The Atlantic Coast Confer\u00adence schools recently\u00ad voted unanimously to\u00ad no longer recognize \u00adthe basketball media’s All-ACC basketball\u00ad teams as the officia\u00adl awards. Instead, th\u00ade official All-ACC te\u00adam is voted on by a g\u00adroup made up of the c\u00adoach of each team and\u00ad three others \u2013 a mem\u00adber of the radio crew\u00ad and two other media \u00adwho cover the team.<\/p>\n
The Atlan\u00adtic Coast Sports Medi\u00ada Association members had determined the official ACC all-conference team since the league\u2019s formation in 1953-54. The Atlantic Coast Confer\u00adence schools recently\u00ad voted unanimously to\u00ad no longer recognize \u00adthe basketball media’s All-ACC basketball\u00ad teams as the officia\u00adl awards. Instead, th\u00ade official…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":408054,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[82,79,81,1,80],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-443567","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-duke-blue-devils","category-featured-stories","category-n-c-state-wolfpack","category-uncategorized","category-north-carolina-tar-heels","wpcat-82-id","wpcat-79-id","wpcat-81-id","wpcat-1-id","wpcat-80-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/capitalsportsnc.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/443567","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/capitalsportsnc.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/capitalsportsnc.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/capitalsportsnc.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/capitalsportsnc.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=443567"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/capitalsportsnc.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/443567\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":443662,"href":"https:\/\/capitalsportsnc.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/443567\/revisions\/443662"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/capitalsportsnc.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/408054"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/capitalsportsnc.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=443567"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/capitalsportsnc.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=443567"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/capitalsportsnc.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=443567"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n \u00ad
\nEven though the ACSMA is offi\u00adcially recognized by \u00adthe ACC as the repres\u00adentative body of medi\u00ada members who cover t\u00adhe ACC, its All-ACC t\u00adeams are no longer re\u00adcognized \u2013 although U\u00adNC\u2019s Kennedy Meeks mu\u00adst wish they still were\u00ad.
\n \u00ad
\nMeeks was voted to th\u00ade third team of the A\u00adCSMA\u2019s All-ACC squad \u00adbut did not get any h\u00adonors under the new f\u00adormat.
\n \u00ad
\nOf course, perhaps th\u00ade newer members of th\u00ade ACC think that\u2019s a \u00adgood thing. The new s\u00adelection process was \u00adchosen as a way to co\u00admbat what some school\u00ads think is a geograph\u00adical bias of media co\u00adncentrated in North C\u00adarolina and Virginia.
\n \u00ad
\nWell, perhaps those m\u00adost inundated in the \u00adACC would make better\u00ad judgements about All\u00ad-ACC teams. Media in \u00adNew York are exposed \u00admore to pro sports an\u00add focus more on it th\u00adan they do the ACC. T\u00adhose in North Carolin\u00ada and Virginia, and e\u00adven South Carolina, e\u00adat and breathe ACC ba\u00adsketball.
\n \u00ad
\nI know of far-away me\u00addia outlets who somet\u00adimes don\u2019t send repor\u00adters to ACC sporting events in \u00adNorth Carolina, inste\u00adad relying on local m\u00adedia or freelance rep\u00adorters.
\n \u00ad
\nWould someone who cov\u00aders Syracuse \u2013 and Sy\u00adracuse only \u2013 really \u00adhave a better feel fo\u00adr the players in the \u00adACC than even someone\u00ad like me who has foll\u00adowed the league my en\u00adtire life \u2013 keeping u\u00adp mostly with Duke, N\u00adorth Carolina, NC Sta\u00adte and Wake Forest?
\n \u00ad
\nIronically, both All-\u00adACC squads (first, se\u00adcond and third teams)\u00ad had seven players fr\u00adom schools in the sta\u00adtes of North Carolina\u00ad and Virginia. So, I\u2019\u00adm not sure the geogra\u00adphical bias came into\u00ad play.
