ACC Preview

Last week we looked at my preseason Top 25, now it's time to take a look at the conferences. I will start first with the ACC, mainly becasue it's my favorite and this is my blog. The ACC is again going to be one of the top 2 or 3 conferences in America. Overall, it is a little down, but do you know anybody that wants to play an ACC team come tournament time? My point exactly.


Preseason All-ACC team

C- Tyler Hansbrough- UNC
F- Brandon Costner- N.C State
G- Sean Singletary- Virginia
G- Tyrese Rice- Boston College
G- Tywon Lawson- UNC

Co-Freshmen of The Year- Kyle Singler/Duke & J.J Hickson/N.C State



1) North Carolina
This years Tarheel team is flat out loaded. There are not many teams in America that could lose Branden Wright and Reyshawn Terry and be as good the following year, this team can! It all starts with their super-human big man Tyler Hansbrough. Hansbrough is a national championship away from cementing his name among the all-time Carolina greats. He is a great low-post scorer and ferocious rebounder that will many opposing coaches shaking their heads. Hansbrough will be joined in the fron court by Deon Thompson and Marcus Ginyard. Thompson is coming off a great summer playing with the USA under 19 national team and will provide Hansbrough with some needed help down low. The backcourt is arguably one of the best in the country. Tywon Lawson, the lightning quick PG, will look to capitalize on an outstanding freshman season. He is joined by Silky smooth shooter Wayne Ellington. Ellington had a great freshman year averaging (11 ppg), but never quite lived up to his billing as a great shooter. If he is able to regain his touch from the outside, the Tarheels will be deadly. The Tarheels are quick, experienced, and deep, but must play defense if they are to cut the nets down in March.

2) Duke
Last year was one that most Duke fans would like to forget. Don't worry, they shouldn't have another year like 06'. Gone is Josh McRoberts, the multi-talented :) player that never really lived up to his billing. Duke will return four starters from last years team, led by PG Greg Paulus (14 ppg). He greatly improved last year, and should see significant improvement this year as well. Gerald Henderson (Hendothug- as know by Carolina fans), John Scheyer, and Senior Demarcus Nelson are the other returning starters. Duke got a big boost this year with a fantastic freshmen class. The class is led by Kyle Singler. Singler is 6-8 and can play anywhere from the the 3 to 5 position. He will more than likely fill out the starting five. The other two freshmen; Taylor King and Nolan Smith will definetly provide a spark to a bench that was very lackluster last year. Overall, the Dukies will have a fine squad that should consistently be around the Top 10. That could change either way depending on the play of the 3 talented freshmen.

3) North Carolina State
Last years team surprised many by making a late run in the ACC tournament. With four returning starters that average in double figures, they should be able to build off that run and parlay that into success on the court this year. They are led my ACC player of the year candidate Brandon Costner (16.8 ppg), a smooth big man that can shoot it from anywhere on the court. Costner provides many teams with a match-up nightmare with his size and ability. Gavin Grant (14.7 ppg), Ben McCauley (14.4 ppg.) and Courtney Fells (10.9 ppg) give the Wolfpack and scoring punch that will be very deadly. The Wolfpack will have trouble replacing Engin Atsur at PG. Marques Johnson (Tennessee transfer) and Farnold Dagond will battle for playing time at the PG position. Watch out for freshman J.J Hickson, the talented 5-star recruit will provide instant offense in the low-post.

4) Clemson
Everybody remembers last year, Clemson started out on fire then hit their conference schedule and played so poor, that they missed the tournament. We could very well see the same thing this year. A weak out of conference schedule should provide them with another hot start. Clemson returns four starters (James Mays, Cliff Hammonds, Trevor booker, and K.C Rivers)that were all double-digit scorers from last years team. The real question mark for this team will be at PG. With Vernon Hamilton gone, the Tigers have a huge hole to fill at PG. The job will fall to freshman Demontez Stitt. If Stitt can be successful at the college level, then the Tigers should be a threatin every game they play.

