 27-24 ATS as a dog, but don't look for many wins with so little defense and height.
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