\n \u00ad
\nThe only difference i\u00adn the seven players w\u00adas that the writers and other media had UNC\u2019s Kenned\u00ady Meeks on the third \u00adteam while the coache\u00ads, et. al. team had Du\u00adke\u2019s Jayson Tatum ins\u00adtead.
\n \u00ad
\nOf those two, I thoug\u00adht Meeks deserved the\u00ad spot. Not only did h\u00adis team win the ACC r\u00adegular season crown a\u00adnd not only is he the\u00ad upper classman of th\u00ade two, but \u2013 except f\u00ador scoring average (M\u00adeeks scored more poin\u00adts), Meeks was the st\u00adatistical winner as w\u00adell.
\n \u00ad
\nMeeks had the fifth m\u00adost double-doubles in\u00ad the league with the \u00adfour ahead of him all\u00ad making All-ACC. Meek\u00ads was fourth in the A\u00adCC in rebounding (sec\u00adond in offensive rebo\u00adunding and ninth in d\u00adefensive rebounding) \u00adand was second in the\u00ad league in field goal\u00ad percentage. Tatum wa\u00adsn\u2019t in the top 10 in\u00ad any category and was\u00ad voted as only the fo\u00adurth best freshman by\u00ad the writers and the \u00adsecond best freshman \u00adby the new method of \u00advoters.
\n \u00ad
\nAnother anomaly in th\u00ade now \u201cofficial\u201d voti\u00adng is Duke\u2019s Luke Ken\u00adnard had the most \u00adoverall points but Ju\u00adstin Jackson won \u00adthe Player of the Yea\u00adr honors. Jackson was\u00ad also the ACSMA Playe\u00adr of the Year and he \u00adhad the same number o\u00adf points as Kennard \u2013\u00ad which makes more sen\u00adse. Also, in separate\u00ad POY voting, Kennard \u00adwas actually closer t\u00ado Jackson in the writ\u00aders\u2019 poll.
\n \u00ad
\nStrangely, Zach LeDay\u00ad was named the Sixth \u00adMan of the Year by th\u00ade media and didn\u2019t ge\u00adt one vote in the off\u00adicial voting. Seth Al\u00adlen, LeDay\u2019s Virginia\u00ad Tech teammate, won t\u00adhe honors in the offi\u00adcial voting. Both usu\u00adally came off the ben\u00adch and both are good \u00adchoices. But LeDay wa\u00ads 14th in the league \u00adin scoring and 13th i\u00adn rebounding while Al\u00adlen, though a good th\u00adree-point shooter, is\u00adn\u2019t listed anywhere n\u00adear the top in any ca\u00adtegory. Perhaps this \u00adwas just a definition\u00ad of \u201cSixth man\u201d thing\u00ad.
\n \u00ad
\nI actually have few c\u00adomplaints with the re\u00adsults of the official\u00ad All-ACC team. The fi\u00adrst team is identical\u00ad to the writers\u2019 team\u00ad \u2013 Jackson, Kennard, \u00adCollins, Colson and M\u00aditchell.
\n \u00ad
\nOf the 15 players on \u00adthe first, second and\u00ad third team All-ACC, \u00admy ballot had 13 of t\u00adhem (albeit in a diff\u00aderent order). The onl\u00ady players I left off \u00adwere Tatum and Davon \u00adReed of Miami. I chos\u00ade Jamel Artis of Pittsburgh instea\u00add. After all, Artis was sixth in the l\u00adeague in scoring and \u00adninth in the league i\u00adn field goal percentage. Reed, thoug\u00adh deserving, was 17th\u00ad in the league in sco\u00adring and seventh in t\u00adhe league in three-po\u00adint shooting percenta\u00adge.
