Friday, November 13, 2009
ACC players to watch
You know about the Hokies and Cavs, but here are some other ACC players to keep your eye on:
TREVOR BOOKER
Clemson senior F
Last season: Averaged 15.3 points, 2 blocks and league-best 9.7 rebounds; shot league-best 57.1 percent from the field.
Booker says about his rebounding: “I just try to be physical. I think that helps me with my rebounding — try to throw a couple elbows, push people out of the way. I’m very athletic, so if I get you boxed out and I see that ball, I’m jumping over you. So I’m going to get every rebound. I just do whatever I can to go get the ball.”
ED DAVIS
North Carolina soph. F
Last season: Averaged 6.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 18.8 minutes; had 11 points and eight rebounds in 14 minutes in the NCAA title game.
UNC coach Roy Williams says: “Last year he was a role player, a supportive player, a very effective guy coming off the bench. Can he do that when the defense is aimed at him? That’s what we have to see. But he’s worked extremely hard. He’s better offensively. He’s worked on his free throws. His touch is better. He’s bigger, he’s stronger.”
KYLE SINGLER
Duke junior F
Last season: Averaged 16.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.5 steals and 32.2 minutes; played every minute of Duke’s three ACC Tournament games.
Teammate Jon Scheyer says of Singler’s move from power forward to small forward: “He’s going to create so many mismatches being on the perimeter, because he can shoot. I think he’ll actually post more this year because he’ll have a smaller guy on him. That’s something that will really help our team. He’ll handle the ball a lot more than people think.”
GANI LAWAL
Georgia Tech junior F
Last season: Averaged 15.1 points, 9.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks; shot 55.6 percent from the field and 55.9 percent from the free-throw line.
Lawal says about opting not to turn pro: “I went through the [advisory] process. I thought I was an NBA prospect; I wanted to get a better feel for it. It was very informative. When it came down to it, I felt I needed to go back to school, keep improving, keep working. I came back to a great team — that had something to do with it. We’ve got a chance to do something really special.”
GREIVIS VASQUEZ
Maryland senior G
Last season: Averaged 17.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5 assists and 34.6 minutes; shot 86.7 percent from the free-throw line; third-best assist-to-turnover ratio in ACC.
Vasquez says: “I expect teams will be tough on me defensively, so I have to be really efficient. I have to be focused every game … because I can’t really make that many mistakes. Because if I do, then my team will get hurt. That’s a fun thing, if you think about it, when you know a team’s going to after you. I’m sure [Kobe] Bryant got that every night. … I feel more comfortable with my shot. I think I’m quicker, stronger.”
TREVOR BOOKER
Clemson senior F
Last season: Averaged 15.3 points, 2 blocks and league-best 9.7 rebounds; shot league-best 57.1 percent from the field.
Booker says about his rebounding: “I just try to be physical. I think that helps me with my rebounding — try to throw a couple elbows, push people out of the way. I’m very athletic, so if I get you boxed out and I see that ball, I’m jumping over you. So I’m going to get every rebound. I just do whatever I can to go get the ball.”
ED DAVIS
North Carolina soph. F
Last season: Averaged 6.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 18.8 minutes; had 11 points and eight rebounds in 14 minutes in the NCAA title game.
UNC coach Roy Williams says: “Last year he was a role player, a supportive player, a very effective guy coming off the bench. Can he do that when the defense is aimed at him? That’s what we have to see. But he’s worked extremely hard. He’s better offensively. He’s worked on his free throws. His touch is better. He’s bigger, he’s stronger.”
KYLE SINGLER
Duke junior F
Last season: Averaged 16.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.5 steals and 32.2 minutes; played every minute of Duke’s three ACC Tournament games.
Teammate Jon Scheyer says of Singler’s move from power forward to small forward: “He’s going to create so many mismatches being on the perimeter, because he can shoot. I think he’ll actually post more this year because he’ll have a smaller guy on him. That’s something that will really help our team. He’ll handle the ball a lot more than people think.”
GANI LAWAL
Georgia Tech junior F
Last season: Averaged 15.1 points, 9.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks; shot 55.6 percent from the field and 55.9 percent from the free-throw line.
Lawal says about opting not to turn pro: “I went through the [advisory] process. I thought I was an NBA prospect; I wanted to get a better feel for it. It was very informative. When it came down to it, I felt I needed to go back to school, keep improving, keep working. I came back to a great team — that had something to do with it. We’ve got a chance to do something really special.”
GREIVIS VASQUEZ
Maryland senior G
Last season: Averaged 17.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5 assists and 34.6 minutes; shot 86.7 percent from the free-throw line; third-best assist-to-turnover ratio in ACC.
Vasquez says: “I expect teams will be tough on me defensively, so I have to be really efficient. I have to be focused every game … because I can’t really make that many mistakes. Because if I do, then my team will get hurt. That’s a fun thing, if you think about it, when you know a team’s going to after you. I’m sure [Kobe] Bryant got that every night. … I feel more comfortable with my shot. I think I’m quicker, stronger.”