5) Maryland
The terps come into the 2007 season with some returning talent, but aslo some huge holes to fill. They lost 3 of their top 4 scorers from last years 25-9 team. The Terps are led by talented Sophmore PG Greivis Vasquez. Vasquez stepped in as a freshman last season and had a great year averaging 10 ppg and 5 apg. They will look for him to get the ball down low to 6-8 Senior James Gist. Gist is a talented big man that averaged 13 ppg and 7 rbg. last year. Maryland is not very deep, but a weak out of conference schedule should provide them enough time to get settled before their conference schedule starts.

6) Virginia
Dave Leitao has made significant progress in Charlottsville in recent years, and this years team will be solid as well. Gone is All- Conference player J.R Reynolds. Reynolds will be greatly missed on a team that lacked much of a scoring punch last year behind himself and Sean Singletary. The good news for Virginia fans, Singletary is back. Sean Singletary (19 ppg) is one of the best shooters in America, and is known for his clutch shooting in big games. Once again Singletary will be surrounded by a bunch of role playes that will not provide him with much help, but he just might be able to single-handedly put this team in back in the tournament.

7) Boston College
Jared Dudley, Sean Mrshall, and Sean Williams were all great player, hence the word; were. They are all gone and that has left some huge holes for Coach Al Skinner to fill. Recently the university renewed Skinner's contract, which should provide some stability to the program and help with recruiting. All is not lost though. Back is Tyrese Rice (17.9 ppg), the deadly scorer that can absolutely light it up. He, like Singletary will have to put this team on his back and carry them to the tournament if B.C is going to get there. the one thing that they have going for them is their weak out of conference schedule. If they can win enough games early, and hold on through the ACC, they just might have a shot of sneaking into the tournament.

8) Georgia Tech
It hurts when you lose two first round draft picks, and Coach Hewitt is finding that out the hard way. He thought he still had a good nucleus of players coming back and then he finds out that Ra'Sean Dickey is ruled acadimically ineligble until December. That will hurt, but the Jackets still have some sting. Returning are starters Jeremis Smith and Anthony Morrow, throw in Lewis Clinch, and that is a formidble group. Zack Peacock should step into the void at center and give the Jackets a good rebounder. Gani Lawal, a McDonalds All-American, will give them another low post presense. This might be a long year for the Jackets, but don't count Coah Paul Hewitt out just yet.

9) Virginia Tech
Coach Seth Greenburg's off season could not have gone any worse. First, he loses 3 of his top 5 scorers to graduation, then the unthinkable happened. The Virginia Tech Massacre rocked the campus and the nation as a shooter went on a rampage. Shortly after the event, a few players began feeling uneasy about being on campus and looked to transfer. Nigel Munson, the top replacement for PG told Coach Greenburg that he did not want to be on campus and that he feared for his saftey. Shortly after, star recruitAugustus Gilchrist backed out of his commitment or the same reason. This leaves some huge holes in the Virginia Tech squad. There is some hope though. Deron Washington, the athletic wing that averaged 12 ppg. last season is back, along with shooting guard A.D Vassallo. These two are great talents that can help right the ship in Blacksburg.

10) Florida State
Losing Al Thorton will be the hardest thing for this team to overcome. The Noles are very deep at guard with Jason Rich, Isaiah Swann, and Toney Douglas returning. After that, the Noles seem to be in alot of trouble. Uche Echefu (6.9 ppg. 4.3 rpg.) will be a big help down low for the Noles. Solomon Alabi (7-1, 235) is a 5-star recruit that should give immediate help to a team that is not very deep.

11) Wake Forest
If there is any team in the ACC that has gone through more than Virginia Tech it has to be Wake Forest. The Deacs lost their Coach Skip Prosser this offseason to an apparent heart-attack. Dino Guadio steps in at coach to lead a team that is not very talented or deep for that matter. The Deacs are led by Ish Smith, a talented Sophmore that should lead this team in scoring. The Deacs are in for a long year, but things are looking up with a great 2008 recruiting class that includes 5 star recruits Ty Walker and Al-Fariq Aminu.

12) Miami
What can you say about the Canes, except that they are not very good. It is hard for the basketball program to excel at a football school. One bright spot for the Canes is Jack McClinton (16.7 ppg.). McClinton shot 44% from 3 last year and is going to be a marked man in ACC play. Brian Asbury will step in to provide some relief for McClinton. Overall, things are looking pretty bleak for the Canes as they will probably have another losing season.