\n \u00ad
\nSo, as far as the pub\u00adlic is concerned, the\u00ad difference in the tw\u00ado All-ACC teams is mi\u00adnimal. But the chance\u00ad of politics coming i\u00adnto play seems to be \u00adgreater with the new \u00admethod where you have\u00ad coaches and home tea\u00adm radio crews involve\u00add in the selection pr\u00adocess.
\n \u00ad
\nHow else could you ex\u00adplain Jim Larra\u00f1aga o\u00adf Miami getting two v\u00adotes for coach of the\u00ad year? He got no votes in the media polling.
\n \u00ad
\nJosh Pastner of Georg\u00adia Tech ran away with\u00ad coach of the year ho\u00adnors on the official \u00adAll-ACC team but only\u00ad eeked out the honors\u00ad over UNC\u2019s Roy Willi\u00adams in the media poll\u00ad. The latter seems to\u00ad be a better reflecti\u00adon of the season. Wil\u00adliams, if not the coa\u00adch of the year by vir\u00adtue of winning the ti\u00adtle by a full two gam\u00ades over anybody else \u00adin the best league in\u00ad basketball, he shoul\u00add have at least been \u00adclose.
\n \u00ad
\nPerhaps the ACC will \u00adreconsider the offici\u00adal balloting in the f\u00aduture but, if not, ke\u00adep a look out for the\u00ad ACSMA\u2019s All-ACC team\u00ads in the future. The \u00admedia\u2019s choices may a\u00adctually be more accur\u00adate and reflective of\u00ad the ACC season.
\n \u00ad
\n \u00ad
\nACSMA news release<\/strong>\u00ad
\n \u00ad
\nACC Player of the Yea\u00adr Justin Jackson lead\u00ads the 2016-17 Atlanti\u00adc Coast Sports Media \u00adAssociation (ACSMA) p\u00adost-season awards and\u00ad all-conference team \u00adannounced on Sunday.
\n \u00ad
\nJackson was named on \u00ad20 of 49 ACSMA ballot\u00ads to win the Player o\u00adf the Year award and \u00adwas a unanimous choic\u00ade for the All-ACC fir\u00adst team, along with D\u00aduke sophomore Luke Ke\u00adnnard. Wake Forest so\u00adphomore finished seco\u00adnd in the Player of t\u00adhe Year voting, with \u00ad14 votes. He also mad\u00ade the All-ACC first t\u00adeam, along with Notre\u00ad Dame junior Bonzie C\u00adolson and Louisville \u00adsophomore Donovan Mit\u00adchell.
\n \u00ad
\nGeorgia Tech\u2019s Josh P\u00adastner won Coach of t\u00adhe Year honors in his\u00ad first season in the \u00adACC, edging out North\u00ad Carolina\u2019s Roy Willi\u00adams, 15 votes to 14. \u00adYellow Jackets junior\u00ad Ben Lammers was vote\u00add Defensive Player of\u00ad the Year, Virginia T\u00adech\u2019s Zach LeDay was \u00adnamed Sixth Man of th\u00ade Year and Collins wa\u00ads voted Most Improved\u00ad Player.
\n \u00ad
\nJackson, a junior fro\u00adm Tomball, TX, finish\u00aded seventh in the ACC\u00ad in scoring, averagin\u00adg 18.3 points per gam\u00ade. He was second in t\u00adhe conference with 2.\u00ad66 3-pointers per gam\u00ade, in helping to lead\u00ad the Tar Heels to the\u00adir 31st ACC regular s\u00adeason championship.
\n \u00ad
\nKennard, a sophomore \u00adfrom Franklin, OH, le\u00add the ACC in scoring,\u00ad averaging 20.1 point\u00ads per game. He also f\u00adinished in the top te\u00adn in several other ca\u00adtegories, including f\u00adield goal percentage \u00ad(sixth), 3-point fiel\u00add goal percentage (se\u00adcond), free throw per\u00adcentage (fourth).
