BLACKSBURG -- Virginia Tech has concluded a memorable men's basketball season, but that doesn't mean expectations will be high for the Hokies next year.

The Hokies must replace a trio of four-year starters and 1,000-point scorers -- All-ACC first-team guard Zabian Dowdell, ACC defensive player of the year Jamon Gordon and center Coleman Collins. They are among five seniors from this year's NCAA tournament team who are moving on.

Coach Seth Greenberg hopes Tech doesn't wind up like Wake Forest, which was an ACC also-ran this season after losing five seniors who combined for 5,007 career points.

"We invested a lot in those seniors, but it's not like we didn't play some underclassmen," Greenberg said Tuesday. "We have the potential to be a very good basketball team.

"Wake Forest went through that transition period. Hopefully we don't go through the same thing. ... We think we have enough veterans coming back that we can continue to grow our product."

There will be a roster overhaul next season, when at least five freshmen will be coming aboard. Whether the Hokies can be as good offensively or defensively as this year's 22-12 team is a big question.

Greenberg had a perimeter-oriented team this season but hopes to be better in the paint next season.

"Our frontcourt will be deeper. We'll be bigger," said Greenberg, whose team made the NCAA tournament this year for the first time in 11 years. "We'll be a little bit more physical up front. ... Hopefully, we'll be a better rebounding team. ... We'll be a better interior defensive team."

Deron Washington, who averaged 12 points as a junior this year, will be the only scholarship senior on the roster. Although Washington moved from small forward to power forward in late February, odds are he will return to small forward next season.

"Hopefully I'll get back to ... my natural position and be able to run the court a little more," he said.

A.D. Vassallo, who averaged 11.1 points as a sophomore, also returns. After spending much of the season coming off the bench, he regained his starting small forward job in late February. He might replace Gordon as the starting off-guard, or he might go back to being Washington's backup at small forward.

Tech will need a new starting backcourt to replace Dowdel1 (17.4 ppg) and Gordon (11.4 ppg). Gordon and Dowdell were not only 1-2 on the team in assists but also 1-2 in the ACC in steals.

"It's going to be tough trying to replace those two guys," Washington said. "Those two guys are like the heart of the team."

Both Dowdell and Gordon could run the offense, but the offense will run through one player next season -- Nigel Munson. Munson, who averaged 11.1 minutes as a freshman, will replace Dowdell at point guard.

"We're going to try to push really hard because that's Nigel's strength," Greenberg said. "We have a point guard that really can distribute and make plays."

"We can actually run a little more," Washington said.

Cheick Diakite, who averaged 12.8 minutes and 2.9 points, seems likely to be one of the starting post players. Lewis Witcher, who started 20 games at power forward as a freshman this year before going back to the bench, could be the other starting post player. The Franklin County graduate averaged 2.9 points and 13.1 minutes.

But don't be surprised if a freshman or two cracks the starting lineup. Recruiting analyst Bob Gibbons rated Tech's fall recruiting class the 17th-best in the nation.

"The group that's coming in is talented, but it'll take them awhile to kind of get up to speed in terms of their definition of playing hard and my definition of playing hard," Greenberg said.

Jeff Allen, who was on Hargrave Military Academy's postgraduate team this year, will be a freshman power forward. He was rated the No. 72 recruit in the nation by rivals.com last month.

Terrell Bell of Stone Mountain (Ga.) High School can play power forward or on the wing. He was rated No. 142 by rivals.com.

"Allen's physically strong," Greenberg said. "He's kind of like a Mario Boggan at Oklahoma State. ... He's got a low-post scoring game. ... Bell's a lot like Deron -- rangy and athletic and quick."

Power forward Gus Gilchrist of Progressive Christian Academy in Camp Springs, Md., was ranked No. 101 by rivals.com. He averaged 25 points, 13 rebounds and six blocks. Like Allen, he will play in the Capital Classic all-star game at the Comcast Center next month.

"He has an amazing post game for a player his age," Progressive Christian coach Van Whitfield said. "He has a nice mid-range game."

Malcom Delaney averaged 19.7 points, 4.2 assists and 3.3 steals as an off-guard at Towson (Md.) Catholic. He was named the Baltimore Catholic League player of the year and the Baltimore Sun's metro player of the year. He was rated No. 82 by rivals.com.

"He's a very athletic, quick guard," Towson Catholic coach Josh Pratt said. "He can shoot it, he can bring the ball up the floor."

The freshman class also will include wing Dorenzo Hudson, who played for Hargrave's postgraduate team as a senior this year. He was rated No. 98 by rivals.com.

"He shoots with range, but more importantly, he's a scorer," Greenberg said.

Greenberg still has one scholarship left and would like to sign another guard.