GREENSBORO , N.C. - Based on what he sees on a regular basis, North Carolina State senior Tony Bethel doesn't view himself as courageous.

When Bethel received the ACC's first Bob Bradley Spirit and Courage Award, his thoughts turned to Greg Parrish, a 10-year-old from Raleigh who has been attached to the Wolfpack for two seasons.

"He had multiple brain tumors that caused him to go blind," he said. "He's there every day, even at some practices, cheering us on and pulling his heart out for us. Why should I feel sorry for myself over an injury? Looking at stuff like that has really helped me and motivated me."

Bethel , who spent his first two seasons at Georgetown , missed four games in 2004-2005 after a bout with colitis that caused him to lose 15 pounds. Upon his return, he sustained a ruptured tendon in his groin that caused him to miss the final four games, including a three-game NCAA tournament run.

The Parrish family lived in New Jersey before moving to Durham two years ago for treatment at Duke's medical center. When contacted as part of a "Hoops Dreams" program, Greg expressed little interest in nearby Duke but said he was a State fan.

Parrish and his father travel with the team when it takes a bus to games in North Carolina , and he joins the Wolfpack at its pregame meals.

Bethel had known for only a week that he had been nominated for the Bradley Award, named for longtime Clemson sports information director Bob Bradley, who died in 2000 after a three-year battle with bone cancer for which he received more than 100 radiation treatments.

Bethel 's campaign was "managed" by State sports information director Annabelle Vaughn, who broke into the business under Bradley and has a framed picture of him on her desk.

Nice gesture

A few heads turned Thursday when the Miami starting lineup was introduced and it included Lee Butler, a senior guard from Hylton High School in Woodbridge , Va. Butler , a walk-on, had played only 38 minutes all season.

"We started Lee Butler because we didn't get Lee's name in the book at home on Senior Day," Miami coach Frank Haith said. "We didn't have a chance to put him in the book and so he didn't start, and it really bothered me.

"I really wanted to make sure he had a chance to start, so he got the start today."

Butler is the older brother of Deon Butler, who joined the football team at Penn State as a walk-on and this year was the leading receiver for the Nittany Lions, ranked third in the final poll.

More on Gillen

Howard Garfinkel, founder of the Five-Star Basketball Camp and a confidant to dozens of coaches, is making his annual appearance at the ACC Tournament and says former Virginia coach Pete Gillen has indicated to his alma mater, Fairfield University , that he is not interested in its coaching vacancy.

Gillen has worked this year as an analyst for College Sports TV, but would be receptive to other Division I coaching offers, Garfinkel said. Gillen averaged more than 19 victories a year in 19 seasons as a Division I coach, including seven at Virginia (1998-2005).

Making history

Wake Forest always will have the distinction of being the first No. 12 seed to win an ACC Tournament game after knocking off fifth-seeded Florida State, 78-66.

With the addition of Boston College , this was the first ACC Tournament with a 12-member field. Similarly, Virginia won last year as an 11th seed in the first and only ACC Tournament with an 11-member field.

Legacy honored

At one point in his 19-year NBA career, Dale Ellis was the NBA's all-time leader in 3-point field goals. But before Thursday, his 6-foot-9, 267-pound son, Chris, was 28-for-63 on 3-pointers in his four-year Wake Forest career.

The younger Ellis would not make his father proud with his form, but his three 3-pointers against Florida State were instrumental in the Deacons' upset victory.

"It's a knuckleball that would make the Niekro brothers proud," Wake coach Skip Prosser said, referring to former major league baseball pitchers Joe and Phil Niekro. "Early in the year, he hit a very high percentage. In the conference season, he has not done that. He kept us alive tonight."