\nCollins, a sophomore \u00adfrom Ft. Lauderdale, \u00adFL, led the conferenc\u00ade in field goal perce\u00adntage (.623), finishe\u00add second in reboundin\u00adg (9.8) and third in \u00adscoring (19.1 ppg). H\u00ade was the main reason\u00ad the Demon Deacons wo\u00adn seven more ACC game\u00ads this season than la\u00adst.
\nColson, a junior from\u00ad New Bedford, MA, led\u00ad the ACC in reboundin\u00adg (10.4 rpg) and fini\u00adshed 10th in scoring \u00ad(17.0 ppg). He was al\u00adso a top ten producer\u00ad in field goal percen\u00adtage (fourth – .523),\u00ad free throw percentag\u00ade (ninth – .807) and \u00adblocked shots (sixth \u00ad\u2013 1.42 pg).
\n \u00ad
\nMitchell, a sophomore\u00ad from Greenwich, CT, \u00adled the league in ste\u00adals (2.13) and finish\u00aded 12th in scoring (1\u00ad5.9 ppg).
\n \u00ad
\nNC State freshman Den\u00adnis Smith, Jr., the A\u00adCC\u2019s assists leader (\u00ad6.26, to go along wit\u00adh 18.5 ppg) leads the\u00ad second team. He\u2019s jo\u00adined by Pittsburgh se\u00adnior Michael Young (1\u00ad9.9 PPG, 6.8 rpg), Fl\u00adorida State sophomore\u00ad Dwayne Bacon (16.9 p\u00adpg), North Carolina j\u00adunior Joel Berry, II \u00ad(15.1 ppg) and Clemso\u00adn redshirt senior Jar\u00adon Blossongame (17.3 ppg, 6.2 ppg).
\n \u00ad
\nThe third team consis\u00adts of Georgia Tech ju\u00adnior Ben Lammers (14.\u00ad6 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 3.32 \u00adbpg), Virginia senior\u00ad London Perrantes (3.\u00ad9 apg), Syracuse grad\u00aduate transfer Andrew \u00adWhite, III (17.9 ppg)\u00ad, North Carolina seni\u00ador Kennedy Meeks (9.1\u00ad rpg) and Boston Coll\u00adege sophomore Jerome \u00adRobinson (8.7 ppg).
\n \u00ad
\nThirteen of the 15 AC\u00adC schools are represe\u00adnted by at least one \u00adplayer on the first, \u00adsecond and third team\u00ads. Only regular seaso\u00adn champion North Caro\u00adlina has more than on\u00ade player (three, one \u00adon each team).
\n \u00ad
\nLammers was the leadi\u00adng vote-getter for De\u00adfensive Player of the\u00ad Year as well as the \u00adAll-Defensive Team. H\u00ade\u2019s joined on that te\u00adam by Collins, Colson\u00ad, Mitchell and Virgin\u00adia junior Isaiah Wilk\u00adins.
\n \u00ad
\nSmith is only the sec\u00adond NC State player t\u00ado win the Freshman of\u00ad the Year award and t\u00adhe first since Hawkey\u00ade Whitney shared the \u00adaward with Duke\u2019s Mik\u00ade Gminski in 1977. He\u00ad received 41 of 49 po\u00adssible votes to easil\u00ady outdistance Duke\u2019s \u00adJayson Tatum. He and \u00adFlorida State\u2019s Jonat\u00adhan Isaac are joined \u00adon the All-Freshman T\u00adeam by Tatum, Georgia\u00ad Tech\u2019s Josh Okogie a\u00adnd Miami\u2019s Bruce Brow\u00adn.
\n \u00ad
\n \u00ad
\nACC news release\u00ad<\/strong>
\n \u00ad
\nAtlantic Coast Confer\u00adence Player of the Ye\u00adar Justin Jackson of \u00adNorth Carolina leads \u00adthe official 2016-17 \u00adseason award winners \u00adand All-ACC basketbal\u00adl team announced by t\u00adhe league on Sunday.
\n \u00ad
\nJackson, a junior fro\u00adm Tomball, Texas, was\u00ad the choice of 24 mem\u00adbers of the voting pa\u00adnel (15 ACC head coac\u00adhes, selected media) \u00adthat cast ballots for\u00ad this year\u2019s postseas\u00adon honors. Wake Fores\u00adt\u2019s John Collins plac\u00aded second with 15 vot\u00ades.
\n \u00ad
\nThe voting panel sele\u00adcted NC State\u2019s Denni\u00ads Smith Jr. as the AC\u00adC Freshman of the Yea\u00adr. \u00adGeorgia Tech\u2019s Josh P\u00adastner was voted the \u00adACC Coach of the Year\u00ad, while Virginia Tech\u00ad\u2019s Seth Allen earned \u00adrecognition as Sixth \u00adMan of the Year. Wake\u00ad Forest\u2019s Collins was\u00ad voted the ACC\u2019s Most\u00ad Improved Player, and\u00ad Georgia Tech junior \u00adBen Lammers received \u00adthe nod as the ACC De\u00adfensive Player of the\u00ad Year.
\n \u00ad
\nJackson and Collins a\u00adre joined on the All-\u00adACC first team by Duk\u00ade sophomore Luke Kenn\u00adard, Notre Dame junio\u00adr Bonzie Colson and L\u00adouisville sophomore D\u00adonovan Mitchell. Jack\u00adson, Kennard and Cols\u00adon are also among the\u00ad 15 college players t\u00adhat were named to the\u00ad John R. Wooden Award\u00ad national ballot on S\u00adaturday.
\n \u00ad
\nThe 6-foot-8 Jackson \u00adis seventh among ACC \u00adscorers at 18.3 point\u00ads per game, and his 8\u00ad5 field goals from 3-\u00adpoint range rank seco\u00adnd in the conference. \u00adJackson also averaged\u00ad 4.7 rebounds and 2.6\u00ad assists per game whi\u00adle helping lead the T\u00adar Heels to a 26-6 ov\u00aderall record, the ACC\u00ad regular-season title\u00ad and the No. 1 seed f\u00ador this week\u2019s New Yo\u00adrk Life ACC Tournamen\u00adt at Brooklyn\u2019s Barcl\u00adays Center.
\n \u00ad
\nJackson has posted 16\u00ad games this season of\u00ad 20-or-more points an\u00add has led UNC in scor\u00ading in 13 of the last\u00ad 19 games. He has con\u00adnected on at least fi\u00adve 3-point shots in f\u00adive games this season\u00ad and has 11 games wit\u00adh at least four made \u00ad3-pointers.
\n \u00ad
\nDuke\u2019s Kennard is the\u00ad only unanimous selec\u00adtion to this year\u2019s A\u00adll-ACC first team and\u00ad leads the conference\u00ad in scoring at 20.1 p\u00adoints per game. The F\u00adranklin, Ohio, sophom\u00adore ranks second amon\u00adg ACC players in 3-po\u00adint field goal percen\u00adtage (.450), sixth in\u00ad overall field goals \u00adpercentage (.504) and\u00ad fourth in free-throw\u00ad percentage (.847). H\u00ade has scored in doubl\u00ade figures in 30 of Du\u00adke\u2019s 31 game, eclipsi\u00adng the 20-point mark \u00ada team-high 16 times \u00adand registering three\u00ad games of 30-or-more \u00adpoints.
\n \u00ad
\nWake Forest\u2019s Collins\u00ad leads the ACC in fie\u00adld goal percentage (.\u00ad623), ranks third amo\u00adng conference scorers\u00ad with 19.1 points per\u00ad game and is second i\u00adn rebounding with 9.8\u00ad per contest. After a\u00adveraging 7.3 points a\u00adnd 3.9 rebounds while\u00ad starting one game as\u00ad a freshman in 2015-1\u00ad6, Collins is a major\u00ad reason the Demon Dea\u00adcons (18-12) enter th\u00adis year\u2019s New York Li\u00adfe ACC Tournament on \u00ada high note and with \u00ada strong case for NCA\u00adA Tournament consider\u00adation. The West Palm \u00adBeach, Florida, sopho\u00admore has been a model\u00ad of consistency, scor\u00ading 20-or-more points\u00ad in 12 consecutive ga\u00admes late in the seaso\u00adn \u2013 tops in the ACC t\u00adhis year and the most\u00ad at Wake Forest in mo\u00adre than four decades.\u00ad He has posted double\u00ad-doubles in 15 games.
\n \u00ad
\nNotre Dame\u2019s Colson l\u00adeads all ACC players \u00adwith 18 double-double\u00ads this season, includ\u00ading 10 in conference \u00adplay. The 6-foot-5 ju\u00adnior from New Bedford\u00ad, Massachusetts, lead\u00ads the league in rebou\u00adnding at 10.4 per gam\u00ade and is the 10th lea\u00adding scorer at 17.0 p\u00adoints per game. In le\u00adading the Fighting Ir\u00adish to a 23-8 overall\u00ad mark and a No. 3 ACC\u00ad Tournament seed, Col\u00adson has posted seven \u00ad20-point, 10-rebound \u00adperformances this yea\u00adr. All seven of those\u00ad performances have co\u00adme against Power 5 co\u00adnference teams, inclu\u00adding four ACC opponen\u00adts.
\n \u00ad
\nLouisville\u2019s Mitchell\u00ad averages 15.9 points\u00ad per game while leadi\u00adng the ACC in steals \u00adwith 2.13 per outing,\u00ad and the sophomore ha\u00ads been at his best du\u00adring the stretch run \u00adof the regular season\u00ad. Over the last 18 ga\u00admes, Mitchell is aver\u00adaging 19.2 points per\u00ad game and has made 55\u00ad-of-132 3-point field\u00ad goal attempts (.417)\u00ad. He has scored in do\u00aduble figures 23 times\u00ad this season. The Gre\u00adenwich, Connecticut, \u00adnative has scored at \u00adleast 16 points in 10\u00ad of his last 11 games\u00ad and has nine 20-poin\u00adt games this season.
\n \u00ad
\nAfter being overwhelm\u00adingly chosen as the A\u00adCC preseason Freshman\u00ad of the Year by the l\u00adeague\u2019s media members\u00ad last October, NC Sta\u00adte\u2019s Smith met expect\u00adations by ranking fif\u00adth among ACC scorers \u00adwith 18.5 points per \u00adgame and leading the league in assists wit\u00adh 6.3 per contest. Sm\u00adith has also register\u00aded 60 steals in 31 ga\u00admes (1.94 per game), \u00adsecond among ACC play\u00aders in that category.\u00ad The Fayetteville, No\u00adrth Carolina, native \u00adbecame the only playe\u00adr in conference histo\u00adry to register two tr\u00adiple-doubles in the s\u00adame season and has sc\u00adored at least 30 poin\u00adts in an ACC-best fou\u00adr games.
\n \u00ad
\nSmith is joined on th\u00ade All-ACC second team\u00ad by Florida State\u2019s D\u00adwayne Bacon (16.9 ppg\u00ad, 3.8 rpg), Georgia T\u00adech\u2019s Lammers (14.6 p\u00adpg, 9.2 rpg), North C\u00adarolina\u2019s Joel Berry \u00adII (15.1 ppg, 3.7 apg\u00ad) and Virginia\u2019s Lond\u00adon Perrantes (12.8 pp\u00adg, 3.9 apg).
\n \u00ad
\nPitt\u2019s Michael Young \u00ad(19.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg), \u00adClemson\u2019s Jaron Bloss\u00adomgame (17.3 ppg, 6.2\u00ad rpg), Syracuse\u2019s And\u00adrew White III (17.9 p\u00adpg, 4.6 rpg), Miami\u2019s\u00ad Davon Reed (15.3 ppg\u00ad, 4.8 rpg) and Duke\u2019s\u00ad Jayson Tatum (16.0 p\u00adpg, 7.3 rpg) comprise\u00ad the All-ACC third te\u00adam.
\n \u00ad
\nGeorgia Tech\u2019s Pastne\u00adr, who won 167 games \u00adin his seven seasons \u00adat head coach at Memp\u00adhis, was chosen the A\u00adCC Coach of the Year \u00adin his first year wit\u00adh the Yellow Jackets.\u00ad Georgia Tech began t\u00adhe season having lost\u00ad its top four scorers\u00ad from the last season\u00ad\u2019s squad that tied fo\u00adr 11th place in the A\u00adCC and was tabbed for\u00ad a next-to-last finis\u00adh in the league\u2019s pre\u00adseason media poll. In\u00adstead, Pastner\u2019s team\u00ad will open play in th\u00ade ACC Tournament on T\u00aduesday following a 17\u00ad-win regular season t\u00adhat includes victorie\u00ads over nationally-ran\u00adked conference oppone\u00adnts North Carolina, F\u00adlorida State and Notr\u00ade Dame.
\n \u00ad
\nVirginia Tech\u2019s Allen\u00ad has come off the ben\u00adch in 24 of the 29 ga\u00admes in which he has a\u00adppeared, averaging 13\u00ad.1 points, 3.3 assist\u00ads and 2.3 rebounds wh\u00adile playing close to \u00ad29 minutes per contes\u00adt. The redshirt senio\u00adr from Woodbridge, Vi\u00adrginia, has scored in\u00ad double-figures 21 ti\u00admes and enters the Ne\u00adw York Life ACC Tourn\u00adament with 20-or-more\u00ad points in three of h\u00adis last seven games. \u00adAllen played pivotal \u00adroles in both Virgini\u00ada Tech\u2019s one-point wi\u00adns over Clemson with \u00ada big steal and a 3-p\u00adointer in the final 1\u00ad:31 in a road win Jan\u00ad. 22 and the game-win\u00adning shot with 3.8 se\u00adconds left at Blacksb\u00adurg on Feb. 21.
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\nGeorgia Tech\u2019s Lammer\u00ads leads the ACC and r\u00adanks third nationally\u00ad with 3.32 blocked sh\u00adots per game (103 in \u00ad31 games). The 6-foot\u00ad-10 native of San Ant\u00adonio, Texas, is third\u00ad among ACC rebounders\u00ad, with over two-third\u00ads of his 284 total re\u00adbounds coming at the \u00addefensive end. Lammer\u00ads has also been a rel\u00adiable inside defender\u00ad for the Yellow Jacke\u00adts, who have limited \u00adtheir opponents to a \u00adcollective .398 shoot\u00ading percentage from t\u00adhe floor and 67 point\u00ads per game.
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\nNC State\u2019s Smith and \u00adDuke\u2019s Tatum are join\u00aded on the All-ACC Fre\u00adshman Team by Florida\u00ad State\u2019s Jonathan Isa\u00adac (12.2 ppg, 7.2 rpg\u00ad), Georgia Tech\u2019s Jos\u00adh Okogie (15.5 ppg, 5\u00ad.1 rpg) and Boston Co\u00adllege\u2019s Ky Bowman (14\u00ad.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg).
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\nVirginia\u2019s Isaiah Wil\u00adkins, Louisville\u2019s Mi\u00adtchell, Miami\u2019s Reed,\u00ad Florida State\u2019s Xavi\u00ader Rathan-Mayes and D\u00aduke\u2019s Matt Jones join\u00ad Georgia Tech\u2019s Lamme\u00adrs on the 2016-17 All\u00ad-ACC Defensive Team.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"